General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius XII

In 1955,Pope Pius XIImade several changes to theGeneral Roman Calendar of 1954;those changes remained in force until 1960, whenPope John XXIIIdecreed a new revision of theGeneral Roman Calendar(seeGeneral Roman Calendar of 1960). The changes made by Pope Pius XII thus remained unaltered for only five years.

Pius XII made those changes by the decree "Cum nostra hac aetate" of 23 March 1955.[1]

The General Calendar of Pope Pius XII is not authorized for liturgical use by traditional groups in communion with the Holy See, and mostsedevacantistsprefer to use theGeneral Roman Calendar of 1954[2][3][4][5],as well as Old Roman Catholics, as their members consider it to be the last calendar untainted by the revisions that began in 1955. However, a few sedevacantists do observe the revisions beginning in 1955, while excluding those of theJohn XXIII,such as theCongregation of Mary Immaculate Queen[6][7].The celebrations including the revisions according to General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius XII starting in 1955 are listed here below.[8][9]

Changes to the Calendar

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Rank of feasts

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The grade and rite of "Semi-Double" was suppressed, and the liturgical days formerly celebrated as that rite were to be celebrated in the simple rite except the Vigil of Pentecost which was raised to the double rite.[10]

Sundays

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The Sundays of Advent and Lent and those that follow up to Low Sunday, and also Pentecost Sunday, were to be celebrated as doubles of the first class, outranking all feasts; but when feasts of the first class occurred on the second, third or fourth Sunday of Advent,Massesof the feast were permitted except the conventual Mass. Sundays previously celebrated in the Semi-Double rite were raised to the Double rite. An impeded Sunday Office and Mass was to be neither anticipated nor resumed. A feast or title or any mystery ofOur Lordfalling on a Sunday per annum was thenceforth to take the place of the Sunday, with the latter merelycommemorated.[11]

Vigils

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The Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord and the vigil of Pentecost were privileged vigils. The Vigils of the Ascension of Our Lord, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Baptist, Saints Peter and Paul and Saint Lawrence were to be common vigils and, if they occurred on a Sunday, were not to be anticipated, but simply omitted. All other vigils, including those marked in particular calendars, were suppressed.[12]

Octaves

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Only theOctavesof Easter, Christmas and Pentecost were to be celebrated; all others occurring either in the universal or in particular calendars were suppressed. The days within the Easter and Pentecost octaves were raised to the Double rite, had precedence over all feasts, and did not admit commemorations. But the days of the Octave of Christmas, although of the Double rite, continued to be celebrated as before.[13]

From 2 to 5 January, unless some feast occurred, the Office was to be of the currentferiain the simple rite. The Mass was to be the same as that of 1 January but without the Credo and the special "Communicantes".[14]

With the suppression of the Octave ofEpiphany,the days from 7 to 12 January became feriae per annum (in the Simple rite); up to the Sunday following Epiphany, the Mass was to be the same as that of the Epiphany, but without the Credo and without the special "Communicantes"; after the Sunday, the mass was to be that of the Sunday (which on that Sunday itself remained continually impeded by the Feast of the Holy Family). On 13 January the Commemoration of the Baptism of our Lord was to be celebrated in the major double rite, using for the Office and the Mass those previously said on the Octave of the Epiphany. But if 13 January occurred on Sunday, the Office and Mass were to be those of the "Feast of the Holy Family" without any commemoration of the Baptism of Our Lord.[15]

The days from the Ascension of Our Lord to the Vigil of Pentecost exclusive became feriae of Eastertide (in the Simple rite); the Mass was to be that of the Feast of the Ascension, but without the Credo and the special Communicantes (even on the Friday before Pentecost, where hitherto the Mass of the Sunday had to be taken). The days of the suppressed Octaves of Corpus Christi and the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus became feriae per annum.[16]

Feasts of the Saints

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Saints' feasts previously celebrated in the Semi-Double rite were to be treated as Simple feasts, and those previously celebrated in the Simple rite were reduced to a commemoration. If any feast not of the first or second class occurred on the ferias ofLentandPassiontide,fromAsh Wednesdayto the Saturday beforePalm Sunday,the Office (if recited privately) and the Mass could be either of the feria or of the feast.[17]

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By a separate decree of the same year 1955, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of "Saint Joseph the Worker" on 1 May (moving the feast of "SaintsPhilipandJamesApostles "from 1 May, where it had been since the sixth century, to 11 May, and suppressing the" Solemnity ofSaint Joseph,Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary "that, sincePope Pius IX's decree of 10 September 1847, had been celebrated on the second Wednesday after the Octave of Easter).[18]

January

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Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany [or January 2, when no such Sunday occurs]:The most holy Name of Jesus,Double of the II Class.
Sunday after Epiphany:The Most Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, Joseph,Greater Double.

February

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Inleap yearthe month of February is of 29 days, and the Feast of St. Matthias is celebrated on the 25th day and the Feast of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows on the 28th day of February, and twice is saidSexto Kalendas,that is on the 24th day and 25th day; and thedominical letter,which was taken up in the month of January, is changed to the preceding; that, if in January, the dominical letter was A, it is changed to the preceding, which is g, etc.; and the letter f is kept twice, on the 24th and 25th.[19]

March

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Friday after Passion Sunday:Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary,Greater Double, Com. of the Feria.

April

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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Last Sunday in October:The Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King,Double of the I Class, Com. of the Sunday.

November

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December

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  • 1: Feria
  • 2: St.BibianaVirgin and Martyr, Simple.
  • 3: St.Francis XavierConfessor, Greater Double.
  • 4: St.Peter ChrysologusBishop, Confessor, andDoctor of the Church,Double, Com. of St.BarbaraVirgin and Martyr.
  • 5: Com. of St.SabbasAbbot.
  • 6: St.NicholasBishop and Confessor, Double.
  • 7: St.AmbroseBishop, Confessor, andDoctor of the Church,Double.
  • 8: TheImmaculate Conceptionof the Blessed Virgin Mary, Double of the I Class.
  • 9: Feria
  • 10: Com. of St.MelchiadesPope and Martyr.
  • 11: St.Damasus IPope and Confessor, Simple.
  • 12: Feria
  • 13: St.LucyVirgin and Martyr, Double.
  • 14: Feria
  • 15: Feria
  • 16: St.EusebiusBishop and Martyr, Simple.
  • 17: Feria
  • 18: Feria
  • 19: Feria
  • 20: Feria
  • 21: St.ThomasApostle, Double of the II Class.
  • 22: Feria
  • 23: Feria
  • 24:Vigil.
  • 25:Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ,Double of the I Class with a privileged Octave of the III rank.
  • 26: St.StephenProtomartyr, Double of the II class, Com. of the Octave of the Nativity.
  • 27: St.JohnApostle and Evangelist, Double of the II class, Com. of the Octave of the Nativity.
  • 28: TheHoly Innocents,Double of the II class, Com. of the Octave of the Nativity.
  • 29: St.ThomasBishop and Martyr, Double, Com. of the Octave of the Nativity.
  • 30: Of the VI day within the Octave of the Nativity, Double.
  • 31: St.Sylvester IPope and Confessor, Double, Com. of the Octave of the Nativity.

Although not listed on the general Calendar, a commemoration of St.AnastasiaMartyr is made at the second Mass on Christmas Day.

Moveable feasts

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The moveable feasts are those connected with the Easter cycle, and Easter is the date relative to which their position is ultimately determined. The date of Easter is determined relative to the lunar calendar as used by the Hebrews. The rule has since the Middle Ages been phrased as "Easter is observed on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after the day of the vernal equinox." However, this does not reflect the actual ecclesiastical rules precisely. One reason for this is that the full moon involved (called the Paschal full moon) is not an astronomical full moon, but an ecclesiastical moon. Another difference is that the astronomical vernal equinox is a natural astronomical phenomenon, which can fall on 20 or 21 March, while the ecclesiastical vernal equinox is a fixed March 21 (on the Gregorian calendar). Easter is determined from tables which determine Easter based on the ecclesiastical rules described above, which do not always coincide with the astronomical full moon. The moveable feasts are given below:

Septuagesima Sunday (9th Sunday before Easter)
Sexagesima Sunday (8th Sunday before Easter)
Quinquagesima Sunday (7th Sunday before Easter)
Ash Wednesday (Wednesday after Quinquagesima Sunday)
Passion Sunday (Sunday 2 weeks before Easter)
Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary (Friday after 2nd Sunday before Easter)
Palm Sunday (Sunday before Easter)
Holy Thursday (Thursday before Easter)
Good Friday (Friday before Easter)
Holy Saturday (Saturday before Easter)
Easter Sunday, the Solemnity of Solemnities, the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Low Sunday (Sunday after Easter)
The Lesser Litanies at St. Mary Major (Monday after the 5th Sunday after Easter)
The Lesser Litanies at St. John Lateran (Tuesday after the 5th Sunday after Easter)
The Vigil of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Lesser Litanies at St. Peter's (Wednesday after the 5th Sunday after Easter)
The Ascension (Thursday after the 5th Sunday after Easter)
The Vigil of Pentecost (Saturday after the 6th Sunday after Easter)
Pentecost (7th Sunday after Easter)
Holy Trinity and the Octave of Pentecost (8th Sunday after Easter)
Corpus Christi (Thursday after the 8th Sunday after Easter)
Sacred Heart of Jesus (Friday after the 9th Sunday after Easter)

The 1955 calendar assigned special celebrations also to the days within the Octaves of Easter and Pentecost, as to the days within the Octave of Christmas.

Feasts celebrated in some places (pro Aliquibus Locis)

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The 1955 Roman Missal also listed a number of celebrations in the section headed "Mass for Some Places". These celebrations were:

TheHoly House of Loreto(10 December)
TheExpectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary(18 December)
TheBetrothal of the Virgin Mary with Saint Joseph(23 January)
SaintIldephonsus(23 January)
TheFlight into Egypt(17 February)
SaintMargaret of Cortona(26 February)
ThePrayer of Christ(Tuesday after Septuagesima)
Commemoration of the Passion of Christ(Tuesday after Sexagesima)
TheSacred Crown of Thorns(Friday after Ash Wednesday)
TheSacred Lance and Nails(Friday after the First Sunday in Lent)
TheHoly Shroud(Friday after the Second Sunday in Lent)
TheFive Holy Wounds(Friday after the Third Sunday in Lent)
ThePrecious Blood(Friday after the Fourth Sunday in Lent)
SaintCatherine of Genoa(22 March)
SaintBenedict Joseph Labre(16 April)
Our Lady of Good Counsel(26 April)
SaintIsidore the Farmer(15 May)
SaintJohn Nepomucene(16 May)
SaintRita of Cascia(22 May)
SaintJohn Baptist de Rossi(23 May)
Our Lady Help of Christians(24 May)
SaintFerdinand III(30 May)
SaintJoan of Arc(30 May)
Our Lady Queen of All Saints and Mother of Fair Love(31 May)
Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces(31 May)
Our Lady Queen of the Apostles(Saturday after the Ascension)
TheImmaculate Heart of Mary(Saturday after the 9th Sunday after Easter)
TheEucharistic Heart of Jesus(Thursday after the 10th Sunday after Easter)
Our Lady Mother of Grace(9 June)
SaintJohn Francis Regis(16 June)
Our Lady of Prompt Succor(27 June)
All Holy Popes(3 July)
SaintLawrence of Brindisi(7 July)
SaintVeronica Giuliani(9 July)
Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary(17 July)
Our Lady Mother of Mercy(Saturday after the 4th Sunday of July)
SaintEmygdius(9 August)
SaintPhilomena(11 August)
Our Lady Refuge of Sinners(13 August)
SaintJohn Berchmans(13 August)
SaintRoch(16 August)
Empress Helena(18 August)
Our Lady of Consolation(Saturday after the Feast of St. Augustine)
Our Lady Help of the Sick(Saturday after the last Sunday in August)
SaintRose of Viterbo(4 September)
SaintPeter Claver(9 September)
SaintGregory the Illuminator(1 October)
Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary(16 October)
Feast of the Holy Redeemer(23 October)
TheSacred Relics(5 November)
SaintStanislaus Kostka(13 November)
Our Lady Mother of Divine Providence(Saturday after the 3rd Sunday in November)
St.Leonard of Port Maurice(26 November)
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal(27 November)

See also

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References

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  1. ^Acta Apostolicae Sedis47(1955), pages 218-224
  2. ^Pre-Vatican II Liturgical Changes: Road to the New Massby Most Rev. Daniel L. Dolan, The Roman Catholic, June 1983
  3. ^Liturgical Revolutionby Rev. Francesco Ricossa, The Roman Catholic, February–April 1987
  4. ^Is Rejecting the Pius XII Liturgical Reforms Illegal?by Rev. Anthony Cekada, 27 April 2006
  5. ^More on the Legal Issueby Rev. Anthony Cekada, 10 July 2006
  6. ^The Liturgical Changes of Pope Pius XII: May a Catholic Reject Laws Promulgated by a Legitimate Pope?,by Rev. Fr. Dominic Radecki, The Reign of Mary, Issue No. 161
  7. ^Statement of Principle: CMRI and the Liturgy of Pope Pius XII (including the revised Holy Week),Mount Saint Michael
  8. ^Sacred Heart of Jesus Church
  9. ^Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity
  10. ^Title II: Changes in the calendar, 1-2
  11. ^Title II: Changes in the calendar, 3-7
  12. ^Title II: Changes in the calendar, 8-10
  13. ^Title II: Changes in the calendar, 11-13
  14. ^Title II: Changes in the calendar, 14
  15. ^Title II: Changes in the calendar, 15-16
  16. ^Title II: Changes in the calendar, 17-19
  17. ^Title II: Changes in the calendar, 20-22
  18. ^Acta Apostolicae Sedis47(1955), page 406
  19. ^Kalendarium,Breviarium Romanum:"In anno bissextili mensis Februarius est dierum 29, et Festum S. Matthiae celebratur die 25 ac Festum S. Gabrielis a Virgine Perdolente die 28 Febr., et bis dicitur Sexto Kalendas, id est die 24 et die 25; et littera dominicalis, quae assumpta fuit in mense Januario, mutatur in praecedentem; ut, si in Januario, littera dominicalis fuerit A, mutetur in praecedentem, quae est g, etc.; et littera f bis servit, 24 et 25.
  20. ^It is perhaps unclear when the identification of the Saint Felix of 29 July withAntipope Felix IIwas abandoned. The identification is still found in the1920 typical edition of the Roman Missal, with feasts updated to the late 1920sArchived2020-03-01 at theWayback Machine,but does not appear in the1962 typical edition,which calls him simply a martyr (seeGeneral Roman Calendar of 1960). The 1952 Marietti printing of the Missal, which precedes 1955, the reference year for this article, also omits the numeral "II" and the word "Papae", however, the 1952 Pustet and the 1956 Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis printings of the Breviary still list Felix as a Pope and with the numeral II. The baselessness of the identification was recognized long before: in its 1909 article onFelix IItheCatholic Encyclopediareferred to this identification as a "distortion of the true facts".