In the liturgical calendar of the Roman Rite, a solemnity is a feast day of the highest rank celebrating a mystery of faith such as the Trinity, an event in the life of Jesus, his mother Mary, his legal father Joseph, or another important saint. The observance begins with the vigil on the evening before the actual date of the feast. Unlike feast days of the rank of feast (other than feasts of the Lord) or those of the rank of memorial, solemnities replace the celebration of Sundays outside Advent, Lent, and Easter (those in Ordinary Time).Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 59
The word comes from postclassical Latin , meaning a solemnity, festival, celebration of a day.Lewis and Short, sollemnitas
Ranking
The solemnities of Nativity of the Lord, the Epiphany, the Ascension, and Pentecost are outranked only by the Paschal Triduum.
Other solemnities inscribed in the General Roman Calendar give way also to the following celebrations: The Paschal Triduum Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter Ash Wednesday Weekdays of Holy Week up to and including Thursday Days within the Octave of Easter
Solemnities inscribed in particular calendars yield not only to these, but also to the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.
With the exceptions noted in the table below regarding the solemnities of Saint Joseph and the Annunciation of the Lord, a solemnity that falls on the same day as a celebration of higher rank is transferred to the next day not occupied by a solemnity, a Sunday or a feast.Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 60
Among solemnities inscribed in the General Roman Calendar, those of the Lord have precedence over those of the Blessed Virgin and these latter over solemnities of other saints. Thus if, for instance, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus coincides with that of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist or that of Saints Peter and Paul, it is these that are transferred to the next free day.
Among solemnities inscribed in particular calendars (proper solemnities) the order of precedence is:
The solemnity of the principal patron of the place, city or state The solemnity of the dedication or anniversary of the dedication of one's own church The solemnity of the title of one's own church (the mystery or saint to which it is dedicated) The solemnity of either the title or the founder of a religious institute
List and dates The solemnities inscribed in the General Roman Calendar and which are therefore observed throughout the Latin Church are indicated in the following list.
Date Solemnity Notes about date1 JanuaryThe Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Mother of GodOctave of Christmas, Circumcision of the Lord, New Year's Day6 JanuaryEpiphany of the LordWhere not a holy day of obligation, transferred to the Sunday between 2 and 8 January, inclusive19 MarchSaint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin MaryIf the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, where observed as a holy day of obligation, coincides with Palm Sunday, it is, by exception to the general rule, anticipated to Saturday, 18 March; where not observed as a holy day of obligation, the episcopal conference may transfer it to a date outside Lent.Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 56 25 MarchAnnunciation of the LordIf the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord falls on any day of Holy Week, it is always transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter (30 March to 9 April), rather than, in accordance with the general rule, to the next day not occupied by a celebration with at least the rank of feastThursday before Easter Sunday (19 March to 22 April)Institution of the EucharistBegins the Paschal Triduum, celebrates the Last Supper which established the Eucharist.(22 March to 25 April)Resurrection of the Lord (Easter)Concludes the Paschal Triduum that commemorates the resurrection of Christ. See Computus for date computation. Begins Octave of Easter, eight consecutive days celebrated as one continuous solemnity, ending 29 March to 2 May. See also Resurrection of Jesus. Thursday after the Sixth Sunday of Easter (40th day of Eastertide – 30 April to 3 June)Ascension of the LordIf not a holy day of obligation, transferred to replace the Seventh Sunday of Easter (3 May to 6 June)50th day of Eastertide (10 May to 13 June)Pentecost(Whitsunday); always on a SundaySunday after Pentecost (17 May to 20 June)Trinity SundayThursday after Trinity Sunday (21 May to 24 June)Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)If not a holy day of obligation, transferred to the following Sunday (24 May to 27 June).Friday (8 days after Corpus Christi Thursday, 5 days after Corpus Christi Sunday) (29 May to 2 July)Most Sacred Heart of Jesus 24 JuneNativity of Saint John the Baptist 29 JuneSaints Peter and Paul15 AugustAssumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary1 NovemberAll Saints' DayLast Sunday before Advent (20–26 November)Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the UniverseReplaces 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time8 DecemberImmaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary25 DecemberNativity of the Lord (Christmas)everywhere a holy day of obligation; see also Nativity of Jesus
Proper solemnities There are also solemnities not inscribed in the General Roman Calendar, which are observed in particular places, regions, churches or religious institutes. The optional memorial of Saint Patrick on 17 March is a solemnity in Ireland, the memorial of Saint Josemaría Escrivá on 26 June is a solemnity within the prelature of Opus Dei, and the optional memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16 July is a solemnity for the Carmelites.
A partial list of proper solemnities follows below: Date Solemnity Country or religious order19 JanuarySaint Henry (bishop of Finland)Finland31 JanuaryDon Bosco (Saint John Bosco)Salesians of Don Bosco22 FebruaryChair of Saint PeterPersonal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter1 MarchSaint DavidWales17 MarchSaint PatrickIreland (holy day of obligation) and Australia23 AprilSaint GeorgeEngland23 AprilSaint Adalbert of PraguePoland3 MayOur Lady, Queen of PolandPoland6 May (formerly 9 March)Saint Dominic SavioSalesians of Don Bosco8 MaySaint Stanislaus of SzczepanówPoland8 MayOur Lady of Luján (Nuestra Señora de Luján)Argentina24 MayMary Help of ChristiansAustralia, Salesians of Don Bosco24 MayTransfer of remains of Saint DominicDominican Order (where 8 August is not a solemnity)26 JuneSaint Josemaría Escriváprelature of Opus Dei3 JulySaint Thomas the ApostleIndia and Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (holy day of obligation in some Middle Eastern countries)5 JulySaints Cyril and MethodiusSlovakia, Czech Republic11 JulySaint Benedict of NursiaOrder of Saint Benedict16 JulyOur Lady of Mount CarmelCarmelites, Discalced Carmelites, Bolivia, and Chile20 JulySaint Elijah the ProphetCarmelites (not discalced)25 JulySaint James, son of Zebedee, the Apostle (Santiago el Mayor)Spain (holy day of obligation)29 JulyKing Saint Olaf II of NorwayNorway31 JulySaint Ignatius of LoyolaSociety of Jesus8 AugustSaint Mary MacKillop of the CrossAustralia8 AugustSaint DominicDominican Order (where 24 May is not a solemnity)11 AugustSaint Clare of AssisiPoor Clares and some other Franciscans20 AugustKing Saint Stephen I of HungaryHungary26 AugustBlack Madonna of CzęstochowaPoland28 AugustSaint Augustine of HippoAugustinians30 AugustSaint Rose of LimaPeru4 September (?)Our Lady of ConsolationAugustinians8 SeptemberNativity of MaryLithuania and Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (holy day of obligation in some Middle Eastern countries)15 SeptemberOur Lady of SorrowsSlovakia20 September Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, the priest, and Paul Chong Hasang, and companions, martyrsSouth Korea28 SeptemberSaint Wenceslaus I, Duke of BohemiaCzech Republic1 OctoberSaint Therese of LisieuxDiscalced Carmelites and France and some European Countries4 OctoberSaint Francis of AssisiFranciscan12 OctoberOur Lady of AparecidaBrazil15 OctoberTeresa of ÁvilaDiscalced Carmelites19 October (20 October in the United States)Saint Paul of the CrossPassionists24 OctoberSaint Anthony Mary ClaretClaretians3 NovemberSaint Martin de PorresPeru16 NovemberOur Lady of the Gate of Dawn (Mother of Mercy)Lithuania19 NovemberOur Lady of ProvidencePuerto Rico24 NovemberSaint Andrew Trần An Dũng-Lạc and Companions, MartyrsVietnam27 NovemberOur Lady of the Miraculous MedalVincentian Family 30 NovemberAndrew the ApostleRussia and Scotland3 DecemberSaint Francis XavierIndia12 DecemberOur Lady of GuadalupeMexico (holy day of obligation)14 DecemberSaint John of the CrossDiscalced Carmelites
Observance
Even if it is a weekday or within Advent and Lenten season, if the day is a Solemnity, then the Gloria is said or sung (except Good Friday which is the second day of the Paschal Triduum), as well as the saying of the Creed at Mass, and there are two scriptural readings, not one, before the Gospel. Also, there will sometimes be processional and recessional hymns, and use of incense.
Some but not all solemnities are also holy days of obligation, on which, as on Sundays, Catholics are required to attend Mass and to avoid work and business that hinder divine worship or suitable relaxation of mind and body. Code of Canon Law, canon 1247 All holy days of obligation have the rank of solemnity at least at local level, though not necessarily holding that rank in the General Roman Calendar. With the exception of the solemnities of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Annunciation of the Lord and the Birth of John the Baptist, all the solemnities inscribed in the General Roman Calendar are mentioned as holy days of obligation in canon 1246 of the Code of Canon Law, but are not necessarily all observed in a particular country.
When a solemnity falls on a Friday, the obligation to abstain from meat or some other food as determined by the episcopal conference does not apply.Code of Canon Law, canon 1251
See also Afterfeast Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church Liturgical year Holy day of obligation Octave (liturgical) Ranking of liturgical days in the Roman Rite Synaxis
References
External links
Universalis Liturgical calendar of the Roman Rite with the texts of the Liturgy of the Hours and of the readings at Mass. "Solemnity" article from The Catholic Encyclopedia (1912)