Celebrating April in the Liturgical Year
Happy first day of April!
This is such a monumental month in the Liturgical Year as we finish out the season of Lent, move through Holy Week, celebrate Easter (hooray!) and begin to move through the 50 day celebration also known as the season of Easter! I can’t wait to celebrate it with you! Here’s an overview with helpful links:
Holy Week
April 13th - Palm Sunday
April 17th - Maundy Thursday
April 18th - Good Friday
April 19th - Holy Saturday
Easter Season
April 20th - Easter Sunday
April 21st-26th Easter Week
April 28th - St. Mark, the Evangelist
Current Season: Lent then Easter
During the month of April, we transtion from the season of Lent to the season of Easter. Here are some helpful articles overviewing each season:
And since we are entering a new season, the season of Easter, during this month, check out my guidebook, The Liturgical Home: Easter. It gives you everything you need to know to celebrate the season in you home.
April 13th - Palm Sunday
Throughout Lent, we have been on a journey with Jesus as he makes his way to Jerusalem and to his eventual death. On Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into the holy city of Jerusalem and we begin to walk him him through his last days also known as Holy Week.
Make a Palm Sunday Mobile
Make Pax Cakes for Palm Sunday
Make a Palm Sunday Wreath
Palm Sunday Printable Play Set
April 17th - Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter, commemorating the Last Supper Jesus shared with His disciples. The word "Maundy" comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning "command," referring to Jesus' command to "love one another as I have loved you." On this night, Jesus washed His disciples' feet and instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion. It marks the beginning of the Triduum, the three sacred days leading up to Easter, and invites Christians to reflect on humility, service, and the depth of Christ's love.
Commemorating Maundy Thursday in Your Home
April 18th - Good Friday
Good Friday is the most solemn day of the church year. It holds profound significance for Christians, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. We solemnly remember the sacrificial acts of Jesus, who bore the sins of humanity and “reconciled to himself all things, whether in heaven or on earth, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:20)
Commemorating Good Friday in Your Home
Make Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday
April 19th - Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is a day of quiet waiting and sacred stillness. The body of Christ lies in the tomb, and the Church holds her breath in hope. This in-between day invites us into silence and reflection, lingering in the mystery of death before the joy of resurrection breaks forth.
How to Commemorate Holy Saturday
April 20th - Easter Sunday (the season of Easter begins!)
Easter Sunday is the glorious culmination of the Triduum and the highest feast of the Christian year. It celebrates the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the definitive victory over sin and death. On this day, the Church rejoices in the fulfillment of God’s promises, the dawning of new creation, and the hope of eternal life. Every Sunday finds its meaning in this day, the feast of feasts, when the tomb was found empty and death was defeated forever.
Easter is Here! Easter Celebrations in Your Home
The Significance of the Easter Lamb
Make an Easter Lamb Cake
My Favorite Children's Books for Easter
Christ is Risen! A Guide to the Easter Greeting Tradition
The Significance of Eggs in Easter
Cracking the Tradition: The Significance of Red Easter Eggs
How to Dye Easter Eggs Red Using Onion Skins
Make Tsoureki: The Symbolic Greek Easter Bread
Easter Fun With Egg-Cracking Games
How to Make Beginner Pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Eggs)
April 21st-26th Easter Week
The week after Easter, known as the Octave of Easter, is a continuation of the feast itself, eight days of sustained celebration in the joy of the Resurrection. Each day is liturgically treated as Easter Day, overflowing with alleluias, light, and renewal. The Church doesn't move on quickly; she lingers in the miracle. With the Octave, the season of Easter has begun, fifty days of rejoicing that stretch from Easter Sunday to Pentecost. It’s a time of deepening joy, of basking in the light of the Risen Christ, and watching the early Church take shape in the readings. Death is defeated. Everything is being made new.
Easter Beyond Sunday: Embracing the Fullness of the Season of Easter
Easter Surprises: Discovering the Hidden Gems of the Easter Season
How to Celebrate Easter Monday
Practice Resurrection During the Easter Season
Practice Resurrection With Easter Flowers
Celebrate Easter With Strawberry Shortcake
April 28th - St. Mark, the Evangelist
On the Feast of St. Mark, we celebrate the author of the Gospel of Mark and a companion of both St. Peter and St. Paul. According to early tradition, Mark founded the Church in Alexandria, making him one of the first to bring the Gospel to Africa and an early patriarch of the Coptic Church. His feast day highlights his role as both a writer and a missionary, emphasizing the bold proclamation of the Good News.
Celebrating the Feast of St. Mark
This is such an important month and I can't wait to celebrate it with you!
Love this so much! It was so helpful!