Common Worship Holy Days

Principal Feasts and other Principal Holy Days are in red bold; festivals are in red normal; other Sundays and Lesser Festivals are in black normal. Commemorations are in grey italic.
Lesser festivals and Commemorations falling on Sundays or on Principal feasts and Holy Days may not be observed. This varies each year. Common Worship leaves bishops to fix their own dates for Ember Days.


January

01 The Naming and Circumcision of Jesus
02 Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishops, Teachers of the Faith, 379 and 389
02 Seraphim, Monk of Sarov, Spiritual Guide, 1833
02 Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah, Bishop in South India, Evangelist, 1945
06 The Epiphany
10 William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1645
11 Mary Slessor, Missionary in West Africa, 1915
12 Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167
12 Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth, Scholar, 689
13 Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, Teacher of the Faith, 367
13 Kentigern (Mungo), Missionary Bishop in Strathclyde and Cumbria, 603
13 George Fox, Founder of the Society of Friends (the Quakers), 1691
17 Antony of Egypt, Hermit, Abbot, 356
17 Charles Gore, Bishop, Founder of the Community of the Resurrection, 1932
18-25 (Week of Prayer for Christian Unity)
19 Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, 1095
20 Richard Rolle of Hampole, Spiritual Writer, 1349
21 Agnes, Child Martyr at Rome, 304
22 Vincent of Saragossa, Deacon, first Martyr of Spain, 304
24 Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva, Teacher of the Faith, 1622
25 The Conversion of Paul
26 Timothy and Titus, Companions of Paul
28 Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Philosopher, Teacher of the Faith, 1274
30 Charles, King and Martyr, 1649
31 John Bosco, Priest, Founder of the Salesian Teaching Order, 1888


February

01 Brigid, Abbess of Kildare, c.525
02 The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)
03 Anskar, Archbishop of Hamburg, Missionary in Denmark and Sweden, 865
04 Gilbert of Sempringham, Founder of the Gilbertine Order, 1189
06 The Martyrs of Japan, 1597
10 Scholastica, sister of Benedict, Abbess of Plombariola, c.543
14 Cyril and Methodius, Missionaries to the Slavs, 869 and 885
14 Valentine, Martyr at Rome, c.269
15 Sigfrid, Bishop, Apostle of Sweden, 1045
15 Thomas Bray, Priest, Founder of the SPCK and the SPG, 1730
17 Janani Luwum, Archbishop of Uganda, Martyr, 1977
23 Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Martyr, c.155
27 George Herbert, Priest, Poet, 1633
  Alternative dates

Matthias may be celebrated on 24 February instead of 14 May.


March

01 David, Bishop of Menevia, Patron of Wales, c.601
02 Chad, Bishop of Lichfield, Missionary, 672
7 Perpetua, Felicity and their Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 203
8 Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln, 1910
8 Felix, Bishop, Apostle to the East Angles, 647
8 Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy, Priest, Poet, 1929
17 Patrick, Bishop, Missionary, Patron of Ireland, c.460
18 Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, Teacher of the Faith, 386
19 Joseph of Nazareth
20 Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary, 687
21 Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, Reformation Martyr, 1556
24 Walter Hilton of Thurgarton, Augustinian Canon, Mystic, 1396
24 Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, Martyr, 1980
25 The Annunciation of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary
26 Harriet Monsell, Founder of the Community of St John the Baptist, 1883
31 John Donne, Priest, Poet, 1631
  Alternative Dates

Chad may be celebrated with Cedd on 26 October instead of 2 March.

Cuthbert may be celebrated on 4 September instead of 20 March.


April

01 Frederick Denison Maurice, Priest, Teacher of the Faith, 1872
9 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran Pastor, Martyr, 1945
10 William Law, Priest, Spiritual Writer, 1761
10 William of Ockham, Friar, Philosopher, Teacher of the Faith, 1347
11 George Augustus Selwyn, first Bishop of New Zealand, 1878
16 Isabella Gilmore, Deaconess, 1923
19 Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr, 1012
21 class="greyitalic" Anselm, Abbot of Le Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury, Teacher of the Faith, 1109
23 George, Martyr, Patron of England, c.304
24 Mellitus, Bishop of London, first Bishop at St Paul's, 624
25 Mark the Evangelist
27 Christina Rossetti, Poet, 1894
28 Peter Chanel, Missionary in the South Pacific, Martyr, 1841
29 Catherine of Siena, Teacher of the Faith, 1380
30 Pandita Mary Ramabai, Translator of the Scriptures, 1922


May

01 Philip and James, Apostles
02 Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher of the Faith, 373
04 English Saints and Martyrs of the Reformation Era
8 Julian of Norwich, Spiritual Writer, c.1417
14 Matthias the Apostle
16 Caroline Chisholm, Social Reformer, 1877
19 Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, Restorer of Monastic Life, 988
20 Alcuin of York, Deacon, Abbot of Tours, 804
21 Helena, Protector of the Holy Places, 330
24 John and Charles Wesley, Evangelists, Hymn Writers, 1791 and 1788
25 The Venerable Bede, Monk at Jarrow, Scholar, Historian, 735
25 Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne, 709
26 Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, 605
26 John Calvin, Reformer, 1564
26 Philip Neri, Founder of the Oratorians, Spiritual Guide, 1595
28 Lanfranc, Prior of Le Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury, Scholar, 1089
30 Josephine Butler, Social Reformer, 1906
30 Joan of Arc, Visionary, 1431
30 Apolo Kivebulaya, Priest, Evangelist in Central Africa, 1933
31 The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth
  Alternative Dates

Matthias may be celebrated on 24 February instead of 14 May.

The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth may be celebrated on 2 July instead of 31 May.


June

01 Justin, Martyr at Rome, c.165
03 The Martyrs of Uganda, 1885-7 and 1977
04 Petroc, Abbot of Padstow, 6th century
05 Boniface (Wynfrith) of Crediton, Bishop, Apostle of Germany, Martyr, 754
06 Ini Kopuria, Founder of the Melanesian Brotherhood, 1945
8 Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, Nonjuror, Hymn Writer, 1711
9 Columba, Abbot of Iona, Missionary, 597
9 Ephrem of Syria, Deacon, Hymn Writer, Teacher of the Faith, 373
11 Barnabas the Apostle
14 Richard Baxter, Puritan Divine, 1691
15 Evelyn Underhill, Spiritual Writer, 1941
16 Richard, Bishop of Chichester, 1253
16 Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, Philosopher, 1752
17 Samuel and Henrietta Barnett, Social Reformers, 1913 and 1936
18 Bernard Mizeki, Apostle of the MaShona, Martyr, 1896
19 Sundar Singh of India, Sadhu (holy man), Evangelist, Teacher of the Faith, 1929
22 Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c.250
23 Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely, c.678
24 The Birth of John the Baptist
27 Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher of the Faith, 444
28 Irenæus, Bishop of Lyons, Teacher of the Faith, c.200
29 Peter and Paul, Apostles
  Alternative Dates

Peter the Apostle may be celebrated alone, without Paul, on 29 June.


July

01 Henry, John, and Henry Venn the younger, Priests, Evangelical Divines, 1797, 1813 and 1873
03 Thomas the Apostle
06 Thomas More, Scholar, and John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, Reformation Martyrs, 1535
11 Benedict of Nursia, Abbot of Monte Cassino, Father of Western Monasticism, c.550
14 John Keble, Priest, Tractarian, Poet, 1866
15 Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, c.862
15 Bonaventure, Friar, Bishop, Teacher of the Faith, 1274
16 Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, 1099
18 Elizabeth Ferard, first Deaconess of the Church of England , Founder of the Community of St Andrew, 1883
19 Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, and his sister Macrina, Deaconess, Teachers of the Faith, c.394 and c.379
20 Margaret of Antioch, Martyr, 4th century
20 Bartolomé de las Casas, Apostle to the Indies, 1566
22 Mary Magdalene
23 Bridget of Sweden, Abbess of Vadstena, 1373
25 James the Apostle
26 Anne and Joachim, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
27 Brooke Foss Westcott, Bishop of Durham, Teacher of the Faith, 1901
29 Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Companions of our Lord
30 William Wilberforce, Social Reformer, 1833
31 Ignatius of Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus, 1556
  Alternative Dates

The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth may be celebrated on 2 July instead of 31 May.

Thomas the Apostle may be celebrated on 21 December instead of 3 July.

Thomas Becket may be celebrated on 7 July instead of 29 December.


August

04 Jean-Baptiste Vianney, Curé d'Ars, Spiritual Guide, 1859
05 Oswald, King of Northumbria, Martyr, 642
06 The Transfiguration of our Lord
07 John Mason Neale, Priest, Hymn Writer, 1866
08 Dominic, Priest, Founder of the Order of Preachers, 1221
09 Mary Sumner, Founder of the Mothers' Union, 1921
10 Laurence, Deacon at Rome, Martyr, 258
11 Clare of Assisi, Founder of the Minoresses (Poor Clares), 1253
11 John Henry Newman, Priest, Tractarian, 1890
13 Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down and Connor, Teacher of the Faith, 1667
13 Florence Nightingale, Nurse, Social Reformer, 1910
13 Octavia Hill, Social Reformer, 1912
14 Maximilian Kolbe, Friar, Martyr, 1941
15 The Blessed Virgin Mary
20 Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, Teacher of the Faith, 1153
20 William and Catherine Booth, Founders of the Salvation Army, 1912 and 1890
24 Bartholomew the Apostle
27 Monica, mother of Augustine of Hippo, 387
28 Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Teacher of the Faith, 430
29 The Beheading of John the Baptist
30 John Bunyan, Spiritual Writer, 1688
31 Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary, 651
  Alternative Dates

The Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated on 8 September instead of 15 August.


September

01 Giles of Provence, Hermit, c.710
02 The Martyrs of Papua New Guinea, 1901 and 1942
03 Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, Teacher of the Faith, 604
04 Birinus, Bishop of Dorchester (Oxon), Apostle of Wessex, 650
06 Allen Gardiner, Missionary, Founder of the South American Mission Society, 1851
08 The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
09 Charles Fuge Lowder, Priest, 1880
13 John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, Teacher of the Faith, 407
14 Holy Cross Day
15 Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, 258
16 Ninian, Bishop of Galloway, Apostle of the Picts, c.432
16 Edward Bouverie Pusey, Priest, Tractarian, 1882
17 Hildegard, Abbess of Bingen, Visionary, 1179
19 Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, 690
20 John Coleridge Patteson, First Bishop of Melanesia, and his Companions, Martyrs, 1871
21 Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
25 Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, Spiritual Writer, 1626
25 Sergei of Radonezh, Russian Monastic Reformer, Teacher of the Faith, 1392
26 Wilson Carlile, Founder of the Church Army, 1942
27 Vincent de Paul, Founder of the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists), 1660
29 Michael and All Angels
30 Jerome, Translator of the Scriptures, Teacher of the Faith, 420
  Alternative Dates

Cuthbert may be celebrated on 4 September instead of 20 March.


October

01 Remigius, Bishop of Rheims, Apostle of the Franks, 533
01 Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury, Social Reformer, 1885
04 Francis of Assisi, Friar, Deacon, Founder of the Friars Minor, 1226
06 William Tyndale, Translator of the Scriptures, Reformation Martyr, 1536
09 Denys, Bishop of Paris, and his Companions,Martyrs, c.250
09 Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, Philosopher, Scientist, 1253
10 Paulinus, Bishop of York, Missionary, 644
10 Thomas Traherne, Poet, Spiritual Writer, 1674
11 Ethelburga, Abbess of Barking, 675
11 James the Deacon, companion of Paulinus, 7th century
12 Wilfrid of Ripon, Bishop, Missionary, 709
12 Elizabeth Fry, Prison Reformer, 1845
12 Edith Cavell, Nurse, 1915
13 Edward the Confessor, King of England, 1066
15 Teresa of Avila, Teacher of the Faith, 1582
16 Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, and Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, Reformation Martyrs, 1555
17 Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c.107
18 Luke the Evangelist
19 Henry Martyn, Translator of the Scriptures, Missionary in India and Persia, 1812
25 Crispin and Crispinian, Martyrs at Rome, c.287
26 Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, Scholar, 899
26 Cedd, Abbot of Lastingham, Bishop of the East Saxons, 664
28 Simon and Jude, Apostles
29 James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, Martyr in Uganda, 1885
31 Martin Luther, Reformer, 1546
  Alternative Dates

Chad may be celebrated with Cedd on 26 October instead of 2 March.


November

01 All Saints' Day
02 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day)
03 Richard Hooker, Priest, Anglican Apologist, Teacher of the Faith, 1600
03 Martin of Porres, Friar, 1639
06 Leonard, Hermit, 6th century
06 William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury, Teacher of the Faith, 1944
07 Willibrord of York, Bishop, Apostle of Frisia, 739
08 The Saints and Martyrs of England
09 Margery Kempe, Mystic, c.1440
10 Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome, Teacher of the Faith, 461
11 Martin, Bishop of Tours, c.397
13 Charles Simeon, Priest, Evangelical Divine, 1836
14 Samuel Seabury, first Anglican Bishop in North America, 1796
16 Margaret, Queen of Scotland, Philanthropist, Reformer of the Church, 1093
16 Edmund Rich of Abingdon, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1240
17 Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, 1200
18 Elizabeth of Hungary, Princess of Thuringia, Philanthropist, 1231
19 Hilda, Abbess of Whitby, 680
19 Mechtild, Béguine of Magdeburg, Mystic, 1280
20 Edmund, King of the East Angles, Martyr, 870
20 Priscilla Lydia Sellon, a Restorer of the Religious Life in the Church of England, 1876
22 Cecilia, Martyr at Rome, c.230
23 Clement, Bishop of Rome, Martyr, c.100
25 Catherine of Alexandria, Martyr, 4th century
25 Isaac Watts, Hymn Writer, 1748
29 (Day of Intercession and Thanksgiving for the Missionary Work of the Church)
30 Andrew the Apostle


December

01 Charles de Foucauld, Hermit in the Sahara, 1916
03 Francis Xavier, Missionary, Apostle of the Indies, 1552
04 John of Damascus, Monk, Teacher of the Faith, c.749
04 Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon, Founder of the Little Gidding Community, 1637
06 Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, c.326
07 Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Teacher of the Faith, 397
08 The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
13 Lucy, Martyr at Syracuse, 304
13 Samuel Johnson, Moralist, 1784
14 John of the Cross, Poet, Teacher of the Faith, 1591
17 O Sapientia
17 Eglantyne Jebb, Social Reformer, Founder of 'Save The Children', 1928
24 Christmas Eve
25 Christmas Day
26 Stephen, Deacon, First Martyr
27 John, Apostle and Evangelist
28 The Holy Innocents
29 Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr, 1170
31 John Wyclif, Reformer, 1384
  Alternative Dates

Thomas the Apostle may be celebrated on 21 December instead of 3 July.

Thomas Becket may be celebrated on 7 July instead of 29 December.