Multicultural Calendar

December 2024 - Month of the Immaculate Conception

The advent wreath is not a common tradition to many Catholics from other countries, but it is gaining in popularity with globalization. The tradition was brought to the United States from German Catholics and Lutherans. The origins are not completely clear, but it did begin in Germany and was a practice shared by both Lutherans and Catholics there.

The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated during advent on Dec. 6. A fun tradition that many schools have begun to do is having a student, parent or teacher dress as St. Nicholas to distribute treats and read stories about him.

The early church originally celebrated Our Lady's preservation from sin on Dec. 9 and the Spanish brought this tradition to the New World. Saint Juan Diego was attending Mass for this reason when he met our Lady on Dec. 9, 1531. The use of the Gregorian calendar in 1582 changed the date to Dec. 8.

In 1708, Pope Clement XI mandated the feast as a holy day of obligation.

Our Lady appeared on Dec. 9, 10 and 12th to indigenous convert, Juan Diego, less than 30 years after the Spanish arrived in America. A divine image of her was provided so that a chapel would be built in her honor. Within 7 years 9 million natives accepted the Catholic faith.

Many of the paintings depicting the Immaculate Conception were inspired by this image and its portrayal of the woman described in the Book of Revelation.

Like many saints, St. Lucy is a beloved in many cultures around the world. For instance, in Northern Italy, it is tradition for children to write letters to her before feast day on Dec. 13 for presents they'd like to receive. They must have proof they've been good otherwise they get nothing. They're also advised to leave a plate with cookies for Lucy and some hay and milk for Gastaldo, her faithful donkey on the eve of her feast day.

In Scandinavian countries, on the night of the Dec. 12, children make special cookies for her and then the next morning the eldest daughter in the family wakes up before everyone else, dresses in white with a red belt and serves the whole family the cookies made the night before.

Las Posadas is a novenario (a Catholic extended devotional prayer). It is celebrated chiefly in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and by Hispanics in the U.S. It is typically celebrated Dec. 16 and Dec. 24. The word posada means lodging or accommodation. Spanish missionaries started the tradition in the New World over 400 years ago in 1586 to teach the story of Jesus' birth.

Many of our schools choose to celebrate this advent tradition the nine days leading up to the Christmas break.

Full Month | Catholic Devotion - Immaculate Conception

December 1 - December 24 | Advent

December 3 | St. Francis Xavier

December 4 | St. John of Damacus

December 6 | St. Nicholas

December 7 | St. Ambrose

December 8 | The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin (S)

The United States also celebrates this day and title for its Marian feast day. Spain, Nicaragua, and the Philippines also celebrate their Marian patroness La Inmaculada Concepción de María. The United States also celebrates this day and title for its Marian feast day. Paraguay also celebrates their Marian patroness on this day but with the title, La Virgen de Caacupé.

December 9 | St. Juan Diego

December 12 | Our Lady of Guadalupe (F)

December 13 | St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

December 14 | St. Juan de la Cruz

December 16 | St. Adelaide

December 17 | St. Lazarus

December 16 - 24 | Las Posadas.

December 25 | The Nativity of the Lord (S)

December 26 | St. Stephen, Martyr

December 27 | St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

December 28 | The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

December 31 | Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

January 2025 - Month of the Holy Name of Jesus

A bulletin board in the main hallway of Immaculata School in Hendersonville showing the many titles of Jesus.

Historically, Epiphany has been celebrated on January 6 worldwide (12th day of Christmas), however, since 1970, “Latin Rite” Roman Catholics in the U.S. have celebrated this solemnity on the first Sunday after January 1st. Outside the U.S., Christians continue to celebrate on January 6.

January 6 - February 2: Outside the U.S., Jan 6 is still the date for the Epiphany and Feb 2 marks the date for Candlemas (Presentation of the Lord). For many Catholic cultures, especially in Europe and in Latin America, this time is still Christmas season.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Patroness of Catholic Schools)

Born in New York City, she is a Catholic convert who founded the American Sisters of Charity. With them, she founded the first Catholic school for girls in the U.S., many of whom were immigrants. While it was free, she did ask for donations from wealthy families who could pay for the education to help cover the costs of the school.

St. John Neumann (Patron of Catholic Education) -

An immigrant from Bohemia (Czech Republic), he founded the first Catholic diocesan school system in the U.S.

Lunar New Year (Vietnamese and Korean) or Tết, short for Tết Nguyên Đán (Vietnamese) Gujeong (Korean): For Catholics in Asia, the Lunar New Year is celebrated almost as if it were feast days. Many go to Mass the night before or the morning of the first day to give thanks to God and celebrate the New Year with God’s blessings. It’s also a time to remember their ancestors. In the Catholic context, symbols and themes of the festival, including the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, are often inculturated in homilies and through the giving of blessed symbolic objects after Mass.

Full Month | Catholic Devotion - The Holy Name of Jesus

December 25 - January 7 (U.S.) | Liturgical Christmas Time

January 1 | Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

January 4 | St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

January 5 | St. John Neumann

January 6 | Epiphany

January 7 | St. Raymond of Penyafort / San Raimundo de Peñafort

January 12 | St. Arcadius / San Arcadio

January 13 | St. Hilary of Poiters / San Hilario de Poiters

January 14 | St. Felix of Nola

January 15 | Martin Luther King Jr.

January 16 | St. Marcelo

January 17 | St. Anthony the Great

January 18 | St. Margaret of Hungary

January 19 | St. Juan de Ribera

January 20 | St. Fabian and St. Sebastian / San Fabián y San Sebastián / Thánh Fabian và Sebastian
January 21 | St. Agnes / Santa Inés / Thánh Agnes (M)

On this day, the Dominican Republic also celebrates its Marian feast day Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia.

January 24 | St. Francis de Sales / San Francisco de Sales / Thánh Phanxicô dê Salê (M)

January 25 | Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle

January 26 | Sts. Timothy and Titus / Santos Timoteo y Tito / Thánh Timôthêô và Titô (M)
January 27 | St. Angela Merici / Santa Ángela Merici / Thánh Angela Merici

January 28 | St. Thomas Aquinas

January 29 | Lunar New Year

January 31 | St. John Bosco / San Juan Bosco / Thánh Gioan Bosco (M)

February 2025 - Month of the Holy Family

The special devotion which proposes the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as the model of virtue of all Christian households began in the 17th century. It started almost simultaneously in Canada and France. This devotion soon spread and in 1893 Leo XIII expressed his approval of a feast under this title and himself composed part of the Office. On account of the flight into Egypt this feast has been observed by the Copts from early times.

Black educators and Black United Students at Kent State University first proposed Black History Month in February 1969. February was chosen primarily because the second week of the month coincides with the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month in 1976 during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. He urged Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history".

Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ and the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also known as Candlemas.

Although not widely celebrated in the U.S.A., it is widely celebrated throughout the World. For many around the world, it marks the end of the Christmas season.

Brother Paul Miki, a Jesuit and a native of Japan, has become the best known among the martyrs of Japan. While hanging upon a cross, Paul Miki preached to the people gathered for the execution: “The sentence of judgment says these men came to Japan from the Philippines, but I did not come from any other country. I am a true Japanese. The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ. I certainly did teach the doctrine of Christ. I thank God it is for this reason I die. I believe that I am telling only the truth before I die. I know you believe me and I want to say to you all once again: Ask Christ to help you to become happy. I obey Christ. After Christ’s example I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain.”

When missionaries returned to Japan in the 1860s, at first they found no trace of Christianity. But after establishing themselves they found that thousands of Christians lived around Nagasaki and that they had secretly preserved the faith. Beatified in 1627, the martyrs of Japan were canonized in 1862.

St. Valentine’s Day / Día de San Valentín

In 1969, the Roman Catholic Church removed St. Valentine’s name from the General Roman Calendar, leaving his liturgical celebration to local calendars, though the Church continues to recognize him as a saint, listing him as such in the February 14 entry in the Roman Martyrology. In Spanish-speaking countries and in Europe, the date is referred to as Saint Valentine’s Day.

Full Month | Catholic Devotion - The Holy Family

Full Month | Black History Month

Meet four Black women who condemned abortion, calling it 'Black genocide' (liveaction.org)

Lent | February 22 - April 6

February 2 | Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ and the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A few additional worldwide Catholic traditions that are celebrated on Feb 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation:

- In France and Belgium, La Chandeleur is celebrated by having all the candles in the house lit. Tradition also says manger scenes should not be put away until Feb. 2, the last feast of the Christmas cycle.

- Puerto Rico, Canary Islands, Philippines, Guatemala, Peru, Venezuela, etc. – La Fiesta de la Candelaria officially marks the end of the Christmas season and families put away their Christmas decorations after this day. Since February 2nd also marks the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, many will honor La Virgen de la Candelaria by having a procession. She is the patroness for several cities in these areas.

- In Mexico, many people will remember the presentation of the Christ child at the Temple by dressing and adoring a statue of the child Jesus. La Fiesta de la Candelaria is also closely linked to the Epiphany, during which the tasting of the rosca de reyes (kings’ cake) will determine who is responsible for organizing Candlemas. Whoever finds the muñeco (bean-shaped Christ child) in the cake is named godfather of the child, who will then dress the niño dios (an image of the Christ child in the form of a doll) on Candlemas with richly decorated clothes, which is then brought to the church to be blessed.

Following this is the family meal. Whoever draws the bean on Epiphany must also prepare tamales. The whole family is invited to this meal (often the same people as for the Rosca at Epiphany), which gives the festival an aspect of family and sharing.

On this day, Bolivia celebrates its Marian feast day for Nuestra Señora de la Copacabana.

February 3 | St. Blaise and St. Ansgar / San Blas y San Óscar / Thánh Baise và Ansgar

February 5 | St. Agatha / Santa Águeda (M)

February 6 | St. Paul Miki and Companions (26 Martyrs of Japan)

February 7 | St. Tobias

February 8 | St. Jerome Emiliani; St. Josephine Bakhita / San Gerónimo Emiliani; Santa Josefina Bakhita / Thánh Jerome Emiliani; Thánh Josephine Bakhita

February 10 | St. Scholastica and St. Jose Sanchez del Rio

February 11 | Our Lady of Lourdes / Nuestra Señora de Lourdes / Lễ Đức Mẹ Lộ Đức

February 14 | St. Valentine’s Day / Día de San Valentín

February 15 | St. Claude La Colombière

February 18 | St. Simon

February 20 | Sts. Fracisco and Jacinta Marto

February 21 | St. Peter Damian / San Pedro Damián / Thánh Peter Damian (doctor of the Church)

February 22 | The Chair of St. Peter the Apostle / La Silla de San Pedro Apóstol / Toà Thánh Phêrô (F)
February 23 | St. Polycarp / San Policarpio / Thánh Polycarp (M)

February 27 | St. Gabriel de la Dolorosa

February 28 | Blessed Antonia of Florence

March 2025 - Month of St. Joseph

After the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph is the greatest of the saints. St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Universal Church. He is also considered the patron saint of the New World, China, Canada, Korea, Mexico, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Peru and Vietnam. In the United States, it may seem that March is dedicated to St. Patrick, but the Church has dedicated the entire month to St. Joseph.

March 19, St. Joseph’s Day, was once a day in which all Catholics around the world celebrated their own fathers. In the recent century, many governments have tried to distance themselves from this religious tie by declaring their own Father’s Day on a separate day. However, the following countries still celebrate fathers on St. Joseph’s Day: Andorra, Angola, Catholic Belgium, Bolivia, Croatia, Honduras, Italy, Liechtenstein, Mozambique, Portugal, Spain, and Catholic Switzerland.

Since St. Joseph is the patron saint of Sicily, Italian Americans have wonderful traditions when celebrating San Giuseppe:

-They dress in red (kind of like dressing in green for St. Patrick’s Day, students can dress in red for St. Joseph’s Day on the Friday before March 19).

- Eat Zeppole pastries

- Have a St. Joseph’s table.

A Pennsylvania heiress who became a religious sister, St. Katherine Drexel championed for the rights of Native Americans and African Americans. She donated a substantial amount of money to a number of churches in what is now the Diocese of Charlotte. For instance, she gave enough money to Greensboro’s first Catholic parish of St. Benedict so that a church could be built. Sixty years before the famous sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter just down the road, St. Benedict Catholic Church had pew space reserved for black Catholics alongside white Catholics thanks to her.

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity are early Christian martyrs from North Africa. They are remembered at every Mass during the Roman Canon recited by the priest during consecration. Formed has a good animated 30-minute movie about them (suggested for kids 7 and up) called: Catholic Heroes of the Faith - The Story of Saint Perpetua.

The celebration of this saint in the U.S. is a perfect example of how Catholics immigrating from other countries can influence our greater traditions. He forgave those who kidnapped and enslaved him by returning to bring Christianity to pagan Ireland after having escaped. As shown here, he used three leaf clover (not four) to teach the Trinity.

A Salvadoran Roman Catholic archbishop, St. Oscar Romero, was a vocal critic of the violent activities of government armed forces, right-wing groups, and leftist guerrillas involved in El Salvador’s civil conflict. He was killed was saying Mass.

Full Month | Catholic Devotion - St. Joseph

March 3 | St. Katherine Drexel / Santa Catalina Drexel / Th. Katharine Drexel

March 4 | St. Casimir / San Casimiro / Thánh Casimir

March 7 | Sts. Perpetua and Felicity / Santas Perpetua y Felicitas / Th. Perpêtua & Th. Phêlixita

March 8 | St. John of God / San Juan de Dios / Thánh Gioan Thiên Chúa

March 9 | St. Frances of Rome / Santa Francisca de Roma / Thánh Phanxica Romana

March 12 | Anniversary of martyrdom of Vietnamese Catholic priest and Servant of God, Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep

March 17 | St. Patrick / San Patricio / Thanh Patrick

March 19 | St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Solemnity) / San José, esposo de la Santisima Virgen María (Solemnidad) / Lễ Đức Thánh Giuse, Phu QuânĐức Mẹ (Lễ Trọng)

March 23 | St. Turibius of Mogrovejo / San Toribio de Mogrovejo / Th. Turibius of MogrovejoProminent in the history of the Catholic Church in Peru, he supported the rights of the native people.

March 24 | St. Oscar Romero (died 1980; canonized 2015)

March 25 | The Annunciation of the Lord (Solemnity) / La Anunciación del Señor (Solemnidad) / Lễ Truyền Tin cho Đức Mẹ (Lễ Trọng)

April 2025 - Month of the Holy Eucharist

The month of April is dedicated both to devotion to the Eucharist and devotion to the Holy Spirit. This tradition has developed because Easter Sunday often falls in April, and when it does fall in March, the Easter season continues on through all of April. In essence, April is a month of Easter, and during the Easter celebration we remember the Eucharistic sacrifice Christ gave us and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, which would come after Jesus's resurrection.

Born in Seville, Spain, he was a bishop and scholar who helped the Church preserve its own traditions, and the heritage of western civilization, in the early Middle Ages.

Born in France, St. La Salle was a pioneer in programs for training lay teachers. He is the patron of all educators.

Catholics observing Palm Sunday in the Phillipines.

Holy Week honors the week that changed the world. From Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday, there were many events that are vital to our faith, including the Institution of the Eucharist, the Passion of Jesus, and His Resurrection from the dead. Catholics around the world celebrate with a variety of traditions during this week.

The Visitation to Seven Churches is a devotion practiced by Catholics around the world. It involves traveling to seven local churches after the Mass on Holy Thursday.

Full Month | Catholic Devotion - Holy Eucharist (Blessed Sacrament)

April 4 | St. Isidore of Seville / San Isidoro de Sevilla / Thanh Isiđôrô

April 5 | St. Vincent Ferrer / San Vicente Ferrer / Th. Vinh-Sơn Ferriê'
April 7 | St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle / San Juan Bautista de la Salle / Thanh Gioan Baotixita đê Lasan

Born in France, St. La Salle was a pioneer in programs for training lay teachers. He is the patron of all educators.

April 13 | Palm Sunday / Domingo de Ramos / Chúa Nhật Lễ Lá

April 14 - 19 | Holy Week / Semana Santa / Tuần Thánh

April 20 | Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord / Domingo de Pascua de la Resurrección del Señor / Chúa Nhật Lễ Phục Sinh

April 25 | St. Mark the Evangelist / San Marcos / Thánh Máccô (F)

April 28 | St. Peter Chanel; St. Louis Grignion de Montfort / San Pedro Chanel; San Luis Grignion de Montfort / Thánh Peter Chaeni / Thánh Louis Grignon de Montfort

Born in France, he was a Catholic priest, missionary, and martyr. He was among the first missionaries to land in Futuna, an island in the South Pacific. Chanel labored faithfully amid the greatest hardships, attending the sick, baptizing the dying, and winning from all the name of "the man with the kind heart". Eventually, natives begun to convert but when the son of the island’s king asked to be baptized, the king had Father Chanel murdered. St. Peter Chanel is the patron saint of Futuna and the Oceana region. Thanks to his efforts, 99% of the people in Futuna and Wallis are Catholic.

April 29 | St. Catherine of Sienna / Santa Catalina de Siena / Thánh Catarina ở Siena (M)

May 2025 - Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The month of May is traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic Church has emphasized the month of May as a time of honor and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary for centuries.

This month is part of the Easter season, between Easter Sunday (April 20) and Pentecost (June 8).

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (as of 2021, officially changed from Asian American Pacific Islander Month) is observed in the U.S. during the month of May, and recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the U.S.

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima - May 13

On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary first appeared to three shepherd children, Lúcia dos Santos, Francisco Marto, and Jacinta Marto, at the Cova da Iria outside the village of Aljustrel, near Fatima, Portugal. In the months that followed, the children would see Mary five more times. On the sixth and last appearance, the Virgin told the children her name: The Lady of the Rosary. Throughout these appearances, the children received prophetic messages of prayer, penance and peace called the “Secret,” and residents of Fatima witnessed a stunning atmospheric event that would become known as the Miracle of the Sun.

The full meaning of the miracles of Fatima would not be understood until decades beyond – and now, a century later, they continue to inspire the faithful across the globe.

May 21 | St. Christopher Magallanes and Companions

This day remembers the 25 priests and laymen who were killed during the anti-clerical laws placed by President Plutarco Calles during his presidency from 1924-1928. Since the Mexican revolutionary war (1810-1820), the Catholic Church has been a target of the Mexican government in an effort to weaken its position in the country and its influence over its citizens. Prior to the war, Spain ruled the area for more than 300 years.

After the revolution, Mexican government leaders (headquartered in central Mexico) had the goal to diminish the church and put in anti-clerical laws immediately. President Plutarco Calles, a former Mexican general, decided to put the anti-clerical laws in extreme action unlike the politicians before him, whom while anti-Catholic didn’t want to anger the people too much.

Many Mexican Catholics do not know much about this time period as the political party that President Calles incepted is still in power today and it’s not taught in public schools.

Full Month | Catholic Devotion - Blessed Virgin Mary

Full Month | Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May 1 - June 7 | Easter Season

May 2 | St. Athanasius / San Atanasio / Thánh Anathasiȏ (M)

May 3 | Sts. Philip and James, Apostles / Santos Felipe y Santiago / Thánh Philipphê và Giacôbê (M) - Patron Saints of Uruguay

May 12 | Sts. Nereus and Achilleus; St. Pancras / Santos Nereo y Aquileo; San Pancracio / Thánh Nereus và Achilleus; Thánh Pancras

May 13 | Our Lady of Fatima / Nuestra Señora de Fátima / Lễ Đức Mẹ Fatima

May 18 | St. John I / San Juan I / Thánh John I

May 20 | St. Bernadine of Siena / San Bernardino de Siena / Thánh Bernadine ở Siena

May 21 | St. Christopher Magallanes and Companions / San Cristóbal Magallanes y sus compañeros / Thánh Christopher Magallanes LM và các bạn

May 25 | St. Bede the Venerable; St. Gregory VII; St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi / San Beda el Venerable; San Gregorio VII; Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzi / Thánh Bede Venerable, LM TSHT; Thánh Gregory VII, GH; Thánh Mary Magdalene deś Pazzi

May 27 | St. Augustine of Canterbury / San Agustin de Canderbury / Thánh Augustine ở Canterbury /

May 29 | The Ascension of the Lord / La Ascensión del Señor (S)

May 30 | St. Joan of Arc / Santa Juana de Arco / Thánh Joan ở Arc

May 31 | The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary / La Visitación de la Santisima Virgen Maria / Đức Mẹ Maria thăm viếng bà Thánh Isave (F)

Page updated

Report abuse