MANILA, Philippines — The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8, Sunday, will be observed on Monday, December 9, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila said.
In a circular released on Saturday, November 23, the celebration of the Second Sunday of Advent on December 8 will take precedence over the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
“When there is a concurrence of a solemnity and a Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Advent takes precedence over the solemnity,” the Archdiocese of Manila said, citing the circular.
“During all Masses and the Liturgy of the Hours on the evening of December 7 and the whole day of December 8, the liturgy of the Second Sunday of Advent will be celebrated,” the circular added.
Due to this, the holy day of obligation to attend mass on December 8 will also be transferred to December 9.
The Church marks the end of the current liturgical year with the celebration of the Feast of Christ the King on Sunday, November 24. The new liturgical year begins with the Advent season which will start on December 1.
Holy day of obligation
According to the Catholic Church’s Canon Law, holy days of obligation are the days on which the faithful are expected to go to mass.
These happen on Sundays, along with a few other days that celebrate the solemnities.
The Canon Law defines the feasts where a holy day of obligation is to be observed:
Can. 1246 §1. Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation. The following days must also be observed: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, Saint Joseph, Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles, and All Saints.
In the case of the solemnity of the Immaculate Concepcion this year, it was transferred to a Monday.
According to General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar which governs the church’s Liturgical Calendar, the Sundays of Advent, Lent and Easter have precedence over “all Feasts of the Lord and over all solemnities.”
“In fact, Solemnities occurring on these Sundays are transferred to the following Monday unless they occur on Palm Sunday or on Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection,” the calendar’s explanation read.