Type of observance in the Anglican Communion
Lesser Festivals are a type of observance in theAnglican Communion, including theChurch of England, considered to be less significant than aPrincipal Feast,Principal Holy Day, orFestival, but more significant than aCommemoration. Whereas Principal Feasts must be celebrated, it is not obligatory to observe Lesser Festivals. They are always attached to a calendar date, and are not observed if they fall on a Sunday, inHoly Week, or inEaster Week. InCommon Worship each Lesser Festival is provided with acollect and an indication ofliturgical colour.
Lesser Festivals in the Church of England
[edit]Source: C of E website.[1]
- 2 January:Basil the Great andGregory of Nazianzus,Bishops, Teachers of the Faith, 379 and 389
- 12 January:Aelred of Hexham,Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167
- 13 January:Hilary,Bishop of Poitiers, Teacher of the Faith, 367
- 17 January:Antony of Egypt,Hermit,Abbot, 356
- 19 January:Wulfstan,Bishop of Worcester, 1095
- 21 January:Agnes, Child Martyr atRome, 304
- 24 January:Francis de Sales,Bishop of Geneva, Teacher of the Faith, 1622
- 26 January:Timothy andTitus, Companions ofPaul
- 28 January:Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Philosopher, Teacher of the Faith, 1274
- 30 January:Charles, King and Martyr, 1649
- 3 February:Anskar,Archbishop of Hamburg, Missionary in Denmark and Sweden, 865
- 14 February:Cyril and Methodius, Missionaries to the Slavs, 869 and 885
- 17 February:Janani Luwum,Archbishop ofUganda,Martyr, 1977
- 23 February:Polycarp, Bishop ofSmyrna, Martyr, c 155
- 27 February:George Herbert, Priest, Poet, 1633
- 17 March:Patrick, Bishop,Missionary,Patron ofIreland, c 460
- 10 April:William Law,Priest, Spiritual Writer, 1761
- 20 May:Alcuin of York,Deacon,Abbot ofTours, 804
- 30 May:Josephine Butler,social reformer, 1906
- 16 June:Richard,Bishop of Chichester, 1253
- 11 July:Benedict of Nursia, Abbot ofMonte Cassino, Father of WesternMonasticism, c 550
- 14 July:John Keble, a leader of theOxford Movement, 1866
- 20 August:Bernard, Abbot ofClairvaux, Teacher of the Faith, 1153
- 13 September:John Chrysostom,Bishop of Constantinople, Teacher of the Faith, 407
- 25 September:Lancelot Andrewes, overseer of theKing James Version of the Bible
- 4 October:Francis of Assisi,Friar, Deacon, Founder of theFriars Minor, 1226
- 26 October:Alfred the Great, King of theWest Saxons, Scholar, 899
- 20 November:Edmund,King of theEast Angles, Martyr, 870
- 13 December:Lucy, Martyr atSyracuse, 304
