An Epiphany for all

January 4, 2026, The Epiphany of the Lord: Each year, our church celebrates this feast as a declaration that with Jesus’ birth we once again acknowledge the viable manifestation of this divine in-breaking event.

Why is New Year’s Day a holy day of obligation?

Q: If the church’s new year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, then why is the secular New Year’s Day (Jan. 1) a holy day of obligation? A: You are correct that the church’s liturgical new year usually begins in late November with the first Sunday of Advent, and you are likewise correct that in the United States and for the universal church in general, Jan. 1 is a holy day of obligation (see Canon 1246 of the Code of Canon Law). But January 1 is not a holy day of obligation because of the civil new year, but…

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