Holy Days
On Monday, the Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I remember being in Austria on this date several years ago. Observing the Austrians, I could tell that this wasn’t just any day. They came to Mass dressed in traditional Austrian attire: Lederhosen and dirndl, typically reserved for special occasions. The Mass celebrated that day was extraordinary, with part of an orchestra performing Franz Schubert’s Mass in B flat major. In Austria and in many other countries, August 15 is a nationwide public holiday. Parades and other festivals are held to commemorate the feast while banks, government offices, and retail establishments are closed.
The Solemnity of the Assumption, as all holy days, is celebrated differently in different countries. August 15 is not a public holiday in the United States, but it is a holy day on the liturgical calendar. This year, since August 15 falls on a Monday, the faithful are not obliged to attend Mass.
Over the years, there have been many changes in the observation of holy days of obligation. We used to celebrate more than 30 such days! Now in the U.S., we have six:
January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension
(The celebration of the Ascension is transferred to the following Sunday in most U.S. dioceses, including Atlanta.)
August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 1, the solemnity of All Saints
December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated. This was a pastoral decision made by the United States Bishops in the early 1990s.
As already noted, the celebration of holy days varies from country to country, but all nations count Sundays as holy days of obligation, making Sunday the primary holy day. Sunday is the day of resurrection, a day to rest, to retreat, to reflect, and to remember the love that gives life and hope to each and every day.