Calendar and Dates of Catholic Holidays

Holy Bible
Holy Bible Steve Snodgrass / CC-by

Catholicism is one of the largest religions in the world1. It was brought to the United States of America by French and Spanish missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries2. Today, Catholic represent the largest religious demographic in the US3. About 83% of the population identifies with the Catholic Church3. Although the religion itself has been prominent in the nation for hundreds of years, the face of the Catholic church has been changing over recent years4. One in five Americans still identify as Catholic, but the demographic as a whole is shrinking4. At the same time, Immigrants are increasingly representing larger portions of the Catholic population4.

Because Catholicism has been historically pertinent in the US and because Catholics represent a large percentage of the American population, the Catholic holidays are widely celebrated5. There are ten official Catholic holidays6The most important and only religious public holiday is Christmas7. The rest of the holidays, such as Easter, vary greatly in importance and method of celebration between individuals, families, regions, and sects7.

Catholic Holidays Dates 2024, 2025 and 2026

References

  1. http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-catholicism-definition-beliefs-history.html

  2. http://americanhistory.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-319

  3. http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90356&page=1

  4. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/09/14/a-closer-look-at-catholic-america/

  5. The Catholic Church and the Nation-State: Comparative Perspectives, pages 63 and 64

  6. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/what-are-the-holy-days-of-obligation

  7. The Catholic Church and the Nation-State: Comparative Perspectives