One of the unique aspects of our Church is our liturgical year – a cycle that consists of Sundays, weekdays, the feasts of our Lord, the Mother of God, the saints and the periods of fasting and forbidden times. We call the liturgical year Church Year because it contains the Church Calendar. In the Eastern Church the Church Year differs from the civil calendar in that it does not begin the New Year with the first of January as does the civil year, but begins it with the first day of September, which is called the Beginning of the Indiction.
The word indiction comes from the Latin word indictio, which literally means appeal, institution, proclamation, and announcement. An indiction was an edict of the Roman Emperors used to determine the land tax throughout the Roman Empire. Constantine the Great established it as the first day of September.
The Fathers of Nicea (325) adopted the first of September as the opening of the New Church Year and this day has been observed in the Eastern Church to the present time (On the Julian and Gregorian calendars).
The Church Year is so arranged that its central place is occupied by our Divine Savior. Around Him are gathered all the angels and saints. Every week, on the day which she has called the Lord’s Day, the Church deeps the memory of the Lord’s resurrection, which she also celebrates once a year, together with His blessed passion. This day is called Easter or the Great Day or Pascha!
Within a cycle of a year, moreover, the Church unfolds the whole mystery of Christ, from the incarnation and birth until the ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of blessed hope and the coming of the Lord.
The Most Pure Mother of God, who has been accorded the most prominent place after Christ in the work of redemption, also stands nearest to Christ in the Church Year. This is evident in the various feasts in her honor.
Around the persons of Christ and Mary we see the grand choir of the Church Triumphant, that is all the saints of the Old and New Testaments. It should be noted that the Eastern Church has a different calendar of saints than the Western Church.
The Church also commemorates her children who have departed into eternity and are not formally recognized as saints. For this reason there are special days throughout the year that are called Souls Days, on which she offers prayers and special memorial services for the departed.
Our Church Year is a mighty hymn of honor and glory to God. It resembles a great spiritual book that teaches us in a practical manner how to praise, love and serve God. The Church desire that the cycle of the Church Year be for us an ever-present preacher and teacher of God’s love for all humankind. It is designed to help us remember (Anamnesis) all God has revealed to us through Jesus Christ!