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How is the Christian liturgical year organized from Advent through Pentecost?
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Church year
A church altar decorated with saint icons for All Saints' Day.
The Christian liturgical year is an annual cycle that reenacts the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is organized into two concurrent cycles: the Proper of Time, which revolves around the movable date of Easter and the fixed date of Christmas, and the Proper of Saints.12
The sequence from Advent through Pentecost generally follows this progression:
- Advent: The liturgical year begins with this period of preparation for the birth of Christ and the Second Coming.32
- Christmas and Epiphany: Following Christmas, the season continues through the Epiphany, which commemorates the manifestation of Christ.42
- Ordinary Time (First Period): This period follows the Christmas season and continues until the start of Lent.2
- Lent: Beginning on Ash Wednesday, this is a season of penitence and preparation for the Paschal Triduum, which includes Holy Thursday and Good Friday.25
- Easter Season: Starting on Easter Sunday, this time of celebration lasts 50 days, concluding at Pentecost, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit.62