Holy Day of Obligation
A feast day, other than Sunday, on which Catholics are bound to attend Mass and refrain from work that hinders worship, joy or proper relaxation; the list varies by country.
Every Sunday is a day of obligation, and the Church adds a small number of feasts to it. For the Latin Church, universal law names ten in addition to Sunday; with the Holy See's approval, bishops' conferences may reduce or transfer them, so in the United States the holy days are Mary, Mother of God (1 January), the Ascension (Thursday or Sunday, by region), the Assumption (15 August), All Saints (1 November), the Immaculate Conception (8 December) and Christmas. Missing Mass on a holy day without a serious reason, like missing it on Sunday, is grave matter. The obligation is fulfilled by attending on the day or the evening before.
Sources
Church teaching
- Code of Canon LawCode of Canon Law (1983), canons 1246–1248, on holy days of obligation and the obligation to attend Mass.
- Complementary Norm on Holy Days of ObligationUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops, complementary norm for canon 1246 §2 (approved 1991, confirmed 1992), listing the holy days of obligation in the United States and the rule that when 1 January, 15 August or 1 November falls on a Saturday or Monday the obligation is lifted.
Sources checked 29 September 2026