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HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION

On December 13, 1991 the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States of America

made the following general decree concerning holy days of obligation for Latin rite Catholics:

In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the

Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows:

JANUARY 1

THE SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
 

THURSDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION
 

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, the Holy 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 decree of the Conference of Bishops was approved and confirmed by the Apostolic See

by a decree of the Congregation for Bishops (Prot. N. 296/84), signed by Bernardin Cardinal Gantin,

prefect of the Congregation, and dated July 4, 1992.

As President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, I hereby declare that the effective date

of this decree for all the Latin rite dioceses of the United States of America will be January 1, 1993,

the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. 

Given at the offices of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC, November 17, 1992. 

+ Daniel E. Pilarczyk
Archbishop of Cincinnati
President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops

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