The term "holiday" which we use today to highlight special days on the calendar, comes from the two English words: holy and day [old English: hāligdæg]. The calendar used by most of the world today derives from the Catholic Gregorian Calendar. This calendar was created to give glory to God through the ages-of-old concept of sanctifying time, as instructed in the Old Testament, by ordering it around special times and occasions to worship God.
The calendar's divine progression has instituted holy days, octaves and seasons highlighting certain mysteries of the faith. These holidays are manifested through the celebration of the Holy Trinity, particularly in the person of Jesus Christ. Special days are also designated to celebrate hallmarks in the life of Jesus Christ incarnate or in the life of his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or in his Church.
Holidays are also designated to magnify God's grace at work through one of his canonized saints,
by celebrating the date of their entry into Heaven, and in some cases, to commemorate their virtue, as in the case of the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker; or their birthday, as in the case of the feast day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
The calendar's divine progression has instituted holy days, octaves and seasons highlighting certain mysteries of the faith. These holidays are manifested through the celebration of the Holy Trinity, particularly in the person of Jesus Christ. Special days are also designated to celebrate hallmarks in the life of Jesus Christ incarnate or in the life of his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or in his Church.
Holidays are also designated to magnify God's grace at work through one of his canonized saints,
by celebrating the date of their entry into Heaven, and in some cases, to commemorate their virtue, as in the case of the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker; or their birthday, as in the case of the feast day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.