Ordinary Time
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, the Catholic Church is in Ordinary Time and the liturgical color is green. The Church celebrates St Helena.
Liturgical color: Green
Rembrandt · The Sacrifice of Isaac · 1635 · public domain
Saint of the day
Optional
St Helena
(c. 248–330) Innkeeper's daughter, mother of Constantine, made empress when her son took the throne. In her seventies she journeyed to Palestine, built basilicas at Bethlehem and Olivet, and by tradition found the relic of the True Cross in Jerusalem.
Saint Helena, finder of the Cross, pray that we seek Christ's traces in every land.
About Ordinary Time
Ordinary Time is the Church's ordered counting of weeks — 'ordinal', not 'ordinary' in the sense of plain. It falls in two stretches, after the Christmas season and after Pentecost, and it is where most of the Gospel is read straight through, Sunday by Sunday.
Why green?
Green is worn through Ordinary Time. It is the color of growth and of hope.
Verse of the day
Phil 1:6
Read it in context — the whole Catholic Bible is in the app, offline and free.
Frequently asked
What liturgical color is worn on August 18, 2026?
Green, the color of Ordinary Time. Green is worn through Ordinary Time. It is the color of growth and of hope.
What liturgical season is August 18, 2026 in?
Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time is the Church's ordered counting of weeks — 'ordinal', not 'ordinary' in the sense of plain. It falls in two stretches, after the Christmas season and after Pentecost, and it is where most of the Gospel is read straight through, Sunday by Sunday.
Is August 18, 2026 a holy day of obligation in the United States?
No. In the United States the holy days of obligation are Mary, Mother of God (1 January), the Assumption (15 August), All Saints (1 November), the Immaculate Conception (8 December), and Christmas (25 December); the Ascension is observed on a Thursday or the following Sunday depending on the diocese.
Which saint is celebrated on August 18, 2026?
St Helena. (c. 248–330) Innkeeper's daughter, mother of Constantine, made empress when her son took the throne. In her seventies she journeyed to Palestine, built basilicas at Bethlehem and Olivet, and by…
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