Christmas
Thursday, December 31, 2026
On Thursday, December 31, 2026, the Catholic Church is in Christmas and the liturgical color is white. The Church celebrates St Sylvester I.
Liturgical color: White
Day 7 of Christmas this year, with 10 days to go.
Raphael · Madonna of the Meadow · 1506-08 · public domain
Saint of the day
Optional
St Sylvester I
(d. 335) Pope for twenty-one years as the Church emerged from persecution into Constantine's peace. In his reign the Lateran and St Peter's were founded and the Council of Nicaea met, his legates signing first. The year ends under his quiet, steady name.
Saint Sylvester, pope of the peace, pray us into the new year with gratitude.
About Christmas
The Christmas season runs from Evening Prayer on 24 December to the Baptism of the Lord in January — well past 25 December. It holds the Nativity, the Holy Family, Mary the Mother of God, and the Epiphany.
Why white?
White is worn at Christmas and Easter, and on feasts of the Lord, Mary, and saints who were not martyred. It is the color of joy and of light.
Verse of the day
1 John 4:9
Read it in context — the whole Catholic Bible is in the app, offline and free.
Frequently asked
What liturgical color is worn on December 31, 2026?
White, the color of Christmas. White is worn at Christmas and Easter, and on feasts of the Lord, Mary, and saints who were not martyred. It is the color of joy and of light.
What liturgical season is December 31, 2026 in?
Christmas. The Christmas season runs from Evening Prayer on 24 December to the Baptism of the Lord in January — well past 25 December. It holds the Nativity, the Holy Family, Mary the Mother of God, and the Epiphany.
Is December 31, 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 December 31, 2026?
St Sylvester I. (d. 335) Pope for twenty-one years as the Church emerged from persecution into Constantine's peace. In his reign the Lateran and St Peter's were founded and the Council of Nicaea met, his legates…
← Dec 30 · December 2026 · Jan 1 →
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- Common Catholic prayersThe Rosary, the Chaplet, the Angelus — full texts
- Traditional novenasComplete nine-day texts
- The whole liturgical calendarEvery day from July 2026 to December 2027