In addition to the Sundays and Holy Days already mentioned, there are a number of other festivals for which collects, epistles and gospels are provided. (The reader is referred to the Tables and Rules for the Moveable and Immoveable Feasts, Together with the Days of Fasting and Abstinence Through the Whole Year which appears in all Prayer Books.)
Some Holy Days have vigils or eves which are observe as fast days: some have not. In the Tables and Rules for Feasts, etc. mentioned above, the English and Canadian books list the vigils among the days of fasting and abstinence: the American book omits the vigils in these tables but recognizes them in the Psalms and Lessons for Fixed Holy Days by providing lessons for them.
The English book, in the table of Lessons Proper for Holy Days, appoints lessons for the festivals only, not the vigils: the Canadian and American books list lessons for the evenings preceding Holy Days whether these eves are fasts or not.
In general, when a Holy Day falls upon a Monday its vigil or eve is observed on the previous Saturday, since Sunday cannot be a fast day. In such a case, however, the collect for the Holy Day will probably be used on Sunday evening; and in churches where services are not held daily, the lessons at Evening Prayer on Sunday may be those of the Holy Day or its vigil. Customs vary, and the choirmaster should consult his rector as to the policy to be followed in the observance of Holy Days. In any case, it is quite appropriate to have a hymn for the Holy Day on the Sunday nearest its observance.
Very often a Holy Day will occur upon a Sunday, or during a season too important to be neglected, in which case the Holy Day may be transferred to a convenient date. However, if a Hold Day falls upon on of certain other Sundays, it is observed in preference to the Sunday. The Canadian and American books contain tables directing which festival is to be given precedence when two fall upon the same day.
Most hymnals have hymns for each of the Holy Days in the following list, and others may be selected from hymns for apostles, evangelists, martyrs, etc.
Except where noted, the collects, epistles and gospels for these Holy Days are found in the Prayer Books after those of the Sundays after Trinity. Those with vigils are so indicated.
St. Andrew, Apostle and Martyr, (Vigil) November 30, falling upon the First Sunday in Advent, is transferred to the Monday following, although the collect may be read on the Sunday. When it is celebrated on any day during the week after Advent Sunday, the collect for the Sunday will follow that of the saint's day.
St. Andrew's Day often occurs before Advent, in which case it is not necessary to read any collect but that of the Holy Day.
St. Thomas, Apostle and Martyr, (Vigil) December 21, always occurs during Advent, and its collect is followed by that of the First Sunday in Advent, and perhaps by that of the preceding Sunday as well. If the saint's day falls upon the Fourth Sunday in Advent, it is transferred to Monday.
St. Thomas' Day may also occur on an Ember Day, in which case it is given precedence.
St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, December 26, St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, December 27, and The Holy Innocents, December 28, were mentioned in the section devoted to Christmas-tide, since their collects, epistles and gospels follow those of Christmas Day.
Conversion of St. Paul, January 25, takes precedence if it occurs on a Sunday in the Epiphany season; but is transferred to Monday if it falls upon Septuagesima or Sexagesima Sundays. Missionary hymns are appropriate for this festival.
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, (Vigil) February 2, sometimes called the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, is given precedence when it occurs on a Sunday in the Epiphany season, but is postponed a day when it falls upon Septuagesima, Sexagesima or Quinquagesima Sundays.
St. Matthias, Apostle and Martyr, (Vigil) February 24, is transferred to a day later when it falls upon Sexagesima or Quinquagesima Sundays, Ash Wednesday, or a Sunday in Lent. When observed in Lent, its collect is followed by that of Ash Wednesday.
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, (Vigil) March 25, is transferred more often than any other Holy Day. When it occurs on the Third, Fourth or Fifth Sundays in Lent it is transfered to the next day; when it falls upon any day from Palm Sunday to the Fist Sunday after Easter, it is transferred to the second Monday after Easter. When observed in Lent its collect is, of course, followed by that of Ash Wednesday.
St. Mark, Evangelist and Martyr, April 25, falling upon Easter Day or any of the seven days following Easter, is transferred to the second Monday after Easter unless that happens to be St. Philip and St. James' Day, in which case St. Mark's Day is transferred to the second Tuesday after Easter.
St. Mark's Day takes precedence over the Second, Third and Fourth Sundays after Easter and, in the Canadian church, over the Fifth Sunday after Easter also. The American book gives precedence to the Fifth Sunday after Easter, and directs that any other festival falling on that Sunday be transfered to the first convenient open day, which would be the following Friday.
St. Philip and St. James, Apostles and Martyrs, May 1, occurring on the Saturday or Sunday after Easter is transferred to the following Tuesday (St. Mark's Day will have been transfered to Monday); when on Ascension Day, it is transferred to the following day.
The saint's day takes precedence over the Second, Third and Fourth Sundays after Easter and, in the Canadian church, over the Fifth Sunday after Easter. In the American church, when the festival falls upon the Fifth Sunday after Easter, it is transferred to the following Friday.
The transference of St. Mark's Day or St. Philip and St. James' Day from the Fifth Sunday after Easter to the following Friday is suggested in the belief that most clergymen would prefer to observe the Rogation Days on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. However, it would be quite logical to transfer the red letter day to Monday, since St. Philip and St. James' Day is given precedence when if falls on a Rogation Day. The choirmaster must consult his own rector when any doubt arises.
St. Barnabas, Apostle and Martyr, June 11, occurring on any day from Whit Sunday to Trinity Sunday is transferred to the Monday after Trinity Sunday. It takes precedence over Sundays after Trinity.
The following Holy Days always occur in the Trinity season and are given precedence when they fall upon Sundays: