Holy Days of Obligation 2026 (U.S.): Dates, Weekdays and the Saturday or Monday Rule
Holy days of obligation in 2026 fall on Thu, Jan 1, Thu, May 14 (Ascension, in five provinces; Sun, May 17 elsewhere), Sun, Nov 1, Tue, Dec 8 and Fri, Dec 25, while Sat, Aug 15 (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is not an obligation because the USCCB rule lifts it on a Saturday. This is Catholic Church law for Latin Rite dioceses in the United States, set by the U.S. bishops (USCCB). It is not a federal holiday, and your diocese may differ, so check your diocese. The tables below also cover 2027.
Maintained by Archie Chang · USCCB calendars and decrees read on November 9, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Is today a holy day of obligation?
Today's answer appears here once the page loads in your browser.
Holy days of obligation 2026
| Holy day | Date | Weekday | Holy day of obligation? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God | January 1, 2026 | Thursday | YesHoly day of obligation. The Saturday or Monday rule does not apply because it is a Thursday. |
| Ascension of the Lord | May 14, 2026 | Thursday | Depends on provinceHoly day of obligation on this Thursday only in the provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha and Philadelphia. All other provinces moved it to Sunday, May 17, 2026; check your diocese. |
| Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | August 15, 2026 | Saturday | NoObligation abrogated: August 15, 2026 is a Saturday (USCCB Saturday or Monday rule). |
| All Saints' Day | November 1, 2026 | Sunday | YesHoly day of obligation. The Saturday or Monday rule does not apply because it is a Sunday. |
| Immaculate Conception | December 8, 2026 | Tuesday | YesHoly day of obligation. The Saturday or Monday rule does not cover this day, even on a Tuesday. |
| Christmas (Nativity of the Lord) | December 25, 2026 | Friday | YesHoly day of obligation. The Saturday or Monday rule does not cover this day, even on a Friday. |
Holy days of obligation 2027
| Holy day | Date | Weekday | Holy day of obligation? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God | January 1, 2027 | Friday | YesHoly day of obligation. The Saturday or Monday rule does not apply because it is a Friday. |
| Ascension of the Lord | May 6, 2027 | Thursday | Depends on provinceHoly day of obligation on this Thursday only in the provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha and Philadelphia. All other provinces moved it to Sunday, May 9, 2027; check your diocese. |
| Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | August 15, 2027 | Sunday | YesHoly day of obligation. The Saturday or Monday rule does not apply because it is a Sunday. |
| All Saints' Day | November 1, 2027 | Monday | NoObligation abrogated: November 1, 2027 is a Monday (USCCB Saturday or Monday rule). |
| Immaculate Conception | December 8, 2027 | Wednesday | YesHoly day of obligation. The Saturday or Monday rule does not cover this day, even on a Wednesday. |
| Christmas (Nativity of the Lord) | December 25, 2027 | Saturday | YesHoly day of obligation. The Saturday or Monday rule does not cover this day, even on a Saturday. |
What the USCCB says
“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:”
“Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, 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.”
“the Ecclesiastical Provinces of the United States may transfer the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter to the Seventh Sunday of Easter”
“Thursday, May 14, is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord in the ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha, and Philadelphia. All other ecclesiastical provinces of the United States of America have transferred this Solemnity to the following Sunday, May 17”
“Saturday, August 15, is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In accord with the complementary norm to canon 1246 §2 confirmed for the dioceses of the United States of America, because it is a Saturday, this year the obligation to attend Mass on this date is abrogated.”
“Thursday, May 6, is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord in the ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha, and Philadelphia. All other ecclesiastical provinces of the United States of America have transferred this Solemnity to the following Sunday, May 9”
“Monday, November 1, is the Solemnity of All Saints. In accord with the complementary norm to canon 1246 §2 confirmed for the dioceses of the United States of America, because it is a Monday, this year the obligation to attend Mass on this date is abrogated.”
“the Bishop of Honolulu designated Christmas and the Immaculate Conception as the only two Holydays of Obligation for the State of Hawaii.”
The Ascension is the one floating day: it is the Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, 39 days after Easter Sunday. Each ecclesiastical province decides whether to keep Thursday or move it to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. The USCCB calendars name the provinces that kept Thursday; the dioceses in them, and any diocese with its own rules, are best checked locally. Your diocese or parish has the final word on Mass times and local practice.
Looking for a full-year view? See the 2027 calendar with holidays.
Holy days of obligation: common questions
Is Christmas a holy day of obligation?
Yes. December 25 is a holy day of obligation for Latin Rite Catholics in the United States. It falls on Friday, December 25, 2026 and Saturday, December 25, 2027. The Saturday or Monday rule covers only January 1, August 15 and November 1, so Christmas on a Saturday is still a holy day of obligation. Check your diocese for Mass times.
Is Jan. 1, 2027 a holy day of obligation?
Yes. January 1, 2027 is a Friday, and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is a holy day of obligation. The USCCB lifts the obligation only when January 1 falls on a Saturday or a Monday, so it applies in 2027. In 2026 it fell on a Thursday, so it applied then too.
Is All Saints' Day 2026 a holy day of obligation?
Yes. Sunday, November 1, 2026 is All Saints' Day, a holy day of obligation; the Saturday or Monday rule does not apply to a Sunday. In 2027, All Saints' Day falls on Monday, November 1, 2027, and the USCCB calendar says the obligation to attend Mass that day is abrogated.
Is Ascension Thursday a holy day of obligation?
It depends on your province. The Ascension is the Thursday 39 days after Easter: Thursday, May 14, 2026 and Thursday, May 6, 2027. The USCCB calendars list it as a holy day of obligation on Thursday only in the ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha and Philadelphia. All other provinces have moved it to the following Sunday: Sunday, May 17, 2026 and Sunday, May 9, 2027. Check your diocese to see which applies.
Is the Assumption (August 15, 2026) a holy day of obligation?
No, not in 2026. August 15, 2026 is a Saturday, and the USCCB says the precept to attend Mass is abrogated when August 15 falls on a Saturday or a Monday. In 2027 it is a Sunday, so the obligation applies again.
Is a holy day of obligation a federal holiday?
No. Holy days of obligation are set by the U.S. Catholic bishops under church law, while federal holidays are set by 5 U.S.C. 6103. Two dates overlap: New Year's Day (January 1) and Christmas Day (December 25) are federal holidays. The Ascension, Assumption, All Saints' Day and Immaculate Conception are not.
See federal holidays 2026 and is Christmas a federal holiday.
Is today a holy day of obligation?
Use the checker near the top of this page. It compares the date on your device with the 2026 and 2027 tables on this page and shows whether today is a holy day of obligation. The page itself is static, so the answer appears after it loads in your browser.
Sources (read November 9, 2026): USCCB liturgical calendar 2026 (PDF) · USCCB liturgical calendar 2027 (PDF) · USCCB: complementary norm to canon 1246 (holy days of obligation) · 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays