4. THE FINAL SETTLEMENT OF THE DATE OF EASTER, AND THE ATTEMPTS MADE TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY OF THE MONTH ON WHICH CHRIST DIED 52 5. THE LITURGICAL CELEBRATION OF HOLY WEEK AND EASTER 59 PALM SUNDAY 66 MAUNDY THURSDAY 69 GOOD FRIDAY 73 HOLY SATURDAY 79 EASTER AND THE EASTER OCTAVE 84 6. THE PREPARATION FOR EASTER—QUADRAGESIMA AND THE FAST 88 7. THE SEASON OF PREPARATION AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CHURCH’S YEAR 100 8. THE TRANSFIGURATION 105 9. THE ASCENSION 106 10. WHITSUNDAY 109 11. TRINITY SUNDAY 116 12. CORPUS CHRISTI. THE FORTY HOURS’ PRAYER. THE FESTIVAL OF THE SACRED HEART 119 _B._ CHRISTMAS AND THE CHRISTMAS SEASON 1. CHRISTMAS 127 2. ADVENT AND THE SUNDAYS UNTIL SEPTUAGESIMA 158 3. THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS. THE CIRCUMCISION. THE NEW YEAR 163 4. THE EPIPHANY 166 5. THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (CANDLEMAS) 173 6. THE SUNDAYS OF THE CHURCH’S YEAR AS FORMING CONNECTING LINKS BETWEEN THE PRINCIPAL FEASTS 176 _C._ OTHER INCIDENTS IN THE CHURCH’S YEAR 1. THE EMBERTIDES 183 2. LITANIES OR ROGATIONS 189 3. THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH AND THE FESTIVAL OF THE PATRON SAINT 194 CHAPTER II.—THE SAINTS’ DAYS 1. THE ORIGINS OF THE CULTUS OF THE SAINTS AND THE GROUNDS ON WHICH IT RESTS 203 2. THE FESTIVALS OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST AND ST STEPHEN THE PROTO-MARTYR 217 3. FESTIVALS OF OUR BLESSED LADY IN GENERAL 225 4. THE THREE ANCIENT FESTIVALS OF OUR BLESSED LADY—THE NATIVITY, THE ANNUNCIATION, THE ASSUMPTION 230 5. INSTITUTION AND SPREAD OF THE FESTIVAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 239