Holy Days Of Obligation

In the Roman Catholic Church, the Holy Days of Obligation are the days, other than Sundays, on which the faithful are required to attend Mass. The 1983 Code of Canon Law standardized six days to be observed as Holy Days of Obligation throughout the Church. These days are:

1. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God - January 1
2. The Ascension of the Lord - Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter
3. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 15
4. All Saints - November 1
5. Immaculate Conception - December 8
6. Christmas - December 25

White (or sometimes gold) vestments are worn at Mass held on all Holy Days of Obligation, even those which fall during a season of the liturgical year when some other color is used. In Spain, blue is sometimes worn on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Observance by country

The conference of bishops in a particular country or region may suppress the observance of these days, or transfer it to another day, with the permission of the Vatican. In some cases the obligation is observed during the following weekend mass. At times if a Holy Day is on a Monday or Saturday the observance will be held during regular weekend mass. They may also make the feast day of the country's patron saint a holy day of obligation.

Australia - Belgium - Canada - England and Wales - Ireland  - Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei -  The Netherlands  -   Poland  -  United States