Dies festi de praecepto
Holy days of obligation 2024 Philippines
Besides every Sunday, the Church in the Philippines keeps three holy days of obligation. In 2024, two of them bind on a weekday: Catholics go to Mass that day, or at a vigil Mass the evening before.
- Monday 1 January
Mary, the Holy Mother of God
- Monday 9 December
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, principal patroness of the Philippines
Falls on a Sunday of Advent this year, so the solemnity is kept on Monday 9 December; the Sunday Mass is of obligation as always, the Monday is not.
- Wednesday 25 December
The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Not holy days of obligation in the Philippines
- The Epiphany, the Ascension and the Body and Blood of Christ: on Sundays.
- Saint Joseph, Saints Peter and Paul, the Assumption and All Saints: not days of obligation.
How the rules work
Canon law names ten holy days for the whole Church and lets each bishops’ conference move some of them to a Sunday or lift the obligation, so the list differs from country to country. Some conferences also move a holy day that falls on a Saturday or a Monday to the Sunday beside it, or keep the feast but lift the obligation that year.
When the calendar itself moves a holy day — the Immaculate Conception off a Sunday of Advent, Saint Joseph off a Sunday of Lent or out of Holy Week — the Dicastery for Divine Worship ruled in January 2025 that the obligation does not move with it.
Dioceses can grant their own dispensations in a particular year; your parish will say. See also the liturgical year 2024 and the ranks of celebrations.