top of page

The Lectionary

The Liturgical Year
The Liturgical Year

The Episcopal Church uses Scripture in worship in a very systematic way. The Sunday Lectionary is comprised of the three readings and Psalm assigned for each Sunday of the year over a three year cycle with a particular emphasis on a certain Gospel: Year A - Matthew, B - Mark, and C - Luke.


The Daily Office Lectionary is divided over two years (Year 1 and Year 2) and has Psalms for morning and evening prayer and three readings from the Hebrew Testament (Old Testament), New Testament, and Gospels. To determine whether to use Year 1 or Year 2, look at the last digit of the year starting on January 1st: if it's odd it's Year 1, and if it's even it's Year 2.


Liturgical Year


The Liturgical Year is divided into a number of seasons/cycles.

  • Advent/Christmas/Epiphany Cycle: focusing on the birth of Jesus Christ and the implications for the world.

  • Lent/Holy Week/Easter: focuses on the story of our salvation, from the temptation of Jesus (Lent), through his passion and death (Holy Week), and resurrection (Easter Sunday and the 50 days of the Easter season).

  • Pentecost & Ordinary Time: Pentecost is 50 days after Easter and recalls the disciples moving out into the world to share the Gospel. The season after Pentecost (Ordinary Time) focuses on the teachings of Jesus and their implications for our lives as his followers.

Throughout the year, we have a number of commemorations of saints and events in the life of the Church.


Here are some lectionary resources for you:

And here is a deeper dive into the Liturgical Year at The Episcopal Church and the Church of England.

bottom of page