Sanctoral Cycle is the cycle of celebrations of the Blessed Virgin Mary, angels, and saints assigned principally to calendar dates, traditionally called the Sanctorale or Proper of Saints.
Saints in the liturgical year
The sanctoral cycle commemorates the Mother of God, angels, apostles, martyrs, pastors, doctors, virgins, religious, and other saints in whom the victory of Christ shines forth. Their liturgical cult glorifies God, proclaims the work of grace, offers examples of discipleship, and seeks the saints' intercession. It is not a parallel religion beside the worship of the Trinity.
Many dates are associated with a saint's dies natalis, the anniversary of death and birth into heaven, but historical translation of relics, dedications, local tradition, calendar reform, and collision with a higher celebration can account for other dates. The Roman Martyrology contains far more commemorations than the General Roman Calendar celebrates liturgically.[1]
Ranks and proper calendars
A saint's celebration has its actual rank: solemnity, feast, memorial, optional memorial, or another rank proper to a rite. Calling every saint's day a feast erases legal and liturgical distinctions. The same saint can have different rank in the universal calendar, a nation, diocese, religious family, church, or place of patronage.
Proper calendars are approved additions and adaptations, not free-form local lists. A diocesan patron, titular saint of a church, founder of an institute, or saint whose body is preserved locally can receive a higher celebration under the applicable norms. Precedence still determines what is celebrated when dates overlap.
Relation to the Proper and Common
The Proper of Saints provides texts particular to an individual saint or celebration. When a proper text does not supply everything, the liturgy draws from the appropriate Common—such as Martyrs, Pastors, Doctors, Virgins, or Holy Men and Women—and from the weekday psalter or lectionary as directed.[2]
A calendar notice should distinguish a saint genuinely assigned to the date from a randomly rotating profile. When a Sunday or higher celebration supersedes the saint, the saint may still be identified as commemorated in the Roman Martyrology, but should not be falsely labeled the day's principal liturgical celebration.
References
- 1.Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the General Roman Calendar — The structure, precedence, seasons, solemnities, feasts, memorials, and octaves of the Roman calendar
- 2.Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy — Principles for the relation of liturgy, sacramentals, and popular devotion