Historically, the Paschal or Easter cycle began to develop much earlier than the Christmas cycle, because the feast of the Pasch was in practice earlier than the feast of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas).  With the Easter cycle, we shall begin a more detailed explanation of the Liturgical Year.

The Easter cycle begins with the Sunday ten weeks before Easter, and terminates eight weeks after Easter.  The Easter cycle is divided into pre-paschal, i.e., the season or period before Easter, and the Easter season.  The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (March 5, 2014), and ends with the Celebration of the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday (April 17, 2014).

The Paschal Triduum begins on Holy Thursday with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (April 17, 2014), and ends with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday (April 20, 2014).

The Easter Season begins on Easter Sunday (April 20, 2014), and ends with Evening Prayer on the Solemnity of Pentecost (Sunday, June 8, 201).

Ordinary Time begins after Evening Prayer on the Solemnity of Pentecost (June 8, 2014) and continues until Evening Prayer of the First Sunday of Advent (November 30, 2014).