“On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.” — 1 Corinthians 16:2 (BSB)
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.” — Acts 2:1 (BSB)
“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women came to the tomb bringing the spices they had prepared.” — Luke 24:1 (BSB)
Pentecost was also observed from the beginning, as Acts 2 records the outpouring of the Holy Spirit fifty days after Easter. The early Church understood these events not just as historical moments, but as living realities to be remembered and entered into each year. Sunday itself became a weekly “mini-Easter,” shaping the Church’s rhythm of life around the risen Lord.
Canon Dr. Joel Scandrett (Trinity School for Ministry) writes, “The earliest Christian calendar was profoundly simple: resurrection every Sunday, fullness of life at Easter, and power from on high at Pentecost. These weren’t rituals—they were gospel realities embedded in time.”
Bishop Keith Ackerman (Diocese of Quincy, ACNA) explains, “The primitive Church didn’t need to invent a calendar. Christ had already given them one—in His resurrection, His Spirit, and His command to gather and remember.”
J.C. Ryle acknowledged the significance of these early feasts, writing, “Let us not lightly esteem those days which the apostles themselves observed. Easter and Pentecost speak not of superstition, but of the mighty acts of God.” (Practical Religion, 1878)
The 1662 Book of Common Prayer preserves these early dates with solemn emphasis, placing Easter and Pentecost at the heart of the Church Year. Later additions such as Christmas and Epiphany built upon this foundation to proclaim the full scope of Christ’s incarnation, ministry, and redemption.
In following these ancient patterns, the Church remembers what God has done and looks forward in hope to what He will do. The earliest feasts are not mere customs—they are windows into the heart of the Gospel.
St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–200 AD): “The celebration of the Pascha was received from the apostles. It is the chief of feasts, proclaiming our deliverance in Christ.” — Fragment on the Paschal Controversy
Tertullian (c. 160–225 AD): “We regard Sunday as a joyful day. It is the weekly celebration of the resurrection, the crown of all days.” — On Prayer, 23
Origen (c. 185–254 AD): “Pentecost is not a single day, but a season in which the Spirit continues to be poured out upon the faithful.” — Homilies on Leviticus, 9.10
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
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