Is it Year A, B or C? The lectionary year for any date
This lectionary year finder tells you whether a date is in Year A, B or C of the Sunday readings and in cycle I or II of the weekday readings, with the dates of that liturgical year and the name of the coming Sunday. From the First Sunday of Advent, 30 November 2025, to 28 November 2026 it is Year A and weekday cycle II; Year B and cycle I begin on 29 November 2026.
The same A, B and C years are used by the Catholic Lectionary for Mass and by the Revised Common Lectionary of many Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian churches. For the full calendar of feasts, see the Catholic liturgical calendar.
How to use the Lectionary Year Finder (A/B/C, I/II)
- Pick a Date, or press Today.
- Read the Sunday year and weekday cycle in the box, with the start and end of the liturgical year.
- The line below names this or next Sunday, such as “Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time”.
- Tap a row of the table to jump to the First Sunday of Advent of that year.
Lectionary Year Finder (A/B/C, I/II) features
Any date
Works for any date from 1583, because the cycles follow fixed arithmetic.
Sunday name
Names the Sunday on or after the date, with the season and week.
Advent table
The start date of each liturgical year with its Sunday and weekday cycle.
Facts only
No readings are reproduced; use your lectionary or missal for the texts.
How the cycle is worked out
A liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent, the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and is named by the calendar year in which it ends. Divide that year by 3: a remainder of 1 is Year A, 2 is Year B and 0 is Year C. So the year ending in 2026 (2026 ÷ 3 leaves 1) is Year A, 2027 is Year B and 2028 is Year C. The weekday cycle is I when that year is odd and II when it is even.
Each Sunday year centres on one of the synoptic Gospels — Matthew in Year A, Mark in Year B (with chapter 6 of John in the summer) and Luke in Year C — while John is read in all three, especially in Lent and Easter Time. The weekday cycle changes only the first reading and psalm; the weekday Gospels are the same every year.
| Year ending | Sundays | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | A | II |
| 2027 | B | I |
| 2028 | C | II |
| 2029 | A | I |
| 2030 | B | II |
When the year changes, and common mix-ups
The new lectionary year does not begin on 1 January but on the First Sunday of Advent, which falls between 27 November and 3 December. A date in late November or December therefore usually belongs to the following year’s cycle: 6 December 2026, for example, is already in Year B. The weekday cycle changes on the same Sunday, not at New Year.
The cycle letter does not change the names of the Sundays: the thirty-four weeks of Ordinary Time, the Sundays of Advent, Lent and Easter, and feasts such as Christ the King keep their names every year; only the set of readings changes with the cycle. Some celebrations, such as Christmas and the Easter Vigil, have readings that are the same in every year, and some Sundays in Lent may use the Year A readings in any year when there are candidates for baptism. Check your lectionary or missal for the texts themselves.
Lectionary Year Finder (A/B/C, I/II) FAQ
Is 2026 lectionary Year A?
Yes, until 28 November 2026. Year B begins on the First Sunday of Advent, 29 November 2026.
Is 2027 Year B?
Most of 2027 is Year B: from 29 November 2026 to 27 November 2027. Year C begins on 28 November 2027.
Which liturgical year are we in: A, B or C?
Press Today. The answer depends on whether Advent has begun, so late November and December belong to the next year.
Does the Revised Common Lectionary use the same years?
Yes. RCL Year A, B and C begin on the same First Sunday of Advent, although the readings and the names of the Sundays after Pentecost can differ.
What is weekday cycle I or II?
The two-year cycle of weekday first readings in the Catholic Lectionary: cycle I in odd years, cycle II in even years, counted like the Sunday cycle from Advent.