When Is the Feast of Christ the King?

The Feast of Christ the King is, as Catholic feasts go, a relatively recent one. It was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925, to remind Catholics (and the world generally) that Jesus Christ is Lord of the Universe, both as God and as Man.

Pius XI announced the feast in his encyclical Quas Primas, which was delivered on December 11, 1925. At the end of the encyclical, he declared that he expected three "blessings" to flow from the celebration of the feast: first, that

"men will doubtless be reminded that the Church, founded by Christ as a perfect society, has a natural and inalienable right to perfect freedom and immunity from the power of the state";

second, that

"Nations will be reminded by the annual celebration of this feast that not only private individuals but also rulers and princes are bound to give public honor and obedience to Christ";

and third, that

"The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal."

How Is the Date of the Feast of Christ the King Determined?

In Quas Primas, Pius XI established the celebration of the feast "on the last Sunday of the month of October—the Sunday, that is, which immediately precedes the Feast of All Saints." He tied it to All Saints Day because "before celebrating the triumph of all the Saints, we proclaim and extol the glory of him who triumphs in all the Saints and in all the Elect." With the revision of the Church's liturgical calendar in 1969, however, Pope Paul VI moved the Feast of Christ the King to the final Sunday of the liturgical year—that is, the last Sunday before the First Sunday of Advent. As such, it is a moveable feast; the date changes every year.

When Is the Feast of Christ the King This Year?

Here is the date of the Feast of Christ the King this year:

• The Feast of Christ the King 2017: November 26, 2017

When Is the Feast of Christ the King in Future Years?

Here are the dates of the Feast of Christ the King next year and in future years:

• The Feast of Christ the King 2018: November 25, 2018
• The Feast of Christ the King 2019: November 24, 2019
• The Feast of Christ the King 2020: November 22, 2020
• The Feast of Christ the King 2021: November 21, 2021
• The Feast of Christ the King 2022: November 20, 2022
• The Feast of Christ the King 2023: November 26, 2023
• The Feast of Christ the King 2024: November 24, 2024
• The Feast of Christ the King 2025: November 23, 2025
• The Feast of Christ the King 2026: November 22, 2026
• The Feast of Christ the King 2027: November 21, 2027
• The Feast of Christ the King 2028: November 26, 2028
• The Feast of Christ the King 2029: November 25, 2029
• The Feast of Christ the King 2030: November 24, 2030

When Was the Feast of Christ the King in Previous Years?

Here are the dates when Feast of Christ the King fell in previous years, going back to 2010:

• The Feast of Christ the King 2007: November 25, 2007
• The Feast of Christ the King 2008: November 23, 2008
• The Feast of Christ the King 2009: November 22, 2009
• The Feast of Christ the King 2010: November 21, 2010
• The Feast of Christ the King 2011: November 20, 2011
• The Feast of Christ the King 2012: November 25, 2012
• The Feast of Christ the King 2013: November 24, 2013
• The Feast of Christ the King 2014: November 23, 2014
• The Feast of Christ the King 2015: November 22, 2015
• The Feast of Christ the King 2016: November 20, 2016