Catholic Church’s Day is liturgically understood and marked with two durations. First is the celebration of a Solemnity which is the highest day and a Feast or an Ordinary day.
Regarding the observation of a solemn day, the law and tradition of the Church are set on a longer duration. It begins on sunset of the previous or the preceding day and ends in evening of the day itself.
Therefore, the Church starts a solemn day with the postmeridian (pm) time of the previous day and ends it with the postmeridian (pm) time of the actual day.
About a Feast or an Ordinary day without a feast, the duration is rather shorter. It follows the usual calculation and duration of a day.
Therefore, the day only begins in the morning and ends in the evening. Thus, it spans only the antemeridian (am) and the postmeridian (pm) times of the same day.
Now, as January 1 is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Church starts the day the sunset (pm) of December 31 and ends with sunset of January 1.
Liturgically, the morning till the late afternoon of December 31 is the seventh day of Christmas Octave. Evening through the night to New Year Day (Jan 1) is part of the Octave of Christmas and Solemnity of Mary.
December 31 Night
For the faithful in their enthusiastic gathering for the transition into the New Year, it will not be liturgically prudent to ignore their nourishment.
Hence, in order to make proper use of this opportunity but avoid abuses, the following is being suggested for consideration.
1. December 31 Night of Transition is celebrated as part of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
2. Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference to declare “Vigil” from the sunset of December 31 till Midnight
3. Finally, the Conference to ask National Liturgical Commission to evolve a Mass Rite for the Vigil of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
