What is the medieval term for a saint’s feast day celebration?

The story behind the answer

In medieval church calendars, a saint’s annual celebration was classified as a feast, marked by a special Mass, processions, and often communal eating and charity—hence the association with “feasting.” These days punctuated the year alongside fasts, giving medieval life a sacred rhythm. Towns might hold fairs, guilds honored their patron saints, and dramatic plays or reliquary displays could accompany the liturgy.

By contrast, “holy day” is a broad term that can include any sacred observance; a “patronal festival” is specifically the celebration of a church’s or town’s own patron saint; and a “liturgical commemoration” is a lower-ranking remembrance without full festal privileges. In many places, feasts also meant partial breaks from work and were key to the social and economic calendar, linking worship, community identity, and marketplace activity.