The Second Edition changeover: what to do, and when
From Ash Wednesday 2027 to Advent 2028 you can pray from either edition. Here is the timeline, and a plain plan for moving over one volume at a time.
Keep praying from the books you have. The Second Edition may be used from Ash Wednesday, 10 February 2027, and is required from the First Sunday of Advent, 3 December 2028. In between, either edition is lawful, so you can move over one volume at a time.
100 days until the first permitted use, Ash Wednesday, 10 February 2027.
The timeline
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 10 Nov 2025 | Archbishop Broglio signs the decree of promulgation, after confirmation by the Dicastery for Divine Worship on 18 October 2025. |
| Jan 2027 | Volume II (Lent and Easter) ships first. Word on Fire 1 January; Ascension 10 January. |
| 10 Feb 2027 | Ash Wednesday. First permitted use. |
| During 2027 | Volumes III, IV and I follow, each before its season. The USCCB expects all four before the end of 2027. |
| Autumn 2027 | Volume I (Advent and Christmas) expected, for use from the First Sunday of Advent, 28 November 2027. |
| 2028 at the earliest | The one-volume edition, according to the USCCB. |
| 3 Dec 2028 | First Sunday of Advent. The Second Edition becomes mandatory. |
Your books, season by season
The season decides which volume you open. This is the liturgical year 2027, with what is lawful for each stretch.
| Dates | Volume | Which edition |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 29, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027 | Volume I Advent and Christmas | First edition only. The Second Edition may not be used before Ash Wednesday. |
| Jan 11, 2027 to Feb 9, 2027 | Volume III Ordinary Time, Weeks 1 to 17, winter stretch | First edition only, until 9 February. The Second Edition may not be used before Ash Wednesday. |
| Feb 10, 2027 to May 16, 2027 | Volume II Lent and Easter | Either edition. Second Edition Volume II ships in January 2027 (Word on Fire 1 January, Ascension 10 January). |
| May 17, 2027 to Jul 31, 2027 | Volume III Ordinary Time, Weeks 1 to 17, resumes after Pentecost | Either edition. Second Edition Volume III follows during 2027; no official date yet. |
| Aug 1, 2027 to Nov 27, 2027 | Volume IV Ordinary Time, Weeks 18 to 34 | Either edition. Second Edition Volume IV follows during 2027; no official date yet. |
| Nov 28, 2027 onward | Volume I Advent and Christmas 2027 | Either edition. Second Edition Volume I is expected in the autumn of 2027, before Advent; no official date yet. |
| 3 Dec 2028 | All volumes | Second Edition only. From the First Sunday of Advent 2028 no other English translation may be used in the United States. |
Which edition do I have?
- Five ribbons, from Catholic Book Publishing: the first edition. Set the daily guide to 5 ribbons.
- Seven ribbons, from Word on Fire: the Second Edition. Set the guide to 7 ribbons.
- Eight ribbons, from Ascension: the Second Edition. Set the guide to 8 ribbons.
The guide remembers your choice on this device. When you change books at a season, change the setting too. How the 5, 7 and 8 ribbon layouts differ.
A simple plan
- Now to Christmas. Nothing to change. Pray Advent and Christmas from your first edition Volume I.
- January. If you are moving to the Second Edition, Volume II is the one to have in hand. Ordinary Time from 11 January is still first edition Volume III.
- Ash Wednesday, 10 February 2027. Open the new Volume II if you have it, set your ribbons for the new layout, and switch the daily guide to 7 or 8 ribbons. The Psalter is on Week IV that day, as in any year.
- After Pentecost. Back to Volume III on 17 May 2027: first edition, unless the new Volume III has arrived. Switch the guide back to 5 ribbons if you go back to an old book.
- By 3 December 2028, all four volumes should be Second Edition.
What we do not know yet. Neither publisher has said which section each ribbon is meant to mark, and there are no official ship dates for Volumes III, IV and I. We will check the layouts against the printed Volume II when it ships and update this page and the daily guide. Corrections are welcome at pray@liturgyribbons.com.
Get the changeover in your inbox
One short note when Volume II arrives and one before Ash Wednesday, with exactly where your ribbons go in the new books. A handful of emails a year; leave anytime.
Common questions
When can I start using the Second Edition of the Liturgy of the Hours?
From Ash Wednesday, 10 February 2027. That is the first-use date set by the decree of promulgation signed by Archbishop Broglio on 10 November 2025.
When does the Second Edition become mandatory?
On the First Sunday of Advent, 3 December 2028. From that day no other English translation of the Liturgy of the Hours may be used in the dioceses of the United States.
Which volume comes first?
Volume II, Lent and Easter, in January 2027, so that it is in hand for Ash Wednesday. The USCCB says the other volumes follow over the course of 2027.
Do I need to buy all four volumes at once?
No. Your first edition volumes remain lawful until 3 December 2028. Many people will buy Volume II for Lent 2027 and add the others as each season comes round.
Can I use my new Volume II before Ash Wednesday?
No. Until 10 February 2027 keep praying from the first edition. The new Volume II only covers Lent and Easter anyway, which begin on Ash Wednesday.
Does the Psalter week change with the new edition?
No. The four-week Psalter and the liturgical calendar are the same in both editions, so the Psalter week, the volume for each season and the day’s celebration do not change. What changes is the translation and, with it, the ribbon count.
Related
Sources
- USCCB Committee on Divine Worship Newsletter, November and December 2025: decree of 10 November 2025; first use 10 February 2027; obligatory from 3 December 2028; Volume II first in January 2027, the others over the course of 2027; one-volume edition not before 2028.
- USCCB Liturgical Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States, 2027: the dates of each volume.
- Word on Fire: seven ribbons; Volume II ships 1 January 2027.
- Ascension: eight ribbons; Volume II ships 10 January 2027.