Celebrating Special Days, from Socrates of Constantinople

Reference: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 2, pp331+.

The main thrust of his argument is that being 'called into the liberty of sons' means we are not bound to a calendar. He draws from Galatians and Colossians to make his points.

Again in his epistle to the Colossians771 he distinctly declares, that such observances are merely shadows: wherefore he says, ‘Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of any holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbathdays; which are a shadow of things to come.’

The result is that individual believers (and local churches, I presume) are free to establish their own celebrations as they see fit.

Neither the apostles, therefore, nor the Gospels,773 have anywhere imposed the ‘yoke of servitude’774 on those who have embraced the truth; but have left Easter and every other feast to be honored by the gratitude of the recipients of grace. Wherefore, inasmuch as men love festivals, because they afford them cessation from labor: each individual in every place, according to his own pleasure, has by a prevalent custom celebrated the memory of the saving passion. The Saviour and his apostles have enjoined us by no law to keep this feast: nor do the Gospels and apostles threaten us with any penalty, punishment, or curse for the neglect of it, as the Mosaic law does the Jews.

He sums it up nicely:

The aim of the apostles was not to appoint festival days, but to teach a righteous life and piety.

 Festivals and holy days can be good, but they are not the focus, nor is their particular date of observance or their coordination with other churches.