What is Holy Week? Sunday 24th March to Saturday 30th March 2024 Holy Week is the most sacred seven days each year in the Christian Church. It encompasses the crescendo of Lent, the sorrow of Good Friday, and the joy of the Easter Vigil leading up to Easter. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, a day on which Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly astride a colt, yet also anticipates his Passion and death because people can’t reconcile his being both Messiah King and the Suffering Servant. There are many other rich traditions and key events during the week, from Jesus’s institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday to the solemn events of Good Friday, including the Stations of the Cross Palm Sunday: Jesus Enters Jerusalem Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, a day that echoes with the elated cries of “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”. Jesus enters Jerusalem, where crowds lay palm branches at his feet, recognizing him as the long-awaited Messiah. The symbolic act of laying down palm branches was a gesture of homage reserved for kings and dignitaries in ancient Israel, in this case acknowledging Jesus as the rightful King of Israel. As Jesus enters the holy city riding a donkey, the crowd is filled with anticipation, reverence, and jubilation. Holy Wednesday: A Day of Preparation On Wednesday of Holy Week, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, decides to betray Jesus, handing Christ over to the high priests and Temple guards: So he agreed, and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of the multitude. With Judas acting as their spy, this day has become known as “Spy Wednesday.” Some traditions consider it a day of preparation. A close study of the Gospels shows that the betrayal involves detailed and time-sensitive planning. Maundy Thursday: Jesus Washing the Feet of His Disciples Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, commemorates the Last Supper. On Holy Thursday, Jesus institutes the Eucharist and washes the feet of his apostles. This as captured in John 13:5, washing the humility, service, and love of Christ that we, his disciples, are called to emulate. In a culture where washing feet was a task relegated to servants, Jesus, the Son of God, takes on the role of a servant and thereby ordains His apostles as the first ministerial priests of the New Covenant. When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you”. The Holy Thursday foot washing ceremony has deep religious significance: according to Tradition, it represents the service and charity of Christ, who came “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”. The season of Lent ends on the evening of Holy Thursday, which commences the Easter Triduum or “Paschal Triduum,” a three-day period named after Jesus’s offering Himself as the New Covenant Passover Lamb of God, and which concludes with Evening Prayer (Vespers) on Easter Sunday. Good Friday: Commemorates Jesus’s Sacrifice of the Cross Good Friday, the most solemn day of Holy Week, commemorates the Passion of Jesus Christ. It is a day of reflection, penance, and deep contemplation on the ultimate sacrifice made for the redemption of humanity. Christ’s Passion, culminating in his crucifixion and death, reminds us of the weight of our sin and the unfathomable love of God. Christians around the world participate in solemn liturgies, reflecting on our Lord’s redemptive suffering, venerating the Cross, and receiving Holy Communion. They also pray the Stations of the Cross, in which the faithful meditate on our Lord’s journey to Calvary, a place also called “Golgotha,” meaning “skull.” What are the Stations of the Cross? The Christian Church observes the “Adoration of the Cross” during the Good Friday Celebration of the Passion of the Lord. In this ritual, the faithful approach the cross, often adorned with flowers, and venerate it with reverent gestures, such as kissing or genuflecting. It is a powerful ritual that encapsulates the deep sorrow of the day while acknowledging the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice. Finally, there is also reception of Holy Communion without the Sacrifice of the Mass, because Good Friday commemorates the day Our Lord offered Himself on behalf of us. Holy Saturday: A Day of Vigil and Anticipation Holy Saturday is a day of vigil, a period of waiting and anticipation. The Easter Vigil, the summit of the Paschal Triduum on Holy Saturday evening, is a profound liturgical celebration that takes place after nightfall. This ancient tradition, dating back to the fourth century, marks the high point of the Triduum and thus ignites the celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection from the dead. At the Easter Vigil Mass, the Paschal—or Easter—Proclamation is made, which is part of the ceremony to light paschal candle. Known in Latin as “The Exsultet,” the Proclamation and the Easter Vigil’s baptismal liturgy symbolize together our journey from darkness to light and death to new life in Christ. Easter Triduum: A Sacred Triad The Easter Triduum—which “begins with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper” on Holy Thursday, continues “through Good Friday with the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord . . . reaches its summit with the Easter Vigil, and concludes with Vespers [Evening Prayer] of Easter Sunday”— stands as the sacred triad culminating with the joyous celebration of Easter. It encapsulates the great mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. Ash Wednesday to Easter: A Season of Reflection As noted, the journey of Holy Week also marks the conclusion of Lent, a season of 40 days of fasting, prayer, and repentance that begins on Ash Wednesday. This season of reflection prepares us for the intense spiritual pilgrimage of Holy Week, encouraging introspection and renewal. As Holy Week unfolds and we conclude Lent on Holy Thursday, we are invited to delve into the depths of our Christian faith, contemplating the mysteries of redemption and salvation. Holy Week is a sacred time full of deep symbolism, ancient rituals, and timeless truths. From the triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the solemn foot washing on Maundy Thursday, the commemoration on Christ’s Passion on Good Friday, and the anticipation and celebration of His Resurrection at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday evening, each day holds a unique significance in ChristianTradition. As we embark on this spiritual pilgrimage, we are invited to walk alongside Jesus and his disciples, witnessing the unfolding drama of salvation history. May Holy Week be for you a time of deep reflection, transformative worship, and a renewed commitment to the merciful love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Holy Week Schedule 2024 March 24: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord March 25 & 26: Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week March 27: Holy Wednesday or Spy Wednesday March 28: Holy Thursday: Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Maunday Thursday March 29: Good Friday: The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord March 30/March 31: Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil—Celebration of Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection Commences March 31 Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
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