Holy Week/The Triduum 

Holy Thursday

On Holy Thursday we celebrate the origin of two Sacraments, Holy Orders and the Eucharist. During the Last Supper Jesus instituted the Eucharist. For the first time, Jesus took ordinary bread and wine and changed them into His True Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is also at the Last Supper that Jesus made His Apostles the first priests.  He gave them the authority to celebrate the Eucharist when He said “do this in memory of me.” During the Last Supper Jesus washed the feet of the Apostles, giving them an example of humble service to follow in their own ministry.

We honor both of these Sacraments during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening, which marks the beginning of Triduum. During this Mass the bishop or priest washes the feet of twelve people from the congregation. This symbolizes Jesus washing the feet of His Apostles. We recall in a special way the  institution of the Eucharist during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. At the end of the Mass, the bishop or priest does not offer the usual concluding blessing. Instead, the faithful are invited to stay and worship our Lord in the Eucharist during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which lasts into the night.  A concluding blessing will not be offered again until the end of the Easter Vigil, signifying the one liturgical celebration that extends throughout Triduum.

Also of importance, in some Diocese earlier in the day on Holy Thursday, (in our Diocese it happens on the Tuesday of Holy Week)  the local bishop celebrates a special Mass with the priests of his diocese to honor the institution of the priesthood. At that Mass, the bishop will bless all of the chrism oil for the next year. This holy oil will be used in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick in every parish throughout the diocese.

Good Friday  

Good Friday is the one day in the entire year that no Masses are offered anywhere in the world. Instead, we focus our attention on the remembrance of Christ’s suffering and death on the Cross. It was on Good Friday nearly two thousand years ago that Jesus was put on trial, sentenced to death, beaten and flogged, made to carry His own cross, stripped of His clothing, nailed to the cross, and freely gave His life for the salvation of all souls.

The main liturgy on Good Friday is the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. While not a Mass, this liturgy includes a Liturgy of the Word, adoration of the Cross, and a communion service with hosts that were consecrated at the Holy Thursday Mass. Adoration, or veneration, of the Cross is a unique form of Catholic devotion. The faithful approach the altar where a cross has been placed (or where an extraordinary minister stands holding a cross), and perform some act of reverence.  This can be such things as bowing before the cross, genuflecting, touching the cross for a moment or even for some kissing the cross.  The form of this reverence is up to each person.

From the end of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, typically around 3 PM, the time that Jesus died, through Holy Saturday, there are no more liturgical celebrations until the Easter Vigil. Our Lord’s body has been placed in the tomb and He has descended to the dead. As a Church, we are at the Lord’s tomb.  During this time, we meditate on the events of Christ’s Passion and Death, and we await His Resurrection, just as the Apostles, Mary Magdalene, and His mother Mary did two thousand years ago.

The Church’s memorial and celebration of the events of our salvation during Triduum reaches its peak at the Easter Vigil. Taking place at nightfall on the evening of Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil marks the beginning of Easter. The Vigil begins with a Service of Light. Typically, the Church is completely dark. The priest lights and blesses a fire outside of the Church and a new Paschal Candle is presented, blessed, and lit from the flame. The lit Paschal Candle is then processed into the Church as other candles are lit from this one flame, brightening the once dark Church. This light represents Jesus, who is the Light of the World, returning to life. The Easter Vigil continues with a Liturgy of the Word. Up to nine readings are proclaimed that recount God’s saving actions throughout Salvation History. We also sing once again the Gloria and the Alleluia, joyful songs of praise to God that we have refrained from singing throughout Lent.

Then, those who have been preparing to enter into the Catholic Church and receive full communion with the Church receive the   Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. This great and joyful moment culminates with a sprinkling rite in which the entire congregation is blessed with holy water and renews their baptismal promises. The Mass then continues with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Throughout, we pray special prayers recalling and joyously celebrating all of Christ’s saving acts and His Triumphant Resurrection from the dead. The Vigil concludes with an antiphon that we repeat at the end of every Mass throughout the Easter season:

Celebrant: The Mass is ended, go in peace, alleluia, alleluia.

Congregation: Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia.

The Easter Sunday Masses continue the joyful celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection. Easter is not a single day, however, but an entire season, which lasts for seven weeks, or fifty days. It concludes with Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and filled them with His gifts, enabling them to go out and proclaim the Gospel to the whole world.