Favorite of the Holy Week Masses/Services?

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So, since Holy Week is dawning upon us, I wanted to know which is your favorite Mass (service if you pick Good Friday ;)). You may pick more than one.

My favorite of all would have to be the Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. I just love the “feeling” of that Mass. You know what’s about to happen. I love the transferring of the Eucharist to the place of reposition, and I love the silence/darkness of the church at the end of the Mass that leads into Good Friday. I also love the washing of the feet.

My second favorite would have to be the Chrism Mass. I love going to the cathedral and watching the procession of the Holy Oils, and I love watching the priests renew their priestly vows.

My third favorite of all would have to be Easter Sunday because of the “new life” that is brought through the Risen Christ. The Mass is so joyful and uplifting compared to the six weeks of Lent.

Holy Week has to be the best week of the year.
 
Nothing beats Easter especially the beauty of the Easter Vigil

can’t wait for Saturday Night.

but the entire week will be beautiful
 
Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil.
just can’t have one without the other:)
The Tridum is my favourite time of the year.
 
My absolute favorite-favorite is Easter Vigil. It can be so majestic.

In a different way, another favorite is Good Friday. I find myself taking the Mass for granted at times. Good Friday leaves me with an odd sense of absence and emptiness, and I appreciate the opportunity to make me appreciate the fullness that is present the rest of the year.
 
The Easter Vigil tops them all.

The readings, the fire, then the spreading of the candle flames, followed by the procession and the suspense of whether that gigantic Paschal candle is going to get dropped by the guy(s) carrying it. You can see them straining and staggering and sweating.

The readings are a trip through the Bible

Then all the festivity! Full-throttle on the organ for the Alleluia. The newly baptized dripping wet. Crank up the lights and blind everyone. The priests get all caught up in the celebration and go wild with the Asperges. We made the mistake a few years ago of sitting right by a group of monks known by the priest. He soaked them, and everyone else nearby. Last year we were sitting by them again, and commented that maybe we ought to move and why. They had a good laugh, then one of them said to the others, “We need to split up! We’re too big a target!” And they did.

Yeah, it can go long and late, and the pews get hard after all that time, but who can leave that Mass not feeling happy and uplifted?
 
My favourite is a quiet Mass early ( 8am ) on Easter morning .
 
I love them all; in fact someone once suggested thinking of the Holy Week services as a continuous liturgy. I always make sure that I attend a Parish with good music as the impact of the services is lost when people stand or sit there stoney faced refusing to sing like they do in my parish.

The dignity of the Maundy Thursday Eucharist and “Sing my tongue the glorious battle”; the pain of the chanting of the Passion (esp in Victoria’s setting) and the beautiful hymn “When I survey the wondourous Cross” (writen by Issac Watts - a non-conformist - but now the greatest hymn for meditation on the cross) moves me to tears.

I love the expectation of the Vigil Service , the chanting of the Exsultet, and the readings and hymns building up to that first great Gloria as the lights go on.Messe Sollenelle by Vierne is just wonderful for this climax.
 
Easter Vigil – nothing else compares! It’s like a tiny foretaste of heaven.

But I find that the more I participate in the liturgies of Holy Week, and in the fasting, prayers, and sacrifices, the more deeply I can experience the beauty of the lighting of new fire, the procession of the Easter candle and the spreading of its light through the church, the alleluias, and the Exsultet – THE EXSULTET!!! “Rejoice, o heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels! Exult, all creation, around God’s throne! Jesus Christ our King is risen!”

I fully expect entering heaven will sound something like that… Rejoice, sing, exult – you made it 😃

Oh, Easter Vigil… I can hardly wait!

Gert
 
Palm Sunday: because it reminds me that Holy Week is starting, and also we receive a Palm, and have some form of a procession too with them.

Holy Thursday: the whole Mass including the time after spent in Adoration and the extra prayers that evening in regards to the Holy Eucharist

Good Friday: Reading of the Passion account according to St John is the version I love the most and the opportunity to venerate the Cross.

Easter: the light, Alleuia and Gloria return, and one of my favorite hymns is usually always sung “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”
 
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