Holy Week Before 1960

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Post your memories of services, customs, family traditions etc.
I wasn't around, but I was told about visiting 7 churches during Lent, by my mother, and 7 churches on Good Friday alone, by a man about 80. Other stories I've heard were in regards to solemn things were back then.
 
I have vivid memories of being one of the altar boys, all boys then (not passing judgement), on Holy Saturday. In those days it was in the morning usually beginning, as I recall, around 8:00 a.m. The lighting on the fire, blessing of the baptismal water (and Easter water!) and pachal candle, etc were much more elaborate so that it still lasted several hours even though there was no RCIA.

There were many eastern Euopean families in my parish and it was a custom for the women to bring baskets of the food that would be the Easter meal to the church to be blessed. I can still smell the hams and kielbasa and especially the freshly baked breads and kolache. Of course in those days the Eucharistic fast began at midnight so imagine having to deal with those delicious aromas for a couple hours on a very empty stomach. I think we did more penance on Holy Saturday morning than during the entire rest of Lent.
 
Good Friday service…always in the afternoon…priests and altarboys had to remove their shoes to approach the cross for veneration…Sister Marie Agnese always reminding us to be sure to wear socks without holes in them…the congregation kneeling along the communion rail while the priests moved back and forth with small crucifixes to be kissed individually, wiping them with purificator each time
 
I was there. It was not complicated. The Blessing of the food on Holy Saturday and then being able to eat it on Easter: colored eggs, a butter lamb, kielbasa, white horseradish, real bakery bread, some salt.

It was more reverent but it was viewed, by all, as natural and right and there was a sense of what Jesus went through. It was more solemn but it was also enjoyable.

Peace,
Ed
 
Oddly enough, I don’t remember Holy Saturday services, mostly Good Friday. There was usually and evening service in our parish, although also one at 3 pm.

I do recall that all the businesses in town were closed in the afternoon. Some opened up later, but some did not. I remember Mom saying that we always had a storm or bad weather of some kind on Good Friday afternoon and that did seem to happen more often then than now.
 
felsguy said:
I have vivid memories of being one of the altar boys, all boys then (not passing judgement), on Holy Saturday. In those days it was in the morning usually beginning, as I recall, around 8:00 a.m. The lighting on the fire, blessing of the baptismal water (and Easter water!) and pachal candle, etc were much more elaborate so that it still lasted several hours even though there was no RCIA.

There were many eastern Euopean families in my parish and it was a custom for the women to bring baskets of the food that would be the Easter meal to the church to be blessed. I can still smell the hams and kielbasa and especially the freshly baked breads and kolache. Of course in those days the Eucharistic fast began at midnight so imagine having to deal with those delicious aromas for a couple hours on a very empty stomach. I think we did more penance on Holy Saturday morning than during the entire rest of Lent.
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We, of the Byzantine Rite still do the whole thing. We went to Good Friday services tonight and our fast today was a “strict fast”, no meat eggs or dairy, and tomorrow will do the whole ham, kolbassi, homemade egg cheese, homemade horseradish, paska (bread with braids and crosses on them), also salt and decorated eggs. Oh and decorated dish of butter. and take the baskets to church to be blessed and of course no eating of any of it till after Holy Saturday service and not getting home till after 10pm. Then digging into the food. 🙂 I still love those old customs, though.
 
Hats and gloves, all the girls in the family, hats and gloves.

Communion on the tongue, kneeling of course.

Bank of America closed their doors at noon on Good Friday and reopened for business from 3:00 to 5 or 6. A.P. Giannini, the company’s founder, was a son of Italian immigrants and devout Catholic. He died long before that date, but this tradition was continued by BofA into the 1980’s. I don’t know if other banks honored the “3 hours” on the Cross.
 
Even though I was born a little later, I can still remember a sense of knowing it was Good Friday in the 1960’s. Stores closing for at least 3 hours to observe Christ’s Passion. Now sadly, it seems like it’s business as usual.
 
Seamus_L said:
Even though I was born a little later, I can still remember a sense of knowing it was Good Friday in the 1960’s. Stores closing for at least 3 hours to observe Christ’s Passion. Now sadly, it seems like it’s business as usual.
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Strangely, what I remember most is that Dad always had to work while we had the day off from school but now in this town everything closes for the whole day: fast food joints like KFC, post office, stores, etc. Only a few necessary restaurants are open to provide the hotel patrons & other travellers with food.
 
We never went to Good Friday services because my Dad had to work and he had our only car (we lived several miles out of town). However, it was a day off school because we went to Catholic school. At 3:00 Mom sent us to our rooms to quietly read the Passion out of our missals. I also remember her telling us that at 3:00 on Good Friday the weather is either really rainy or gloomy. Even if it’s a sunny day, the sun will go behind a cloud at 3:00. It always seemed to!
 
We were talk not to speak from 12 Noon until 3 PM on Good Friday. That was what we were taught in Church and at school. We didn’t usually go to services on GF because Grandma didn’t drive, but I remember how hard it was to be quiet and good on GF for 3 hours.
 
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