Here is a bit of elaboration on Brother’s post.
Holy Thursday - Bells and organ are silent after the Gloria. (They should not be heard until the Gloria on Holy Saturday). Males only for the foot washing. All seven verses of the Pange Lingua should be chanted when the Eucharist is reserved and then the altar is stripped bare. Adoration thereafter.
A plenary indulgence is granted by Pius VII to all who perform some pious act (reading, meditation, or divine office) for one hour in commemoration of the institution of the Holy Eucharist under the usual conditions of going to Confession and Communion within the octave, being free of any attachment to sin (even venial sin), and praying for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. He also granted a plenary indulgence to all who visit the Blessed Sacrament at altars of repose on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, again under the usual conditions.
Good Friday - Dead silence should be observed - rigorously. Procession in silence and then the priest/deacons prostrate themselves on the altar. Readings followed by the Passion chanted (in English). Long series of prayers. Solemn veneration of the Cross. The Reproaches- sung during the veneration. Communion.
This is the Mass of the Presanctified, named for the fact that there is no Consecration. The Eucharist is consecrated (sanctified) on Holy Thursday and kept at the altar of repose. This is the daily practice in the Greek rite during all of Lent except for Saturdays and Sundays. Typically, the priest is the only one who receives Communion - there is no communion of the faithful.
Holy Saturday - I don’t ever recall a fire outside of church when I was a boy. The Easter Candle is blessed followed by the Easter procession with the candle (pretty much the same as we do today) followed by the proclamation of the Exultet. Long series of readings regarding the Plan of Salvation then the Gloria.
The blessing of the New Fire commemorates the custom whereby the church, blessing as she does all elements of which she make use of for divine worship, made a practice of blessing every evening the new fire that was to provide light for the office of Vespers. So, the liturgy of Holy Saturday maintains that custom. The fire is struck from a flint outside of church and the priest comes out, vested, and accompanied by deacon and subdeacon, blesses the New Fire and lights three intertwined candles with the flame. He brings that into the church where he then blesses the 5 grains of incense that are inserted into the Pascal Candle. He exorcises the salt, adds the exorcised salt to a large vat of water, and blesses the water with holy oils, which becomes the New Water (Holy Water) and dips the Pascal Candle into the vat of New Water and blesses the Pascal Candle. The faithful are each given candles to hold which are lit from the New Fire.
This is followed by the reading of the Prophesies, Vespers, and the Introit of the Vigil Mass. All this is done in darkness, typically beginning at 10:30PM on Holy Saturday. Close to or just after midnight, and after the Kyrie at the intonation of the great Gloria by the priest, the lights in the church come on signifying the Resurrection and the acolyte rings the altar bells during the entire Gloria. If the church has tower bells, they also peal at this moment, an incredible liturgical moment!
The remainder of the Mass is per the book.
