Holy week

  • Thread starter Thread starter Squips
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Squips

Guest
Hello! With Holy Week fast approaching, I figure it’s time that I learn more about it. What exactly does Holy Week celebrate and why do we celebrate it? Thank you!
 
Squips said:
Hello! With Holy Week fast approaching, I figure it’s time that I learn more about it. What exactly does Holy Week celebrate and why do we celebrate it? Thank you!
Click to expand...
Holy Week is the final week of Lent, and the week preceding Easter. Holy Week begins from Palm Sunday, all the way until Holy Saturday. Holy Week celebrates, or more appropriately, the commemoration of the Lord’s Passion. On Palm Sunday, we read the Passion, and celebrate the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem. Blessed palms are distributed, etc. Following that, is Holy Thursday, with the Mandatum (washing of the feet) and the commemoration of the institution of the Eucharist. Holy Thursday Mass ends with a Eucharistic procession to the altar of repose, where adoration is kept, traditionally, throughout the night. The following day, Good Friday, we commemorate the Lord’s Passion, with a reading of the Passion according to Saint John, along with the Veneration of the Cross, and following that, the reception of the Eucharist, consecrated before, during the Holy Thursday Mass. Then, you have Holy Saturday, where we wait with Mary, as Christ in is the tomb.

Easter comes next, with the Easter Vigil.
 
The Mandatum of Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the institution of the priesthood. Your Bishop will celebrate the Chrism Mass (either on Thursday, or some dioceses move it to another day) where he will bless all the holy oils to be used throughout the year and the priests of your diocese will renew their priestly promises. It’s a very moving thing to be present for, if possible.
 
the “big three” in holy week are palm sunday, holy thursday, good friday
 
Jimmy Akins blog has a great kick off to Holy Week explaining the significance and liturgy for Palm Sunday.
It includes a response to the question;
Is the same crowd that cheered Jesus’ arrival the one that demanded his crucifixion just a few days later?

Link here.
 
Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday, and ends with the Mass on Holy Saturday Night. Failing to include that would be an oxymoron; we celebrate not only the Crucifixion, but also the Resurrection.

Depending on the diocese (and likely it’s geography) one may also include the Chrism Mass; in western Oregon we celebrated it this last Wednesday as the archdiocese is approximately three hundred miles long.
 
To me,Holy week,starts from Palm Sunday then we make sacrifices like praying , eating less, helping others, meditating on Jesus suffering on Good Friday,and prepare us for his Glories Resurrection on Easter Sunday, Amen :harp::harp:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top