Mass on Good Friday?

[Jabronie]

I read the following on “Ask an apologist”

Although it certainly can be meritorious to avoid work and unnecessary extracurricular activities on Good Friday in honor of the solemnity of the day, the Church does not require it. And because Good Friday is one of the two days of the year on which Mass is not celebrated – the other being Holy Saturday – it is not a holy day of obligation.

What does it mean that “Mass is not celebrated” on Good Friday? This will be my first Holy Week since returning to the Church, but I’m sure I can remember going to church on Good Friday when I was a kid. And there must be something going on on Good Friday, since I have an envelope for the day.

 

[mosher]

Jabronie:

I read the following on “Ask an apologist”

What does it mean that “Mass is not celebrated” on Good Friday? This will be my first Holy Week since returning to the Church, but I’m sure I can remember going to church on Good Friday when I was a kid. And there must be something going on on Good Friday, since I have an envelope for the day.

There is no mass celebrated on that day as it symbolizes how the Apostles were seperated from the Apostles. It is part of the Triduum which all focuses on the events of the passion begining with Holy Thursday Mass after which the Eucharist is removed from the Church and taken to an altar of repose for adoration untill Midnight at which time adoration ends. Then at 3PM on Friday the Good Friday service is held where there is a communion service but no mass. The next mass is at the Easter Vigil which should last untill after midnight so that it actually enters Easter Day.

 

[LilyM]

Jabronie:

I read the following on “Ask an apologist”

What does it mean that “Mass is not celebrated” on Good Friday? This will be my first Holy Week since returning to the Church, but I’m sure I can remember going to church on Good Friday when I was a kid. And there must be something going on on Good Friday, since I have an envelope for the day.

Yes, there is usually a service at 3pm, which includes a reading of the passion and veneration/adoration of the Cross, along with communion (consecrated in the previous day’s Mass). This is not an actual Mass, not having the form or the prayers used at normal Sunday/Weekday masses. I believe this was discussed on another thread, if you want to do a search on ‘Good Friday’

 

[Steve-o]

mosher:

The next mass is at the Easter Vigil which should last untill after midnight so that it actually enters Easter Day.

Really?!? I’m being Confirmed at Easter Vigil and I’m told that that Mass doesn’t begin until 7 pm! I’m in for a memorable night, indeed! FIVE hours?!?

 

[Thursday1]

Steve-o:

Really?!? I’m being Confirmed at Easter Vigil and I’m told that that Mass doesn’t begin until 7 pm! I’m in for a memorable night, indeed! FIVE hours?!?

The Easter Vigil doesn’t have to last until after midnight. It just has to be after dark. Remember, the vigil starts at sundown, and then liturgically, it is Sunday. Depending on how many are being confirmed, I would say it should be between 2 to 2.5 hours long.
Say a prayer for whoever has to carry the Easter candle in, they are heavy.

Yours in Christ,
Thursday

EDIT: w00t! I’m a senior member now!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Steve-o:

Really?!? I’m being Confirmed at Easter Vigil and I’m told that that Mass doesn’t begin until 7 pm! I’m in for a memorable night, indeed! FIVE hours?!?

It’s generally about three hours depending on how many Catechumens and Candidates there are. Easter actually begins liturgically after Sundown Saturday,

 

[KCT]

On Holy Thursday, the Mass doesn’t really ‘end’. On Good Friday we don’t have Mass. The Easter Vigil is a big celebration. I once read that it’s almost like one long service from Holy Thursday to Easter Vigil. —KCT

 

[LilyM]

Steve-o:

Really?!? I’m being Confirmed at Easter Vigil and I’m told that that Mass doesn’t begin until 7 pm! I’m in for a memorable night, indeed! FIVE hours?!?

I think the usual practice is there’s a ‘vigil’ (for example yours at 7pm) and a separate midnight mass, which technically probably wouldn’t be a vigil at all since it’s ON Sunday.

 

[CantorRick]

LilyM:

I think the usual practice is there’s a ‘vigil’ (for example yours at 7pm) and a separate midnight mass, which technically probably wouldn’t be a vigil at all since it’s ON Sunday.

Not really.

The ONLY Mass on the eve of Easter is the VIgil Mass. It is the highpoint of the Liturgical year. Since it is usually still light at 7M in the evening and the Vigil Mass begins with the Service of Light, the Church norms have the Vigil Mass starting at 8M in the northern hemisphere. Dailight savings time plays a part in the actual start. Southern hemisphere, no problem, anytime after dark or after 4M .It is also the conclusion of the Triduum which started on Holy Thursday at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

Like more??

Richard

 

[jimmy]

Jabronie:

I read the following on “Ask an apologist”

What does it mean that “Mass is not celebrated” on Good Friday? This will be my first Holy Week since returning to the Church, but I’m sure I can remember going to church on Good Friday when I was a kid. And there must be something going on on Good Friday, since I have an envelope for the day.

There is a great service on Good Friday. If you have a missal, either old or new, you will see that there is a very serious service. It includes the veneration of the cross. One of our connections to the eastern rites is found on Good Friday. The Agios O Theos is the Trisagion, one of the ancient prayers of the Church. It is sung in the Divine Liturgy of the Byzantine Catholic churches.

 

[chicago]

There is a Solemn Liturgy commemorating the Passion on Good Friday, but it is not the Sacrifice of the Mass represented. Rather, the Liturgy focuses us on the actually Passion of Christ and the Cross. Everything else is heightened, the Eucharistic Prayer is just cut out.