What about Holy Week and Easter again? What do we commemorate? What are we celebrating? In this article you will find the Catholic explanation of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter, among others.
Good week
The week leading up to Easter is called Holy Week. It is the last week of Lent (also known as Lent) that precedes Easter. This week begins with Palm Sunday and ends with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, a total period of seven days. Holy Week focuses on the suffering and death of Christ. Ultimately, His resurrection is celebrated at Easter. The Passion story of Christ is central to Holy Week.
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week. This day commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. During the Eucharist celebration, palm branches are blessed and handed out to the people in the church, because Jesus was also welcomed with palm branches when he entered Jerusalem. The liturgical color for Palm Sunday is red.
Monday in Holy Week
On the Monday of Holy Week, a penitential celebration is held in the Catholic Church. This celebration is so called because of the sacrament of penance and reconciliation (confession) that plays an important role in this celebration.
Wednesday in Holy Week
A Chrism Mass is celebrated on Maundy Thursday or the Wednesday evening before. During this Eucharistic celebration, the bishop consecrates the oils that will be used in the coming year in administering the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and ordination.
Easter Triduum
The Easter Triduum is a period of three days, namely Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday, during which we reflect in a special way on the suffering and death of Christ. This happens through deep reflection and prayer. The Easter Triduum is considered the most important period of the liturgical year.
White Thursday
The Easter Triduum begins on Maundy Thursday with an evening mass. The Last Supper is commemorated on this Thursday before Easter. On the evening before His death on the cross, Jesus had a last meal with His twelve disciples. He breaks and divides the bread and shares the wine. He tells His disciples to continue to do this to remember Him. With this Jesus instituted the Eucharist. On Maundy Thursday the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood are celebrated. The liturgical color of Maundy Thursday is white.
Good Friday
Good Friday commemorates the suffering and death of Christ. On Good Friday, the passion story is read in the church and the 15 Stations of the Cross are reflected on. This usually happens at 3 p.m. In the evening there is a veneration of the cross. Good Friday is the only day of the year that no Eucharistic celebration is held and is also a day of fasting and abstinence. The liturgical color of Good Friday is purple, red or black.
Easter Saturday (Silent Saturday)
Easter Saturday is the third day of the Easter Triduum. It is a day of rest between death and resurrection. Jesus is dead. People commemorate in silence. On this day there are few activities in the church, it remains quiet. The Easter Vigil is held in the evening. During this Easter Vigil it is celebrated that Christ has passed from death to resurrection. This celebration contains a lot of symbolism. At the beginning of the celebration, the Easter fire is lit and blessed. The new Easter candle is then lit on this fire. The baptismal water is also blessed in this celebration.
Easter
Easter is the most important Christian festival. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Although Christmas is usually celebrated on a much grander scale, Easter is theologically the most important festival in the Catholic Church. After fifty days the Easter season ends with Pentecost. The liturgical color for Easter is white.