Palm Sunday, is
the beginning of Holy Week in the Christian calendar. The
traditional service recalls when Jesus entered Jerusalem in
triumph just days before his crucifixion and resurrection, and
people spread palm branches and clothing in front of him. Holy
Week is the Christian week from Palm Sunday (also called Passion
Sunday) through Holy Saturday. Each of the days of Holy Week has
its own traditions of services in the West. Believers are
encouraged to follow in their prayers with readings from the
Gospel the account of each of the actions from the time of the
entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the crucifixion
and death of Jesus on Good Friday and the resurrection on Easter
Sunday.
While each day has special mass celebrations in the Western
churches, the week's most elaborate services are during Triduum
(Holy Thursday, Good Friday, (Holy Saturday), and Easter). In
the Reformation, emphasis was taken away from the Passion and
placed upon the resurrection of Jesus, but contemporary
Protestant Churches, as well as the Roman Catholic Church, hold
the three days between Good Friday and Easter to be the holiest
days of the calendar.
Many denominations of Christians celebrate Palm Sunday with the
distribution and blessing of palms. In many churches, the
faithful begin services with a procession that starts outside.
In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, during Holy Week, Orthros
(Matins) services for each day are held during the preceding
evening. Thus, the Matins service of Monday is sung on Palm
Sunday evening, and so on. The services of Sunday through
Tuesday evenings are often called Bridegroom Matins, because of
their theme of Christ-as-Bridegroom.
In many churches, especially Greek Orthodox, a service of
Anointing (Holy Unction) is held on Wednesday evening. Divine
Liturgy of the Last Supper is held on the morning of Holy
Thursday. Matins of Holy Friday, with its Twelve Gospel
Readings, is held on the evening of Holy Thursday; Vespers of
Holy Friday (Vespers of the Unnailing) is held in the morning or
afternoon of Holy Friday. The figure of Christ is taken down
from the Cross, and a richly-embroidered icon on the cloth
called the "epitaphios" representing Christ laid in a "tomb"
decorated with flowers. Matins of Holy Saturday is held on the
evening of Holy Friday; the tomb is sprinkled with rose petals
and rose water, and then carried in a candlelit procession,
while a set of hymns called "The Lamentations" is being sung.
Divine
Liturgy is held Saturday morning. This is the "Proti Anastasi" (First
Resurrection) service, with a change from dark vestments to light ones.
Saturday night at midnight, the service begins in darkness. A single
candle is lighted by the priest, from a light on the altar which is
never extinguished. The light spreads from person to person until
everyone holds a lighted candle. The Divine Liturgy follows. A reception
or party usually follows, sometimes lasting till dawn. Slavs bring
Easter baskets filled with eggs, meat, butter, and cheese -- foods from
which the faithful have abstained during Lent -- to be blessed. Agape
Vespers, during which Gospel is read in as many different languages as
possible, is usually held on Easter Day. It is often combined with an
Easter egg hunt and other activities for children, but there is no
regular Sunday morning Liturgy.
Holy Week Activities
Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday)
* Beginning of the holy week.
* Remembrance of the entrance of the messiah into Jerusalem.
* Mass is dominated by the reading of the Passion – narrative of Jesus’
capture, sufferings and death.
* Church celebrates Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his
paschal mystery, when according to the Gospels Jesus rode into Jeruslem
humbly on one or two donkeys in a parody of a Davidic victory procession
and people placed palms on the ground in front of him.
The Procession:
* The people assemble somewhere distinct from the church. Some carry
palm branches.
* Priest and ministers put on red.
* A song receiving Christ is sung.
* Priest greets the people.
* Prayers are said. After each prayer there is a pause.
* Blessing of the branches with holy water.
* Lord’s entrance from the gospel is said.
* Procession begins to the Church while the people sing.
* Mass is said.
Good Friday
* No mass
* The Church mourns for Christ’s death, reverences for the cross, and
marvels at His life for his obedience till death.
* The Sacraments are not celebrated on this day or even the next day.
* The altar has no cloth.
* Celebration of the Lord’s Passion occurs in the afternoon
* The priest wears red. After a short silence, prayer is said.
* The celebration commences.
* Celebration consists only of liturgy of the word, veneration of the
cross, and the Holy Communion.
Easter Vigil
* Takes place during the night.
* The Gospel reminds us to have our lamps ready, to be like men waiting
for the Lord’s return so that when he arrives we He will find us wide
awake and will seat us at his table.
* Night vigil is arranged in four parts:
o A brief service of light;
o Liturgy of the word;
o Liturgy of baptism;
o Liturgy of the Eucharist.
* The priest wears white.
* Part I: Service of light:
o All lights of the church are put out.
o A fire is prepared outside the Church
o One of the ministers carry the Easter Candle.
o The priest greets the people then the fire is blessed.
o After the prayer, the Easter candle is lighted from the new fire.
# Procession:
* The priest takes up the candle and sings: “Christ our light” and the
people answers: “Thanks be to God”.
* All enters the Church and the priest takes up the candle for the
second time and sings: “Christ our light” and the people answers:
“Thanks be to God”.
* When the priest arrives at the altar the rite is repeated: Priest
takes up the candle for the third time and sings: “Christ our light” and
the people answers: “Thanks be to God”.
* Then all lights in the Church are put on.
# Easter Proclamation (Exsultet)
# Part II : Liturgy of the word
* Nine Readings are provided, seven from the Old Testament and two from
the New Testament. (the epistle and gospel)
* After the Easter Proclamation, the candles are put aside and all sit
down. Before the readings begin, the priest speaks about Easter.
* The readings follow from:
1. The book of Genesis 1:1-2:2 The Creation
2. The book of Genesis 22:1-18 Abraham’s sacrifice
3. The book of Exodus 14:15-15:1 People of Israel leaving the slavery of
Egypt
4. The book of the prophet Isaiah 54:5-14 God speaking to the miserable,
oppressed people of Israel
5. The book of the prophet Isaiah 55:1-11 God’s covenant with Israel.
(God’s magnificent promise)
6. The book of the prophet Baruch 3:9-15,32-4:4 Wisdom of God
7. The book of the prophet Ezekiel 36:16-28 God’s promises to Ezekiel.
(all was fulfilled in Jesus Christ)
8. Epistle: The letter of Paul to the Romans 6:3-11
Lessons on the death and resurrection of Christ
Alleluia
Gospel
9. Year A: holy gospel according to Matthew 28:1-10 (Women finding and
witnessing to the empty tomb) / Year B: holy gospel according to Mark
16:1-8 (Women are frightened by the empty tomb and the angel’s message
about resurrection) / Year C: holy gospel according to Luke 24:1-12
(Women see the empty tomb and are told by angels of the Resurrection)
* Part III: Liturgy of Baptism
o A vessel of water is placed in the sanctuary
o Candidates for Baptism is presented
* Litany
o The Litany is sung. The procession begins: Easter Candle first,
followed by the candidates then the priest and ministers.
* Blessing of Water
o The priest blesses the baptismal water and prays. The candle is then
taken out of the water and people sing the acclamation. Then the
baptismal rites proceed.
* Renewal of Baptismal Promises
o After the rite of baptism, all present renew their baptismal
profession of faith.
o The priest sprinkles the people with water while the people sing.
o The profession of faith is omitted and proceeds to the Liturgy of the
Eucharist
* Liturgy of the Eucharist
