Holy Week 2009 DOMINICA II PASSIONIS SEU PALMIS Palm Sunday Holy Week began with a celebration of the Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Mass. After the three Holy Week feriae, the Mass of the Lord's Supper, the Good Friday office, and Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil completed the week and brought us into Paschaltide. The procession of the palms takes place as the church is decorated in red, recounting the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and foreshadowing to the passion that was to follow later that week. The color then changes to purple for the mass, in keeping with the penitential nature of the Lenten season and especially Holy Week. (All Holy Week masses are celebrated in purple as a sign of our penance and preparation for the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.) Some of the faithful after the Palm Sunday Mass St. Jude Mission Chapel, South Korea, where the Cherry blossoms in full bloom provided a beautiful start to Holy Week. FERIA V IN CENA DOMINI Maundy Thursday Following the Mass of the Lord's Supper, celebrating the institution of the Holy Eucharist, the second host consecrated during the mass was taken in solemn procession to the Altar of Repose, where it was to lie until the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified in the Good Friday office. Following this, the principal altar was stripped bare.   Following the example of Christ at the Last Supper, the foot washing is performed. FERIA VI IN PASSIONE ET MORTE DOMINI NOSTRI Good Friday   One of the faithful venerates the cross while the Reproaches are sung.   The Sacrament reserved in the chalice is taken from the altar of repose to the altar during the Good Friday office. SABATO SANCTO Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil The reed with the three candles representing the Trinity is carried from the vigil fire to the Paschal candle before the altar in the darkened church, as each of the three candles on the reed is lighted one by one during the procession. The Paschal Praises are chanted in darkness, the cross, alpha and omega, and the year are inscribed in the Paschal candle, and the five grains of incense, representing the five wounds of Christ, are inserted. Then the Paschal candle is lighted, and the lights are restored in the church. The mourning is over, and the light of Christ has returned to us.   The reed sits in the darkened church, waiting to light the Paschal candle next to it.   The Baptismal water and font is blessed using the Paschal candle and the three Holy Oils, Chrism, Oil of the Catechumens, and Oil of the Sick. The Paschal candle is lowered into the font. The Oil of the Catechumens is poured into the font.   The Altar is decorated in purple and the cross is veiled for the Holy Saturday liturgy... ...and then changes to white/gold for the Easter Vigil, as the first mass of Easter. DOMINICA RESURRECTIONIS DOMINI NOSTRI JESU CHRISTI Feast of the Resurrection - Easter Sunday The Paschal Candle. Some of the faithful after the Easter Sunday mass. The Lenten Season is over, and we rejoice in the Risen Lord. The Pontifical Sung Mass (in Latin) was preceded by the asperges, during which the people heard for the first time this liturgical year the antiphon "Vidi Aquam" (I saw water), which shall continue throughout Paschaltide. The chalice is elevated so that the faithful may adore the Precious Blood of Christ at the second mass of Easter. READ THE HOLY WEEK SERMONS READ THE HOLY WEEK PASTORAL LETTERS   Main Page | About Us | History | News | Contact | Sacraments | Links