Holy Week
Mass Times & Services for Holy Week
Holy Week is the holiest week of the entire liturgical year, beginning on Palm Sunday and continuing until Easter Sunday, and celebrates the Paschal Mystery - the Passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Holy Week is the unfolding of the Paschal Mystery celebrated and offered at every Mass. So Holy Week is rather like if the Mass was a time-scroll and as such it is unfolded throughout a week so that all the elements that make up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass can be laid out for us to see in that week.
Holy Week Events
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is when Jesus entered Jerusalem as the Christ, the Messiah, who the people of Israel had long been waiting for and greet Jesus as the Messiah.
In the Liturgy this is the meaning of the Procession of the Priest into the Church, when all the people stand and sing praise to God, for the Priest represents and acts in the person of Christ entering the New Jerusalem which is the Church on earth. At the same time, it also represents Christ’s entry into the Heavenly Jerusalem at the Ascension.
Spy Wednesday
On Spy Wednesday, we hear how Jesus was betrayed by one of the Twelve, Judas Iscariot, when he went to the Temple and conspired with the High Priests Caiaphas and Annas
This needed to be done because Jesus had made sure that he could not be easily found by his enemies in a packed Jerusalem.
This is why Jesus had made secret arrangements for both his entrance into Jerusalem and for eating the Passover.
Maundy Thursday
Holy Thursday is the day we celebrate:
the Institution of the Priesthood: Chrism Mass at the Cathedral & the Washing of the Feet at the
Mass of the Last Supper in St Francis de Sales church;the Institution of the Eucharist at the Mass of the Last Supper;
the Institution of Love as Sacred Service at the Washing of the Feet.
At the Last Supper, Jesus begins with the traditional Jewish Passover meal but changes its whole meaning as it ends in being a sacrifice when Our Lord on the Cross drinks vinegar wine [the 4th Cup] and pronounces “It is accomplished.”
After the Mass of the Last Supper we follow Our Lord into the Garden of Gethsemane when we having the Watching until midnight which ends with Compline [Night Prayer]. We watch with the Lord and unite ourselves to his sorrows.
Good Friday
Good Friday is the day when we enter into the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ which concludes with His burial in the tomb:
At 12 noon we have the beginning of the Novena of the Divine Mercy in St Francis de Sales church
At 3.00 pm we have the Solemn Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord at St Mary Magdalene’s church
At 7.30 pm we have the Stations of the Cross; ending with putting the Body of Jesus into the tomb on the altar at St Francis de Sales church
Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is all about the soul of Jesus descending among the dead as his body lies in the tomb.
It is solemnly celebrated in the Divine Office with the Office of Readings (Matins) at 10.30 am followed by Morning Prayer (Lauds);
at 12 noon we have the second day of the Novena to the Divine Mercy
at 12.30 pm we have the Blessing of Easter Food in preparation for the celebratory Feast of Easter
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus, body and soul, from the dead on the third day.
It begins with the holiest Mass of the year which is called the Solemn Easter Vigil on Saturday evening after dusk.
It is also the longest Mass and requires of us a stamina and spiritual strength, which the full participation in the practices and devotions of Lent and Holy Week give us.
Hence the structure of the Easter Vigil is the following:
First Part - The Liturgy of Light & The Easter Proclamation
The Second Part - Liturgy of the Word
The Third Part - The Baptismal Liturgy
The Fourth Part - The Liturgy of the Eucharist
On Sunday morning we have the Masses for Easter Sunday at St Mary Magdalene at St Francis de Sales church;
At Mass at St Francis de Sales, we have the third day of the Novena of the Divine Mercy.