The Direction of Intention
My God, give me the grace to perform this action with you and through love for you.
In advance, I offer to you all the good that I will do and accept all the difficulty
I may meet therein.
St. Ann, pray for us
St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.
The Paschal TriduumO Holy WeekO The Chrism MassO What is the Triduum?O How did it Develop?OHoly ThursdayOGood FridayOThe Great Easter VigilO Easter Day
O The week preceding EasterO Final week of Lent. O Begins with Palm Sunday and ends with
Holy SaturdayO Holy Week is not a liturgical term or a
season in the Church YearO Holy Week is the second week of
Passiontide which begins on the 5th Sunday of Lent
Which is it?Palm or Passion Sunday?
O A bit confusingO Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
O Commemoration of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem
O Gathering in a place other than the ChurchO GreetingO Gospel Reading of the Entry
into JerusalemO ProcessionO Mass continues as usualO Reading of the Passion from
either Matthew, Mark or Luke
O Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy WeekO Follows a sequential reading of
St. John’s GospelO Chapters 12 – 13
O Spy WednesdayO Reading of the betrayal of
Jesus by Judas Iscariot, indicating that it is the day that Judas Iscariot first conspired with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus for thirty silver coins.
The Chrism MassO Generally celebrated during Holy WeekO The bishop, joined by the priests of the
diocese, gather at the Cathedral to celebrate the Chrism Mass
O Bishop blesses three oilsO The oil of catechumensO The oil of the infirmO Holy Chrism O These oils will be used in the
administration of the sacraments throughout the diocese for the year.
O Tradition of this Mass goes back to the early 5th century
O Priest Renew their vows before the bishop remembering that it was at the Last Supper that Christ instituted the Ordained Priesthood
What is the Paschal Triduum?
O Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum, Paschal Triduum, or The Great Three Days
O It is one celebration with three distinct parts recognizing the Paschal Mystery of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
O Begins in the evening on Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s SupperO Lent ends with the beginning of the Mass
and the Season of the Sacred Triduum begins
O Are the most sacred days in the Church year
How did the Triduum begin?O Began and an intense time of
preparation for catechumens prior to baptism at Easter Vigil
O Sinners were reconciled with the Church on the Thursday Evening
O Was revived and reestablished in 1955 with the Liturgical Reforms of Pope Pius XII
Fun Facts about the TriduumO Begins on Holy Thursday and ends at Easter Vigil
O It is one continuous liturgyO On other Mass is celebrated on Good FridayO No weddings or
funerals celebratedO Only sacrament
offered is Anointing of the Sick
O Most ancient liturgy of the churchO Most parts date back
to the early 2nd century (125 AD)
Thursday of the Lord Supper
O Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, Sheer Thursday and Thursday of MysteriesO The word “Maundy” comes
from the Latin word for commandment (mandatum)O As I have done so you must do –
Foot WashingO “a new commandment,” that
they “love one another.” O Do this in memory of me
The Liturgy on Holy Thursday
O Tabernacle is EmptyO Font drainedO The presentation of the Holy OilsO The Singing of the Gloria – with Bells
O ancient tradition of the Church, the organ and bells are silenced from the Gloria on Holy Thursday until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil
O Liturgy of the WordO Story of the Passover from Exodus, The institution
narrative from Corinthians, the Foot Washing from John)O The Washing of Feet
O Not mandatory on Holy ThursdayO Goes back to early Church. First official reference is 12th
century when Pope washed feet of 12 deacons
The Liturgy on Holy ThursdayO Collection is for the poorO After receiving Communion Mass
O Eucharist is left on AltarO Procession to place of RepositionO Altar in Church is stripped bareO No ending of Mass – all depart in silence
Good FridayO Friday of the Passion of the Lord
O Generally only one service is held between 3 and no later than 9 pm
O No Mass is celebrated on Good FridayO No Candles – no Altar cloth – no flowersO Congregation gathers in silence
Good FridayO Liturgy has 3 distinct parts
O Prostration before the AltarO The Liturgy of the Word
O With the Solemn IntercessionsO The Veneration of the CrossO The Reception of Holy Communion
Holy Saturday
O No Mass celebratedO Church stands in silence before the Tomb
The Great Easter VigilO A Vigil of Prayer,
Fasting and WaitingO During the NightO The Liturgy
O Part I: The Lucernarum – The service of Light and the Blessing of the Paschal Candle
O The Singing of the Exsultet or Easter Proclamation
The Great Easter VigilO Part II: The Liturgy of the Word
O 9 Readings prescribedO 7 Old Testament – 1 Epistle and the GospelO Tells the Story of SalvationO The Gloria is Sung
between the last OT reading and the Epistle
O The Alleluia with Gospel procession
The Great Easter VigilO Part III: Baptismal Liturgy
O Led by Paschal CandleO Litany of SaintsO Blessing of WaterO Baptism of CatechumensO Renewal of Baptismal VowsO Confirmation of newly Baptized
The Great Easter VigilO Part IV: The Liturgy of the Eucharist
O The culmination of the VigilO The Great and Solemn Blessing with the
dismissalO The Triduum comes to a close with
Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday Evening