“He who beholds the Church really beholds Christ” (St. Gregory of Nyssa).
What is Holy Week?
We celebrate in “Holy Week” the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, an historical play-by-play of these great events which Bishop Barron calls “a power” that “broke into our world” and “changed everything” while it “imbued humanity with abundant life and incomparable joy”.
Why? Corpus humilitatis nostrae confirguraum corpori claritatis Christi. The body of our humanity is conformed to the body of Christ’s splendor. (“The Church and the Body of Christ”, Henri de Lubac).
Bishop Barron teaches that “Everything in our Faith revolves around Easter”.
Why?
He asks us to remember that “if a new king has emerged” — our task as Christians is first to join his kingdom of “love, forgiveness, compassion, and non-violence”. Second, we must learn what it means to join and be part this mystical body of Christ — transformed by His Kingdom. Finally, once we understand Catholicism and the common destiny of humanity, we desire to share the joy of this invitation to become a beloved child of God. Easter is about reflecting deeply upon the Good News — that “Christ is Risen” — the same news that made the apostles shout, “Kyrios Christos” with others.
WHAT IS THE 3-DAY TRIDUUM?
This period of time marks the culmination of proclaiming the period of 3 days that prepares for a great feast through liturgy, prayer and fasting.
THE 3-DAY TRIDUUM consists specifically of
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Vigil
Evening prayer on Easter Sunday.
Listen to Fr. Alar explain below:
THE EXPERIENCE OF HOLY WEEK IN PORTUGAL
As with many places in the world, in Portugal, Holy week begins with the Ramos Procession and most children are off the week before Holy Week to ensure they can attend all the Masses and festivities.
If you have never been to Portugal during Holy week, the Rosary Hour Podcast highly recommends making time to pilgrimage — and for those already travelling in Northern Portugal, you can be spontaneously take part in of all of the public processions which are proclamations of the Faith — and which are open to all people of any faith or denomination as you join in solidarity with this kingdom of “love, forgiveness, compassion, and non-violence” (Bishop Barron).
There are four special ceremonies which commemorate the events of Christ’s Passion from His entrance into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday or Ramos — a day when palm branches are placed in His path); then, the arrest of Jesus following the Last Supper on Holy Thursday; this is followed by the Via Dolorosa and Crucifixion on Good Friday which is honoured at the 3:00 hour; and Holy Saturday, the day that Christ’s body lay in the tomb and when we honour the tears of the Mother of God and Our Lady of Sorrows who wept as she witnessed the prophecy of Simeon play out before her as many believe was foretold in its fullness and in secret eight days after Christ was born.
The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday are chronologically carried out over three days, and these are one Mass that liturgically represent one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery over a single celebration. Thus, the Triduum is the end of the Lenten season, and it leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.
The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are:
Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord
2nd EDITION REVISION INQUIRY: WHAT IF I AM NOT A PRACTISING CATHOLIC?
Contrary to any stereotype, all are welcome to witness the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and practising Catholics are very much encouraged to try inviting someone to the EASTERTRIDUUM.
If you, or your Easter guest, wishes to go to the Holy Mass, but is not a practising Catholic or baptized, or even hasn’t been to the Sacrament for a long time and require confession, it is stated in both the Catechism of the Catholic Church which is upheld by the Magisterium that one refrain from receiving the Holy Communion — though one is always welcome to ask for a Blessing from the priest or the Minister of the Eucharist or deacon.
HOW TO RECEIVE A BLESSING:
When approaching the Holy Communion, you can try to cross your hands over your chest and bow your head before the Holy Priest or Minister of the Holy Eucharist delegated by the priest as a signal to request a blessing.
If the pastoral team member for that Mass, for some reason, doesn’t know what to do, that is okay! Just ask God in your heart for a Blessing — and go back to your seat and simply just remain there until the end of Mass. You could always talk to the parish team afterwards and make your request, though it is sometimes not possible if time doesn’t permit it — as some pastors have to rush off to another Mass. That said, you have many opportunities to make that request during the TRIDUUM.
You are most welcome to be part of the prayer of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which we explain in the following post.
Catholics have a responsibility to ensure the Holy Eucharist is consumed by the person receiving the Body of Christ. In this busy time, it is a good idea for an extra person to ensure that the host is consumed after it is distributed. This is done quite effectively by giving the monitor a lanyard and some training on how to ask kindly and with love that the host be consumed. A little 101 on the Real Presence of Jesus Christ can be reviewed here in the short form talk via this previous post of The Rosary Hour Podcast.
Here is a long form talk which has over 2.8 million views.
RAMOS IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BRAGA
Here is a poster from the programme notes prepared for the Archdiocese of Braga.
The joy of the Christian life permeates the “why” of celebrating the mysteries of Holy Week with the faithful”, and there are many places in the city of the Archbishop and the Archdiocese of Braga which invite celebration of this central part of our Faith. This time mark a great importance for all Christians, and in many ways, it is a time of
CELEBRATE HOLY WEEK ON THE CAMINO TO SANTIAGO | P.D.V., PORTO
From the city website:
Na Semana Santa, entre os dias 13 e 20 de abril, a Póvoa de Varzim irá contar com um programa rico em atividades religiosas, promovido pelas paróquias da cidade com o apoio do Município.
O programa de celebrações principia no Domingo de Ramos, 13 de abril, às 9h30, com uma Bênção de Ramos, na Capela no interior da Fortaleza N.ª Sr.ª da Conceição, seguida de procissão pela Rua 31 de Janeiro até à Igreja da Lapa. Às 10h00, sai da Igreja Matriz a Procissão de Ramos rumo à Igreja da Misericórdia, onde é feita a Bênção de Ramos. Segue, depois, para a Basílica do Sagrado Coração de Jesus, onde é celebrada Missa de Ramos. Na Igreja de São Tiago haverá, igualmente, lugar a Bênção de Ramos, às 11h15, seguida de procissão pela Rua da Junqueira até à Igreja de São José de Ribamar.
No dia 14 de abril, às 21h30, a Igreja de S. José de Ribamar será palco de um Grande Concerto de Páscoa, que irá apresentar “De Cruce ad Lucem”, com os Mondo Duo (Sofia Azevedo, em violoncelo, e Marco Banca, em guitarra), e Pró-Música EMcanto, sob a direção de Rui Silva, com Joana Faria, em piano, Bruno Trocado, em orgão, e vozes de Maria João Matias, Susana da Costa, Diogo Bidarra e João Fonseca.
No dia seguinte, 15 de abril, às 21h30, terá início uma Via Sacra de Rua, organizada pelo Grupo Esperança Jovem da Lapa – GEJ, com início na Praça do Almada e término na zona envolvente da Fortaleza N.ª Sr.ª da Conceição.
Na quarta-feira, 16 de abril, às 21h30, a Igreja Matriz irá acolher um Concerto de Páscoa, sob a direção de Tiago Carriço, com atuações do Quarteto Verazin – Ensemble Instrumental e do Coral “Ensaio”, Associação Pró-Música da Póvoa de Varzim.
Na Quinta-feira Santa, haverá lugar a Celebração da Ceia do Senhor e Cerimónia do Lava-Pés nas três paróquias, em diferentes horários: 16h00 na Lapa, 17h00 na Matriz e 18h00 em S. José de Ribamar. À noite, irá realizar-se a tradicional Visita às Igrejas e Capelas da Cidade.
Na Sexta-feira Santa, promove-se a Celebração da Paixão do Senhor, com a Liturgia da Palavra e Adoração da Santa Cruz, nas três paróquias, nos seguintes horários: às 15h00 na Matriz e Lapa, às 17h00 em S. José de Ribamar. À noite, a partir das 21h30, será celebrado o Sermão do Enterro, na Igreja Matriz, seguindo-se a Procissão do Enterro do Senhor, às 22h00.
No sábado, 19 de abril, teremos uma Vigília Pascal, com celebração da Missa da Ressurreição, às 20h00, na Igreja da Lapa, às 21h30, na Igreja da Matriz, e às 22h30, na Igreja de S. José de Ribamar.
O Domingo de Páscoa começa com uma Missa da Ressurreição às 9h30, na Igreja da Matriz, seguida da Procissão da Ressurreição. Às 10h00, haverá Eucaristia da Ressurreição, na Igreja da Lapa, e às 11h30, na Igreja de São José de Ribamar. Nesse mesmo dia, à tarde, terá lugar a Visita Pascal nas paróquias da Matriz, de S. José de Ribamar e da Lapa. Pelas 19h00, realiza-se o Cortejo Festivo dos Compassos Pascais, da Praça do Almada à Igreja da Matriz, antecedido de visita ao Edifício dos Paços do Concelho. O dia finda com Eucaristia Solene às 19h30, na Igreja da Matriz. As Cerimónias serão presididas por D. Jorge Ortiga, Arcebispo Emérito de Braga.]
