The Triduum Mr. Salter 1

 Liturgy, the official, public, communal prayer of the Church  The 3-day celebration of the Triduum starts on Holy Thursday evening (after sunset) ◦ Technically it is Friday (because of an evening service)  Sunday is the fundamental and foundational holy day; ◦ every Sunday is a “Day of Resurrection” 2

 The liturgical seasons celebrate God’s plan of salvation revealed through His son Jesus  Liturgical Seasons ◦ Advent – 4 weeks of preparation for Jesus birth  Key liturgical symbol, the Advent wreath  Christmas – birth of Jesus ◦ Lent – 40 days of penance, fasting and almsgiving to prepare for the passion and Paschal Mystery ◦ Holy Week (Triduum) and Easter  Starts on Palm Sunday (key symbol palm branch procession)  Holy Thursday – Chrism Mass, Last Supper mass, Washing of feet, Stripping of alter  Triduum – Holy Thursday evening, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil ◦ Easter Time – celebrate as if the Kingdom has come; Jesus ‘appearing’ to us  50 days concluding with Pentecost ◦ Ordinary Time ◦ Liturgical Cycles  Sundays A, B, C  Weekdays I, II 3

 Liturgy of Hours – also known as the Divine Office; is the daily prayer of the Church ◦ Ordained priest and bishops have to say this daily ◦ Consists of Songs, prayers, Psalms, Scripture readings ◦ Morning, Noon (Angelus), Afternoon (Vespers), Evening (Compline) ◦ Group prayer is NOT an official prayer of the Church  Though Jesus promises to be present when they gather in His name 4

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 Vocabulary ◦ Liturgical – anything related to the liturgy ◦ Liturgical celebration – another name for Mass, a sacramental liturgy, or liturgy of the Church ◦ Liturgist – a person who studies, researches ond teaches in the field of liturgy; or coordinate the planning of liturgies (i.e. weddings, funerals…)  Sacraments ◦ All seven sacraments can take place in liturgies ◦ The Church is a sacrament (a visible sign instituted by Christ to give sanctifying grace) 6

 Palm Sunday starts Holy Week ◦ Another name for Holy Thursday is Maundy Thursday  Maundy comes from Latin meaning “command”  Chrism Mass ◦ Celebrated by Bishop for priests to recommit to promises ◦ Sacred oils are blessed for use by diocese  Oil of Catechumens – olive oil blessed for Baptisms  Oil of Sick – olive oil blessed for anointing of sick  Sacred Chrism - olive oil blessed for sacramental anointing 7

 Chrism Mass ◦ Oils brought in procession from Bishop  Washing of Feet ◦ Symbolic “Call to Service” for parishioners  Dismissal of Elect ◦ Those preparing for Baptism are asked to leave liturgy after homily  Collection for the Poor ◦ Rice bowls, or Lenten banks special focus to help poor  Transfer of Eucharist ◦ “Reservation altar”, or Altar of Repose will house the Eucharist between Good Friday and Easter Vigil ◦ Many parishes celebrate “40-hour” adoration or devotions ◦ Stripping of altar  Paschal Fast ◦ Time of fast and abstinence culminates on Good Friday 8

 A day focused on the Crucifix (Cross) ◦ Latin translation of “Cross” ◦ A day of mourning  Key visible symbols ◦ Stark silence ◦ Altar is bare ◦ Decorations removed ◦ Statues covered ◦ No holy water in fonts 9

 There is no mass ◦ No organ and musical accompanied  Order of Liturgy 1.Liturgy of the Word - suffering servant (OT), Jesus suffering and death (Hebrews), Passion 2.Formal Intercessions – Church, Pope, clergy and laity, catechumens, Jewish people, those who do not believe on Jesus/God, leaders of the world, special needs 3.Veneration of the Cross  Veneration of the cross as the instrument of our salvation 4.Communion Service  Eucharist processed from side altar for congregation to receive  Stations of the Cross ◦ A Catholic devotion that commemorates in prayer the 14 stations of Jesus’ passion 10

 The most important liturgy of the Church calendar ◦ Each of the Easter masses has a special focus (vigil, morning, day) ◦ Vigil – means “to be awake, to be watchful”  Easter candle – Paschal Candle ◦ Celebrates the Light of Christ through the Easter Season with special markings each year  Liturgy of the Word ◦ 3 – 7 readings form OT and NT recalling key events of Salvation History  Celebration of Baptism and Confirmed ◦ Litany of Saints – pray for intercession of the saints and entire “Body of Christ” for those about to be Baptized ◦ Those in the RCIA program are Baptized and welcomed into the parish community ◦ Liturgy of Eucharist  Glorious music, bells, singing celebrate the resurrection of the Lord and our Redemption 11

 Easter Time ◦ Begins with Easter Vigil ◦ Ends after evening Prayer on Pentecost ◦ Easter Season lasts 50 days ◦ Celebrating the Kingdom has come ◦ “Alleluia” is the theme of this season ◦ We read many of the stories of Jesus’ appearances 12

 Seasons ◦ Ordinary Time (following Christmas)  Begins with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord  Ends the day before Ash Wednesday ◦ Ordinary Time (following Pentecost)  Begins after Evening Prayer on Pentecost  Ends on the day before the 1 st Sunday of Advent  Ordinary comes from the Latin word for “counted” ◦ Each week is numbered, (e.g. 3 rd Sunday of Ordinary time) ◦ The season is full of many solemnities, feasts and memorials of the Lord and saints ◦ We also focus on the Church’s role in the world to announce, proclaim and live “the Way” of the Lord 13