Significant Days During Holy Week

Each year in early spring, Christians across the globe celebrate their faith on Easter. Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, an event which is described in the New Testament.

Mass on Easter Sunday annually attracts millions of the faithful. However, many days during the week preceding Easter Sunday, often referred to as Holy Week, also bear significance to faithful Christians.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday begins Holy Week and commemorates the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Upon entering the city, Jesus was greeted by crowds waving palm branches. That is why Christians receive palm branches or palm crosses during Palm Sunday Mass.

Holy Wednesday

Holy Wednesday draws attention to the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples. Holy Wednesday services may feature Tenebrae, a religious service characterized by the extinguishing of candles. That portion of the service is meant to symbolize darkness, which is what “Tenebrae” means in Latin.

Maundy Thursday

The Last Supper is commemorated on Maundy Thursday, which also commemorates the Washing of the Feet (Maundy). The Last Supper was Jesus’s final meal with his apostles before his crucifixion. According to Christian scripture, Jesus predicted one of the apostles present at the meal would betray him. This also was when Jesus foretold that Peter will deny knowing him three times before the next morning. According to Trinity College, Maundy Thursday reminds Christians to love others as Jesus loves them.

Good Friday

Good Friday commemorates the trial of Jesus and his resulting death sentence, torture, crucifixion, and burial. It’s hard to characterize any of those things as “good,” which can cause a little confusion among Christians and non-Christians alike. However, Trinity College indicates that, in this context, “good” connotes something holy or pious.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday concludes Holy Week. Even though many faithful Christians awake early and don their Sunday best on Easter morning, Holy Saturday celebrations are not muted. On Holy Saturday, Christians may attend a late-night Easter Vigil service that includes a liturgy and the celebration of the Eucharist. The two-part celebration commemorates the Eucharist as symbolic of the emergence from darkness into the light.

Holy Week is a time for faithful Christians to celebrate their faith in advance of Easter Sunday.