PrayTheRosary Apostolate

Holy Week observances began in Jerusalem
in the earliest days of the Church, when devout people
traveled to Jerusalem at Passover to reenact
the events of the week leading up to the Resurrection,
beginning with Palm Sunday,
Our Lord's triumphal procession into Jerusalem.

On the evening of Wednesday of Holy Week, the canonical office,
which is really the Matins of Holy Thursday, is sung.
The name Tenebrae means darkness.

The service is made up of psalms with their antiphons,
readings and responsories.
The service is marked by its austere and mournful nature.
A striking feature of this service is the extinguishing of the candles.
At the beginning of the service, candles are lighted.
Six on the altar and fifteen on a large triangular candelabrum
(known as the hearse) set in the sanctuary at the Epistle side.

Fourteen candles are extinguished, one-by-one,
during the singing of the psalms.

"And one-by-one they all left Him, and it was dark."  

The one candle remaining, lighted,representing Christ,
is taken from its place and hidden for a time behind the altar.

In the darkness, the congregation knocks on the benches
reminding us of the earthquake that occurred
at the hour of our Lord's death on the cross.

Afterwards, the candle is brought forth and restored to its place and all depart in silence.

HOLY THURSDAY

On this night we solemnly celebrate the Lord's Supper.

Festive vestments are worn, the altars are decorated,
the Gloria—not heard during Lenten Masses—is sung to the ringing of bells,
only to be silenced and brought to the reality of the approaching Passion.
The ceremony of the Mandatum, or Washing of the Feet, is observed in many churches.

After Mass on Holy Thursday, the Blessed Sacrament
is carried in procession to a richly decorated altar,
known as the Repository.

 At the Repository watch is kept with the Blessed Sacrament until Midnight,
when all withdraw in silence.

Immediately after the reposition of the Blessed Sacrament,
the altar, the symbol of Christ is "denuded"—stripped.

During this ancient ceremony, all of the decorations, which vest the altar are removed.Robbed of their vesture, the bare altars now represent the body of Christ, who was stripped of His garments.
Afterwards, the altar is washed, a reminder of the burial preparation of Our Lord.

GOOD FRIDAY

From the earliest centuries, Good Friday was universally celebrated in the Church as a day of sadness, mourning, fasting, and prayer.

The Apostolic Constitutions (4th century) called it a "day of mourning,
not a day of festive Joy."

St. Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, mentioned Good Friday
as a "day of bitterness on which we fast."

The service is austere and consists of the veneration of the altar,
by full prostration of the clergy, the singing of the Passion, the Solemn Prayers,the unveiling of the Cross and its veneration, and finally, reception of Holy Communion.

After the solemn ceremonies of Good Friday, the altar is stripped again,
the tabernacle is left open, no lights burn in the sanctuary.

Only the crucifix, now unveiled, takes the place of honor in front of the empty tabernacle.In many churches the custom of visits to the Tomb occur on this day and on Holy Saturday.

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