Crucifix, Cross in the Woods Parish – Photo by John Petty
By John Petty, Catholic Editor
As another Lent comes to an end, the suffering, death, and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is brought into a renewed sense of contemplation. In between the seasons of Lent and Easter is the triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
“The triduum is one of my favorite parts of the liturgical year,” senior Ryan Maddock said. “My favorite part of the triduum is the Easter vigil mass. It is beautiful walking into a pitch black, dreary church and walking out with bright lights and alleluias. It is also very powerful seeing new people get initiated into The Church.”
Two weeks leading up to Easter Sunday, Catholic Churches in the Latin Rite traditionally veil statues and images, encouraging the faithful to do the same. Beginning with the Easter Vigil, the statues and images are uncovered again in celebration of Christ’s Resurrection.
Veiled images, St. Isidore Catholic Church, Grand Rapids Michigan – Photo by John Petty
Holy Week begins with the celebration of Palm Sunday, remembering Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. During the week, many Aquinas students prepared for the celebration of the triduum, with some students watching Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, noted for its gruesome and realistic depictions of Christ’s Passion.
Beginning the triduum is Holy Thursday, in which the Mass of the Last Supper is celebrated. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus and his Apostles celebrated the Jewish Pesach (Passover meal), remembering God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The Passover meal was celebrated by sacrificing an unblemished Lamb, and the blood of the lamb was smeared on the doorposts of the Israelites, sparing their firstborn sons from death.
In Catholic theology, Jesus instituted himself as the unblemished Paschal Lamb of the New Covenant, giving his body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist. It was on this Passover that God would deliver his people from the bondage of sin through the death of his son.
Mosaic depiction of God the Father, Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis – Photo by John Petty
Statue of Jesus, National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica – Photo by John Petty
During the Holy Thursday Mass, the priest presents the Holy oils blessed by the Bishop of the respective Diocese. The Sacred Chrism, used for the sacrament of Confirmation and the dedication of Churches, the oil of the catechumens, used for Baptism and the oil of the sick, used for anointing the sick and dying.
Following the Homily, the priest washes the feet of congregants, taking after Jesus’ example in John’s Gospel. Following the Mass, the Eucharist is processed around the Church, and congregants are encouraged to sit with Jesus for an hour, remembering his agony in the Garden of Gathesame, for the New Adam’s Passion began in a graden, redeeming the Old Adam’s Fall in a garden.
Good Friday marks the celebration of Christ’s Passion, and death on the Cross. Jesus was betrayed by Judas’ kiss, and was accused of blasphemy by the Judean authorities. He claimed to be the Son of Man, and was beaten and spat on for blasphemy.
During the duration of Good Friday, there is no Mass celebrated in the Latin Catholic Churches. Furthermore, the Eucharist is not present in the Tabernacle, and the Tabernacle light is extinguished in reminder of this reality. Instead of Mass, Stations of the Cross as well as a service is celebrated, in which congregants are invited to process and kiss a crucifix. In this service, the priest prostrates himself before the Altar, just as he did on the day of his ordination. This reminds him of his priesthood being rooted in Christ and oriented toward his sacrifice.
Jesus crucified, National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica, Royal Oak – Photo by John Petty
Crown of thorns – Photo by John Petty
Michelangelo’s Pieta, Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis – Photo by John Petty
Following Good Friday is Holy Saturday, a day of quiet reflection and anticipation for the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday. Saturday evening marks the end of the triduum.
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