Holy Week Services
- Palm/Passion Sunday ………. Sun, Mar. 24 @ 10:30 AM
- Maundy Thursday ………. Thu, Mar. 28 @ 6:30 PM
- Good Friday ………. Fri, Mar. 29 @ 6:30 PM
- Easter Service ………. Sun, Mar 31 @ 10:30 AM
All About Holy Week
Holy Week is a significant period in the Christian calendar leading up to Easter Sunday. It commemorates the final week of Jesus Christ’s life on earth, focusing on his passion, death, and resurrection. Throughout Holy Week, Christians engage in prayer, reflection, and worship, meditating on the profound events that lead to the core of their faith—the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Palm/Passion Sunday is a special day in the Christian liturgical calendar that marks the beginning of Holy Week. The day starts by celebrating Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, as described in the Gospels. The latter part of the service shifts the focus to the events leading to Jesus’ crucifixion. This transition from joyous celebration to the somber reflection on the events of Good Friday helps worshippers journey through the emotional and theological aspects of Holy Week.
Maundy Thursday is a special day in the Christian calendar. “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word mandatum, which means “commandment.” This commandment will begin the service. On this day, we remember the Last Supper that Jesus had with his disciples before his crucifixion. During the meal, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, showing humility and servitude. This act symbolizes the importance of serving others with love. Additionally, it emphasizes the tangible connection with Jesus through the sacrament of Holy Communion.
The service ends with the stripping the altar. It symbolizes the solemn events surrounding Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. During this ritual, the altar is gradually cleared of all its adornments, including candles, linens, and other decorations, reflecting the stripping away of outward glory.
A Good Friday Tenebrae service is a solemn and reflective worship gathering held on Good Friday, typically in the evening. (Tenebrae, means darkness in Latin.) The service includes the seven saying of Jesus from the cross. Candles are gradually extinguished throughout the service to symbolize the diminishing of Christ’s earthly light. This symbolizes the increasing darkness of sin and the world as Christ approaches the cross. The service includes a loud noise, known as strepitus, symbolizing the earthquake that occurred at the moment of Jesus’ death. The service typically ends in darkness, symbolizing the death of Christ. The darkness also anticipates the hope that will come with the celebration of Easter.
Then comes the Feast of the Resurrection, or Easter. Easter is the most joyous and significant celebration in the Christian calendar, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. On it, we celebrate the victory of Jesus over death.