Understanding Holy Week

As a Christian you are called to participate in as much of Holy Week as you possibly can. This is such an important part of your discipleship and your faith journey.

It is my hope that you will participate in a minimum of two services after you enter Holy Week on Sunday with the Liturgy of the Palms.

Minimum Participation during Holy Week… Good Friday and Easter Sunday/Easter Vigil
Ideal Participation during Holy Week.. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday/Easter Vigil

Here are some info articles and videos to help you consider Holy Week:
Busted Halo’s Holy Week in 2 Minutes (keep in mind this is a Roman Catholic ministry so there are some differences in our tradition but the general message is great!)

The Skit Guys have an awesome video on understanding Palm Sundayand a great one on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, another from the perspective of Simon of Cyrene. The last two videos are both a bit emotional, the first one on Palm Sunday is hilarious! The one on Grace is pretty awesome too!

Some info on Holy Week (sourced from: http://www.saintmatthewsanglicanchurch.com/worship-teaching/seasons-holy-days/lent-holy-week/)

HOLY WEEK

Holy Week comes at the end of Lent and is the final week before Easter, Resurrection Sunday.

Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday: The palms in church on this day honor Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. Burned later, the ashes of these palms will, on Ash Wednesday of next year, symbolize our mortality and sorrow for our sins.

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the traditional English name for Thursday of Holy Week, so named because it is considered the anniversary of the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus at the Last Supper (that is, the mandatum novum or “new commandment”) and His washing of the disciples’ feet.

Washing feet was a job reserved for the lowest servant in the house. Yet our Lord of Lords humbled himself to wash his disciples’ feet. Jesus said to Peter. “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”(John 13:5). In some churches, Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet is symbolically reenacted and the altars are stripped bare until the Easter vigil mass.

As Maundy Thursday recalls Jesus’ last meal by a Eucharist with foot washing, this day is also celebrated in additional ways, i.e. Prayer Vigils, the re-enactment of the Passover Meal with Seder Suppers.

Good Friday
Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Good Friday along with Ash Wednesday are two designated fast days in the Anglican calendar. This marks more than a historical event, it stands for the self-offering of Christ for us, the apex of Christ’s sacrificial life.

Our Parish observes this day with two services. A traditional service at 10am at Christ Church and an Ecumenical Walk with our brothers & sisters from St. Pauls United at 2pm. This year the walk starts at St. Pauls United and ends at St. James Anglican.

Saturday Vigil

Holy Saturday is the final day of Holy Week, the final day of the traditional 40 day Lenten Fast. The morning brings Resurrection light, and a feast!

This year we will have a baptism at the Vigil service.