Easter Triduum

Easter Triduum, or Holy Triduum, or Paschal Triduum is a term used by some Christian churches, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, to denote, collectively, the three days from the evening of Holy Thursday (or Maundy Thursday) to the evening of Easter Sunday. The Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper (or, where this is not celebrated, Vespers of Holy Thursday) and ends after Vespers at sunset on Easter Day.

The term was used at the Second Vatican Council, when the revised liturgical calendar set the final part of Holy Week apart from Lent proper. Previously, these three days had already gained distinction from the rest of Holy Week with an observance of silence, which were also known as "the still days." During Mass, music was not to be played and all church bells were silenced. People were also encouraged to observe silence in their homes during this time.

Prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, weddings were prohibited throughout the entire season of Lent and during certain other periods as well. Today, such celebrations are prohibited only during the Triduum and a few other solemnities.

During the Triduum, starting from Holy Thursday service until the Easter Vigil service, processions (where the celebrant of the Mass enters and leaves) are not conducted. The tradition of silence and lack of music is continued in Vatican II practice.

Contents [hide] 1 Holy Thursday 2 Good Friday 3 Holy Saturday 4 Easter Vigil 5 Easter

[edit] Holy Thursday

• Lent ends at dusk of Holy Thursday.
• An evening worship service or the Mass of the Lord's Supper is celebrated.
• The Mass concludes without a procession as the Triduum celebration has not ended.
• Some churches that celebrate this day as Maundy Thursday engage in the ritual of ceremonial foot washing.
• Watch services are customary after the evening service and continuing until midnight (occasionally re-commenced at dawn of Good Friday, continuing until the morning liturgy).
• Colors seen throughout the chapel or on vestments: White

[edit] Good Friday

• The celebration known as the Passion begins.
• There is no procession at the beginning or end of the service; the service effectively continues from Holy Thursday.
• In the Roman Catholic and High Anglican rites, a crucifix (not necessarily the one which stands on or near the altar on other days of the year) is ceremoniously unveiled. (In pre-Vatican II services, other crucifixes were to be unveiled, without ceremony, after the Good Friday service.)
• The celebrants (priests and deacons) of the service in Roman Catholic Mass traditionally begin the service prostrate in front of the altar.
• Colors seen throughout the chapel or on vestments: Vary
  • No color, red, or black are used in different traditions.
  • The Roman Catholic Church traditionally uses a combination red and black banner to signify the tearing of the large sanctuary veil in the temple of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus's death.
  • Where colored hangings are removed for this day, liturgical color applies to vestments only.

[edit] Holy Saturday

• A commemoration of the day that Jesus lay in his tomb
• In the Roman Catholic Church, daytime Masses are never offered.
• Colors seen throughout the chapel or on vestments: None

[edit] Easter Vigil

• Held after sunset of Holy Saturday, or before dawn on Easter Day, in anticipation of the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus
• The Paschal candle, representing Jesus' resurrection as the "return of light onto the world", is lit.
• The Paschal candle is used to bless the baptismal font to be used by the Elect.
• The celebrant uses the term "Alleluia" for the first time since the beginning of Lent.
• People desiring to be Roman Catholics who have completed their training in a Catholic church are formally initiated as members of the faith the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation (baptism, confirmation, and the eucharist).
• In pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic practice, during the "Gloria in Excelsis" at the Mass, the organ and bells are used in the liturgy for the first time in two days.
• In current Vatican II practice, the use of lighting to signify the emergence from sin and the resurrection of Jesus vary, from the use of candles held by parishioners as well as candelabras lit throughout the church.
• Statues of Jesus, which have been veiled during Passion (usually throughout Lent), are unveiled.
• Colors seen throughout the chapel or on vestments: White, often together with gold, with yellow and white flowers often in use in many parishes

[edit] Easter

The date of Easter varies from year to year, but is always on a Sunday between the dates of March 22 to April 25.

Easter Masses, held throughout the day. are similar in content to the Easter Vigil Mass. However, baptisms are not performed, and the ritual of the Paschal candle is not performed (the candle is placed next to the albo, or podium, throughout the Easter celebration).

The Easter season extends from the Easter Vigil through Pentecost Sunday on the Catholic and Protestant calendars, normally the fiftieth day after Easter. On the calendar used by traditional Catholics, Eastertide lasts until the end of the Octave of Pentecost, at None of the following Ember Saturday.

The Easter octave allows for no other feasts to be celebrated or commemorated during it (possible exception is the Greater Litanies if Easter falls later in the year). If Easter is so early that March 25 falls in Easter week, the feast of the Annunciation is postponed to the following week.

Ascension is the fortieth day of Easter, always a Thursday. Pentecost is the fiftieth day.

The colors seen throughout the chapel or on vestments during the fifty-day Easter period are white or gold. On Pentecost, the traditional color for banners and vestments is red.