The Triduum (Three days) of Easter are the most important of the Church’s year. They celebrate and summarise the mystery of our salvation and redemption.
Every Catholic should strive to attend every one of the ceremonies where possible, as they are like three Acts in a play. The ceremonies begin with the Sign of the Cross at the start of the Maundy Thursday celebration of the Lord’s Supper and end with the culmination of the Easter Vigil.
Maundy Thursday
This celebration commemorates the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist, the institution of the priesthood and the call to Service of all Christians. All of the Triduum Services contain all of the others in embryo, as it were. We cannot celebrate the Last Supper without thinking about Good Friday. We cannot think of the Eucharist without thinking about the Lord’s body, blood, soul and divinity – glorified, resurrected, and crucified. The Washing of the feet is an act of humility by the Ordained ministers and those who have their feet washed. The Period of Watching the Blessed Sacrament after the Mass represents the Agony in the Garden – “Can you not watch with me one hour?”
Good Friday
It is NEVER a Mass. Mass is a celebration – we commemorate the Lord’s dying today and mourn Him. We read The Passion; we adore a symbol of the True Cross – the Crucifix reminds us of the higher reality; we receive Communion consecrated at Mass the previous evening. One of the keynotes of the Service is silence – we enter in silence, and we leave in silence. But we cannot ignore that we know He will rise again – our knowledge of our salvation tempers our mourning.
Holy Saturday
It is a day of mourning. The Lord lies silent in the tomb.
Easter Vigil
It belongs properly to Easter Sunday, not Holy Saturday – it is supposed to begin after dark. It celebrates victory – light over darkness, new life over death, etc. The Vigil is the most important Service of the Church’s year.
Sometimes, people are put off because they fear the length of the Vigil.
It involves four separate elements: The Service of light – The Blessing of fire, and the proclamation of Christ as our light. The lighting of the Easter Candle and proclamation of the Exultet; the liturgy of the Word – the most important proclamation of the Word – we re-live Salvation history from Creation to Resurrection; the Blessing of the Baptismal Waters – this year we are blessed to have an adult to be baptised and one to be received into full Communion – come along and support your new brothers and sisters-; and finally liturgy of the Eucharist. It is a most moving and exciting service.
Please try and attend all of the above services if possible – or at least one, especially if you have never been before.
