[Santo Rosario de Pasig] Paschal triduum: a primer

[Santo Rosario de Pasig]

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compiled by Fr. Lito Jopson, Parish Priest

This primer is presented to help the faithful in celebrating the Holy Week most meaningfully.

The Paschal Triduum, also called the Holy Triduum or Easter Triduum, begins the evening of Holy Thursday and ends the evening of Easter Day. It commemorates the very heart of our faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is our firm hope that as we enter into the saving mystery of Christ by dying to ourselves, so may we experience new life by rising up with Him.

The Holy Week. In the Holy Week, the Church celebrates the mysteries of salvation accomplished by Christ in the last days of his earthly life, from his messianic entry into Jerusalem, until his blessed Passion and glorious resurrection.

With the evening mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday begins the Easter triduum, which also includes Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion and Holy Saturday, centering upon the Easter Vigil, and concludes with vespers on Easter Sunday of the Lord’s resurrection.

Palm Sunday. The Palm Sunday of the Lord’s passion, a day on which the Church enters upon the mystery of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord, brings together the triumphal procession of Christ as King and the proclamation of his passion.
The Lord’s entry into Jerusalem is commemorated by means of the bles-sing of palms and a solemn procession toward the Church where the mass is celebrated in the usual way.

Holy Thursday. The name “Maundy Thursday” is derived from Jesus’ “mandate” to love one another as he loves us. This day celebrates Jesus’ institution of the sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Ordination.

The Chrism mass. Chrism mass is one of the principal expressions of the fullness of the Bishop’s priesthood and signifies the close unity of the priests with him. During the mass he celebrates with priests of the diocese, the bishop consecrates the Chrism and blesses other oils.

Washing of the feet. A group of men whose feet are washed should as much as possible represent the cross section of the local community. The number is traditionally twelve, though there are no exact requirements.

Today, the faithful are encouraged to offer gifts in cash or kind for the needy members of the community.

After communion, the ciborium with hosts for Good Friday is left on the altar. Following the prayer after communion, the procession with the Holy Eucharist to the place of reposition takes place. It is not allowed to expose the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance of even in a ciborium. The Blessed Sacrament is reposed.

The space should be clearly separated from the main worship space. The parish should create a temporary chapel in which the tabernacle is placed.

There is no dismissal. The Easter triduum is formally commencing.

Good Friday. On this day “when Christ became our paschal sacrifice,” the church reflects on the passion of its Lord and Spouse, venerates his cross, commemorates its own origin from the side of the dead Christ on the cross, and intercedes for the salvation of the entire world. (Circular letter #58)

Today, on Good Friday and if possible on Holy Saturday until Easter vigil, the paschal fast and abstinence are observed everywhere to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, to prepare ourselves to renew our baptismal promises, and to share more deeply in his resurrection.

Only one cross should be used for the veneration, as this contributes to the full symbolism of the rite.

The celebration consists of three parts: the liturgy of the word, the veneration of the cross, and holy communion.

Holy Saturday. This is the final day of both Holy Week and the Triduum. There are few specific customs associated with Holy Saturday, except that it is the final night before the Feast of the Resurrection, which begins at the Great Easter Vigil.

Easter vigil. The Lord’s day, the day of Resurrection, the day of Christians, is our day. It is called the Lord’s day because on it the Lord rose victorious to the Father. The Easter vigil has four parts: the brief service of the light, the liturgy of the word, when the Church meditates on all the wonderful things God has done for his people from the beginning, the liturgy of baptism, when new members of the Church are reborn as the day of resurrection approaches, and the liturgy of the eucharist, when the whole Church is called to the table which the Lord has prepared for his peole through his death and resurrection.

Encuentro. The Encuentro is cele-brated as follows: the statues of the risen Christ and of our Lady meet and greet each other. For all of us, the joy of the Blessed Virgin Mary experienced at the sight of her risen Son may deepen our faith in the resurrection and fill our lives with peace that Easter brings.

Sources: Ordo, 2010; Catechism of the Catholic Church; Daily Roman Missal, 1992; Gabe Huck, The Three Days, Parish Prayer in the Paschal Triduum

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Posted By Santo Rosario de Pasig to Santo Rosario de Pasig at 3/20/2010 12:36:00 AM