Hi, what does each day of Holy Week stand for?

Answer 1

There are services for every day of Holy Week, but the main observances are Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday.

Palm Sunday: Christ's entry into Jerusalem. It's also called Passion Sunday, and there are readings of the Passion Gospel. Worshipers often carry palm leaves or wear Palm crosses.

Maundy Thursday: Commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist. A celebration of the Last Supper.

Good Friday: The Passion of Christ. The Crucifixion.

Easter Vigil: The night before Easter. Often, baptisms are performed, and converts received into the Church.

Easter Sunday: The Resurrection.

There are services on every single day of Holy Week, and there are also Tenebrae services during that time. Tenebrae is Latin for "darkness". It's a very somber service.

Answer 2

Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, and the Palm Sunday liturgy commemorates the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, and the beginning of the events that lead to his crucifixion. Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper, the night in which Christ instituted the priesthood and the Eucharist (I'm Catholic, so that's what we celebrate, don't know about other Christians) It is also the night Jesus was arrested and convicted by the Sanhedrin. The Eucharist is removed from the church after the mass, and no masses are celebrated until Saturday evening. Good Friday marks the day of Christ's passion and death. Holy Saturday evening is the first Easter Mass, called the Easter Vigil. It is also the night of Initiation, where those who are converting to Catholicism are baptized (if non-Christians) and are given the Sacraments of Initiation (Communion and Confirmation). Easter Sunday is the Resurrection. As I said before, I'm Catholic, so I can only give you the significance of each day from the perspective of my tradition. It may vary , depending upon denomination. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Palm Sunday comes first in order. The central feature of the service proper to this day, as it was in the time of Ætheria, is the procession of palms.

The only other noteworthy feature of the present Palm Sunday service is the reading of the Gospel of the Passion.

Maundy Thursday:
The day commemorates the Last Supper of Christ and his 12 Apostles and the institution of the Eucharist.
On Maundy Thursday, the celebrant often celebrates the rite of the washing of the feet.
During the day, bishops celebrate the Chrism Mass, where they bless the oils for Confirmation, the Anointing of the Sick and the Catechumens.
The hosts not distributed in Communion on Maundy Thursday are reserved and distributed on Good Friday, when no Mass is celebrated.
After the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in procession to an "altar of repose". Then all altars except that one are stripped.

Good Friday:
There is no Mass; the Eucharist is not consecrated. Communion takes place with the hosts left over from Holy Thursday.
The church remains stripped on this day of ornate objects, including the altar cloth and candles, as a sign of respect.
Holy water fonts are emptied.
On this day, the stations of the Cross are often prayed either in the church or outside.
Celebration of the liturgy of the Lord’s Passion occurs in the afternoon.
The liturgy consists of three parts in the Roman Rite:
the Liturgy of the Word,
the Veneration of the Cross,
and Holy Communion.


Holy Saturday:
A day of silence and prayer which commemorates the dead Christ in the tomb. No Mass is celebrated.
The Tabernacle is left empty and open. The lamp or candle usually situated next to the Tabernacle denoting the Presence of Christ is put out, and the Eucharist is kept elsewhere, usually the sacristy, with a lamp or candle burning before it.

Easter Vigil
Takes place during the night, either on the eve of Easter or early in the morning on Easter Sunday.
The Gospel reminds us to have our lamps ready, to be like men waiting for the Lord’s return so that when He arrives He will find us wide awake and will seat us at His table.
Night vigil is arranged in four parts:
A brief service of light;
Liturgy of the word;
Liturgy of baptism;
Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Easter Sunday

Answer 4

There's no such thing

COL 2:14-22