Celebrating the Triduum: A Journey of Faith, Reflection, and Celebration
Triduum refers to the final days leading up to Easter Sunday: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
Churches around the globe have covered the Crucifixes and Statues.
Holy Thursday
Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday, is a significant day for Catholics as it marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum.
On this day, Catholics commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his apostles, where he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist and washed their feet as a sign of humility and service.
The Holy Thursday liturgy includes the washing of the feet ceremony, the presentation of oils used for sacraments throughout the year, and the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose, where it is kept until the Good Friday service.
Holy Thursday is a time to reflect on Jesus’s sacrifice and to prepare for the solemnity of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday.
Good Friday
When this post was originally penned in 2015, I felt like it was another year of ‘failure’ to fully participate for me.
Groups from Catholic parishes around Anchorage meet up on Good Friday morning for a walking Stations of the Cross. In 2015, the weather was the MOST gorgeous for this since we moved to Alaska (sunny and high projected to reach into the 40s again.) I should have bundled up my crew to go for the shorter portion (1 mile), but elected to skip it as my body is just not cooperating these days.
However, that doesn’t mean I can’t attend the evening service or have a family Stations of the Cross at home.
For those with young kids, you might like Stations of the Cross for Children at Loyola Press. You can print out pages OR do a multimedia presentation. Alternatively, you can find a printable booklet at Family in Feast and Feria. (I am working on a printable for next year now as time got away from me.)
Holy Saturday
On this day, there is no Mass held until the Easter Vigil, which takes place in the evening.
During the day, Catholics often participate in the Blessing of the Easter Food, where they bring baskets of food to their church to be blessed.
Holy Saturday finds a small group bringing food to be blessed by our priest in the morning. This is a Polish tradition, although you don’t have to be Polish to participate!
I doubt I will have it all together, but just might spend time today gathering most of the ingredients for our Easter dinner (the lamb is already in the second refrigerator thawing.)
The Easter Vigil, which is the most solemn celebration of the liturgical year, includes the blessing of the new fire, the lighting of the Paschal candle, and the proclamation of the Exultet. It is also when catechumens are received into the Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
What we may be doing differently this year as a family is attending the Easter Vigil Mass instead of the later Easter Sunday Mass. I LOVE Easter Vigil but realize that the longer Mass doesn’t sit as well for my boys.
However, I think preparing for my youngest with some Easter coloring pages he can do in our ‘cry’ space for part of it might help. And, I know my older boys loved seeing the fire and holding a candle while the Exultant is sung. So, there might be hope yet!
40 Days of Seeking Him
This year, I am joining Trish @ A House Upon the Rockin co-hosting the 40 Days of Seeking Him meme.
The linky will be up each week so you can add in posts daily, weekly, or whenever you are able. The posts can be about anything related to Lent and preparing for Easter ~ crafts, food, devotions, music or reflections are all welcome.
I hope that my readers will join us on the journey through Lent as we seek to grow closer to Christ. Christian bloggers are welcome to join us in the weekly link-up with posts that they are writing to showcase activities or reflections taken during this Lenten journey.
Visit Final Stretch (Holy Week) for 40 Days of Seeking Him Lent 2015 to check out posts by me or other bloggers or add your own to the link up.
How are you celebrating the Triduum?