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Christ Washing the Feet of the Apostles by Meister des Hausbuches, 1475 (Gemldegalerie, Berlin
Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum, Paschal Triduum, or The Three Days,[1] is the period of three days that begins with the
liturgy on the evening of Maundy Thursday (the vigil of Good Friday)[2][3] and ends with evening prayer on Easter Sunday,
the three-day period therefore from the evening of Maundy Thursday (excluding most of Thursday) to the evening of
Resurrection Sunday.[2] It recalls thepassion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, as portrayed in the canonical
Gospels.[4]
In the Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and Reformed traditions, the Paschal Triduum falls within the liturgical season
of Lent in the Church calendar; however, in the Roman Catholic tradition, since the 1955 reform by Pope Pius XII, the
Easter Triduum has been more clearly distinguished as a separate liturgical period. Previously, all these celebrations were
advanced by more than twelve hours. The Mass of the Lord's Supper and the Easter Vigil were celebrated in the morning
of Thursday and Saturday respectively, and Holy Week and Lent were seen as ending only on the approach of Easter
Sunday.
After the Gloria in Excelsis Deo at the Mass of the Lord's Supper all church bells are silenced and the organ is not used.
The period that lasted from Thursday morning to before Easter Sunday began was once, in Anglo-Saxon times, referred to
as "the still days".[5]
In the Catholic Church, weddings, which were once prohibited throughout the entire season of Lent and during certain
other periods as well,[6] are prohibited during
Good Friday[edit]
wooden cross is common in Anglican/Episcopal worship, with the faithful touching and or kissing
it.
Colors of vestments (and hangings, if kept) vary: no color, red, or black are used in different
traditions. The Catholic Church uses red vestments, symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ, but in
the pre-1970 form of the Roman Missal the priest wears black, changing to violet for the
communion part of the service. In Anglican/Episcopal services, black vestments are sometimes
used. In The United Methodist Church, black is the liturgical colour used on Good Friday. [14] In
the Lutheranchurches, there is no liturgical color on Good Friday. Altars remain stripped and
clergy wear no vestments on this day.
Holy Saturday[edit]
Main article: Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday, also known as Black Saturday, is a commemoration of the day that Jesus lay in his
tomb. In the Catholic Church, daytime Masses are never offered. In Anglican/Episcopal worship,
there is no prayer of consecration or distribution of Reserved Sacrament on Holy Saturday, but a
simple service of scripture readings and prayers may be held.
Easter Sunday[edit]
Main article: Easter
Jesus Resurrected by Piero della Francesca (15th century).
A vigil service is held after nightfall on Holy Saturday, or before dawn on Easter Sunday, in
celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Many of the details that follow hold for Anglican/Episcopal
as well as Catholic worship. The ceremony of darkness and light is held at the beginning of
the Easter Vigil Mass. The paschal candle, whose lighting symbolizes the resurrection of Christ
from the dead,[15] is lit from the new Easter fire. The solemn procession to the altar with the
Paschal candle is formed. Once everyone has processed in, the Exsultet is intoned.
After the Exsultet, everyone is seated and listens to seven readings from the Old Testament and
seven Psalms. At least three of these readings and associated psalms must be read, which must
include the account of the first Passover from the Book of Exodus.Pastoral conditions are taken
into account when deciding on the number of readings. [16][17][18] These readings account salvation
history, beginning with Creation. In Anglican/Episcopal worship, there are nine possible readings
from the Old Testament, and a minimum of two must be read, which must include the account of
Israel's deliverance at the Red Sea.
In Catholic practice, during the Gloria at the Mass, the organ and church bells are used in the
liturgy for the first time in two days. [19] If the lights of the Church have been previously left off,
they are turned on as the Gloria begins. The Paschal candle is used to bless the baptismal font to
be used in the celebration of the sacrament. The Great Alleluia is sung before the Gospel is
read, Alleluia being used for the first time since before Lent. People receiving full initiation in the
Church, who have completed their training, are given the Sacraments of Christian
initiation (Baptism, confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist). In Catholic and Anglican/Episcopal
tradition, the Easter Vigil is an especially appropriate day for Holy Baptism.
In current practice, the use of lighting to signify the emergence from sin and the resurrection of
Jesus varies, from the use of candles held by parishioners as well as candelabraslit throughout
the church. If statues and images have been veiled during the last two weeks of Lent, they are
unveiled, without ceremony, before the Easter Vigil service begins. [13](In the 1962 Catholic missal
and earlier missals, they are unveiled during the "Gloria in Excelsis" of the Easter Vigil Mass.)
Color of vestments and hangings: white, often together with gold, with yellow and white flowers
often in use in many parishes.
Easter Masses are held throughout the day and are similar in content to the Easter Vigil Mass.
Easter time]
Main article: Eastertide
The date of Easter varies from year to year. It occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon
on or after 21 March, a date taken, in accordance with an ancient ecclesiastical tradition, to be
that of the spring equinox, but which does not always correspond to the astronomical equinox.
The Julian Calendar is taken as the basis of the calculations by nearly all Oriental
Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches and is accepted even by Latin Church Catholics in
countries such as Ethiopia and Greece. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the Julian Calendar's 21
March corresponds to 3 April in the Gregorian Calendar, the calendar used for civil purposes in
most countries. The earliest possible date for Easter is 22 March, and the latest 25 April. These
dates in the Julian Calendar now correspond to the Gregorian Calendar's 4 April and 8 May.
During the Easter octave (and also during Holy Week) no other feast is celebrated. If Easter is
very early, the solemnity of the Annunciation (25 March) may fall within the octave or Holy Week
and is then transferred to the Monday after the octave. [20]
The Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter have precedence over all feasts and solemnities,
solemnities being then transferred to the following Monday, unless they occur on Palm Sunday or
on Sunday of the Lord's Resurrection.[21] "The Solemnity of Saint Joseph, where it is observed as a
Holyday of Obligation, should it fall on Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, is anticipated on the
preceding Saturday, 18 March. Where, on the other hand, it is not observed as a Holyday of
Obligation, it may be transferred by the Conference of Bishops to another day outside Lent." [22]
The solemnity of the Ascension is on the fortieth day of Easter, which is always a Thursday,
although it may be observed on the following Sunday. Pentecost (or Whitsun) is the fiftieth day.
The Easter season extends from the Easter Vigil through Pentecost Sunday on the Roman
Catholic, Anglo-Catholic and Protestant calendars. In the pre-1970 Roman Catholic calendar the
octave of Pentecost is included in Eastertide, which thus ends at None of the following Ember
Saturday.
During the 50-day Easter period, vestments are generally white or gold, but red when celebrating
apostles and martyrs and on the solemnity of Pentecost. In the pre-1970 Roman Catholic
calendar, with its 56-day Eastertide, red was used during the octave of Pentecost.