Breathe new life into your Holy Week and Easter Traditions

Easter is the holiest day of our Catholic faith. After 40 days of penance through prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent, and the three days of preparation during the Easter triduum, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of eternal life. Through the centuries Catholics have developed many traditions for celebrating Holy Week. Incorporating these traditions into our personal observances lends a rich experience of the true message of this time in our liturgical calendar.
 
April 5
PALM “PASSION” SUNDAY
On Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week and the final Sunday of Lent, we re-create Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem upon a donkey’s back. The people who had journeyed with him honored him by laying palm branches on the ground before him, shouting “Hosanna,” which means “God Saves.” Many parishes will have a procession into the church from another building or across the parking lot before one of their weekend masses. This is also the first time that we read the Passion during Holy Week. Religious artwork and the crucifix are often veiled with a purple cloth after Palm Sunday to produce a heightened sense of anticipation for Easter Sunday.
 
Celebrate:
In addition to your weekly Mass obligation, participate in your parish’s procession. Try a craft with your palms, like folding them into a cross or to spell out “Hosanna.” Try incorporating some traditional Palm Sunday foods, such as salt cod, fig pudding, split pea soup, pax cakes or hearts of palm.
 
April 6
MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK
While there is no special liturgy on the Monday of Holy Week, consider a Holy Week declutter and spend some time donating items you no longer use, doing a deep spring clean and getting ready for the Easter celebrations to come.
 
April 7
CHRISM MASS
During Chrism Mass each year, the Bishop blesses three oils — the oils of catechumens (used for baptism), the infirm (used for the anointing of the sick), and holy chrism (used for baptism, confirmation, Holy Orders, consecration of altars and dedication of churches). These are the oils with which sacraments are carried out by clergy throughout the diocese. Representatives from each parish in the diocese attend to receive the oils for their parish.
 
Celebrate:
While you may not have heard of Chrism Mass unless you attended as a parish representative, it is a beautiful Holy Week liturgy, reminding us of the importance of the sacraments of the Catholic Church. It is also during this Mass, which celebrates the institution of the priesthood, where all people renew their baptismal promises and priests are invited to renew the promises they made at ordination.
 
Celebrate:
You can observe this day by reading the story of Judas’ betrayal in any of the four Gospels. You can have some fun with this day by hiding thirty pieces of silver for your children to find and then donate the coins at Mass or to your local charity of choice.
 
April 9
HOLY “MAUNDY” THURSDAY
Tradition holds Holy Thursday as the day of Christ’s Last Supper. Liturgically, the season of Lent ends before the Mass of the Lord’s Supper begins, the Mass signaling the start of the Easter Triduum.
 
Celebrate:
In addition to attending the Mass, there are many ways you can observe this day in your home. Consider hosting your family and friends to a meal similar to what Jesus’ last supper would have been and wash each other’s feet.
 
A lesser-known Holy Thursday tradition is the Seven Churches Visitation, where members of the faithful pilgrimage to seven different churches, signifying the seven “stations” made by Jesus between the last supper and the upper room (the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus taken before Annas, Jesus taken before Caiaphas, Jesus taken before Pilate, Jesus taken before Herod, Jesus taken before Pilate again, and Jesus given the crown of thorns and crucified). Pilgrims read scripture representing each “station” and pray in front of the altar of repose or the empty tabernacle at each church, often ending the last church in a Holy Hour. There is no set of prayers required, except to pray for the intentions of the Pope and recite the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
 
April 10
GOOD FRIDAY
Good Friday is one of two days of fasting and abstinence in the liturgical year and is observed as the day of Christ’s Passion and Crucifixion (the other being Ash Wednesday). Good Friday is the only day of the year on which Mass is not celebrated. Many churches offer Stations of the Cross and a special nighttime prayer service called Tenebrae (“darkness”) where the seven last words of Christ are spoken as candles are extinguished.
 
Celebrate:
One fun way to incorporate tradition into your family’s day is to make hot cross buns for your simple breakfast. These are sweet buns with a cross marked on the top to represent Christ’s crucifixion and the spices inside represent the spices used to embalm Christ’s body. Other ideas include hosting a fish fry after Stations of the Cross; reading the Passion together as a family; and fast from technology as you spend the day in reflection and prayer.
 
April 11
HOLY SATURDAY
Easter Vigil Mass is held after dark and begins with the blessing of new fire, the lighting of the new paschal candle and the procession into a candlelit church. The Mass features readings highlighting the history of the Church, and includes the first Alleluia and Gloria recited since Lent began. It is also the Mass when many catechumens receive their baptism, confirmation and first communions and candidates receive full entry into the Church through confirmation.
 
Celebrate:
Consider making the Easter Vigil Mass a family tradition. While the Mass is longer the rich symbolism of the elements and sacramental celebrations make it an enriching as well as catechetical experience. This can also be the day to replace your Lent symbols (such as covering religious art) and begin decorating for Easter.
 
April 12
EASTER SUNDAY
With the dawning of Easter Sunday, the liturgical season of Easter officially begins and we begin seven weeks of celebrating the resurrection of Christ. Easter is always the first Sunday after the full moon nearest March 21st, as set by the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.
 
May 31, 2020
PENTECOST SUNDAY
During the feast of Pentecost we remember how Mary and the Apostles knew something big was going to happen, so they prayed and waited to see what God had in store. It was during the first Christian Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon Mary and the Apostles, we consider the Catholic Church to have been born. The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles the gift of speaking in tongues and because everyone was able to understand each other, regardless of their native language, we’re told around 3,000 people were baptized that day, becoming the earliest Catholics.
 
Celebrate:
Read Acts 2. Host a bonfire, symbolizing the tongues of fire from the Holy Spirit that came down upon the Apostles. Include typical birthday party treats like cake and ice cream or smores to celebrate the birthday of the Church.
 
PRAYERS:  
 
EASTER SYMBOLS
 
Paschal Candle — Made of pure beeswax representing the sinless nature of Christ, the wick represents his humanity and the flame, his divinity. The Greek letters Alpha and Omega are written on this candle, symbolizing that God is the beginning and end. Five grains of incense are inserted into the candle in the form of a cross representing the aromatic spices with which Jesus’ body was prepared for the tomb, and the five wounds to his hands, feet and side.
 
Pretzels
In parts of Europe, pretzels were served as part of the Easter meal, with the loops representing arms folded in prayer and the three holes symbolizing the trinity.
 
Easter lilies
These white flowers represent purity and honesty. Some traditions say the Garden of Gethsemane was filled with Easter lilies, while others say they sprouted from Eve’s tears after she and Adam were cast from Paradise.
 
Easter baskets
Traditionally people would bring their Easter dinners in a basket to Easter Mass for a special blessing.
 
Easter eggs
There are many different traditions involving Easter eggs, but many circle back to the idea of birth or new life. Eggs were often painted depicting scenes of the holy family or the joy of the resurrection and then given away as gifts.