Hey...Lent was just over!
A month of abstinence from meat...
A month of abstinence from the things we normally gorge ourselves with silly
A month of discipline to make ourselves ready for the Almighty one
A month of prayers and occasional fasts...
...came to an end last night Wednesday when the final Hour of None (or Compline) resounds in the air, marking the entry into the Holiest and climactic end to our Lenten observance...the Easter Triduum.
Easter Triduum begins with Holy Thurday (Maundy) today on 9th April 2009 to commemorate on the following:
1. Our Lord's Last Supper
2. The Institution of the Holy Eucharist
3. The washing of the disciples feet
4. Blessing of unleavened bread (subject to local diocese customs)
5. Singing the Gloria with church bells clanging in the air
6. Incense, Holy water and...more incense!
7. In basilicas (or cathedrals) The Chrism Mass - blessing of the Chrism oils
8. ...And in some places, ordinations...
9. Honouring the priests who have worked so hard for bringing to us the Faith and defending Holy Mother Church in this faithless world
10. Stripping of altars, and finally, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as we await Good Friday
Good Friday on 10th April 2009 then passes by quietly with:
1. Solemn silence and sadness
2. Reading / chanting of the Passion of Our Lord
3. No Mass, just only services for communion
4. In some places, funerary processions honouring our Lord's death
5. Solemn veneration of the Holy Cross
6. Fast and abstinence
7. Way of the Cross (Via Crucis)
8. ...haven't you noticed it always rains on Good Friday? sure adds to the mournful atmosphere...
Then there's Holy Saturday (11th April) where the much anticipated Easter Vigil begins at night to herald in Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday on 12th April. Since this particular service will be exceptionally long, here it is in brief:
1. Liturgy of Light
2. Blessing of Pascal candle and holy water
3. Candles, incense, kneeling, reverence and awe, the works! (mind you, our Masses today are normally simple, but this one rocks the most apart from the whole year!)
4. 8-9 readings and psalms
5. Chanting of the Exultet, Litany of the Saints
6. Renewal of baptismal vows
7. Baptism
8. Festivity and cheer for the rest of the night (or till morning for those party birds)
Finally, it'll be Easter Sunday (or Resurrection Sunday as what some would prefer to call as Easter is felt to have too close a Pagan influence on the word) The usual fare of the Mass is as usual, with the exception of a special Paschal Sequence known as the "Victimae Paschali Laudes" is recited or sung before the Gospel acclamation.
Usually by this round, everyone would be damn tired from last night (especially the priest) with direct no sleep from the night before to celebrate the 3 Easter Masses (one of the rare few times the Church allows 3 Masses in a single day)
The climax of celebrations is here...the ancient rites and ceremonies have begun.
Wishing all a Blessed Triduum and a Holy Easter this weekend!
†
† Laudetur Iesus Christus †
†† Laudetur Iesus Christus †
