An Invitation to the Three Days...
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
We invite you to come celebrate these holiest days here at Saint Anne's.
Did you know when Lent officially ends? It ends on the evening of Holy Thursday, as we begin the liturgies of the Triduum – which is Latin for the ‘Three Days.’ They are so called because on these days, we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday), the Passion and Death of the Lord (Good Friday), and the Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday.) These liturgies combine to celebrate in prayer, ritual and song the most essential elements of our faith.
At 7:30PM on Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated throughout the Church. Scripture proclaimed at this Mass tells the story of the Passover and leads into a narrative by Saint Paul describing the Eucharistic meal shared by Christ and the twelve apostles, with the words, “Do this in memory of Me.”
We listen to John’s Gospel at this liturgy, which tells of Christ’s perfect example of humble service in washing the apostles’ feet. Peter’s initial reaction may mirror our own, but Christ calls him to a deeper understanding of what it means to serve another.
The bread which is consecrated at this Mass is sufficient for those who will gather tomorrow on Good Friday. It is transferred in solemn procession at the conclusion of this liturgy to an altar of repose in the Saint Therese Chapel. People may pray before the Eucharist until midnight and they depart in silence…
At 3:00PM on Good Friday, we join together in silence as the Liturgy of the Passion and Death of Our Lord begins. Our church is filled with the faithful who have come to pray together at this most solemn and powerful liturgy. We look to the Cross as the visible symbol of Christ’s suffering, knowing He gave His life for us.
At this liturgy, we hear the Passion of the Lord, again from John’s Gospel. Our Prayer of the Faithful includes petitions that are universal to our Church. Once we have listened to the Scriptures, we come forward to venerate the Cross, which is held before us. Seeing each member of this faith community kneel before the cross or touch it with reverence is a powerful sign of our unity in faith. There is no celebration of Eucharist on this day, but Communion which was reserved from Holy Thursday is distributed, and the people depart once again in silence…
The Easter Vigil is celebrated at 7:30PM on Holy Saturday. It is a celebration that begins in darkness and is illuminated through Christ’s triumph over death with the light of new life. We enter a Church that is both quiet and dark. The Easter fire is lit for all to see, and from it the Easter candle. “This is the night…that Jesus broke the chains of death. Rejoice and sing, for Jesus the Christ is risen!”
A special song of praise, the Exsultet, is proclaimed. We listen to the Scripture readings which highlight the history of our faith. We renew our baptismal promises and celebrate the Eucharist in joyful communion with one another. The Paschal Mystery has been made real for us – Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
We invite you to come and celebrate these holiest days here at Saint Anne's.
