Baptismal Font Spring Flowers Blessing of Easter Baskets Easter Vigil Fire Pascal Candle Easter Scene

How Do Catholics Celebrate Holy Week?

Four special ceremonies commemorate the events of Christ’s Passion from His entrance into Jerusalem, when palm branches were placed in His path, through His arrest on Holy Thursday and Crucifixion on Good Friday, to Holy Saturday, the day that Christ’s body lay in the tomb.

The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery.

The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season, and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.

The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum in English Martyrs, Chard are:

• Maundy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7pm followed by Watching for 1 hour and ending with Night Prayer 9.00pm-9.15pm

• Good Friday :

• 08.45am Stations of the Cross

  • 10:00am Ecumenical Walk of Witness starts

• 3:00pm Veneration of the Cross 3pm followed by refreshments and Hot Cross Buns.

  Holy Saturday

• 9.00am Office of Readings and Morning Prayer

• 8:00pm Easter Vigil, gather in the car park for the blessing and lighting of the Pascal Candle then procession into the Church for the vigil Mass.

  Easter Sunday - Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord

• 9am St Josephs, Ilminster

• 11am English Martyrs, Chard