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Festivity
- Easter - Holy Week |
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Holy
Week or Greater
Week is the last week of 50 days Lent before
Easter Sunday. It is the time when Christians
remember the last week of
Jesus' life. It includes the religious
holidays of Palm Sunday, Holy Monday,
Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday (sometimes called
Spy Wednesday), Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday),
Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Palm Sunday
observes the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to
accomplish his paschal mystery. The crowds, who
were in Jerusalem for Passover, welcomed Jesus
by waving palm branches and proclaiming him as
the messianic king. This Sunday is also known
as Passion Sunday and the beginning
of Holy Week. The English word passion comes from
a Latin word that means "to suffer”
Holy Monday, the Church commemorates
the event of the cursing of the fig tree. (Matthew
21:18-22:)
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Holy
Tuesday
is the remembrance two parables, which are related
to the Second Coming of Jesus .The one is the
parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:1-13); the
other the parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30).
Holy Wednesday
is also called Spy Wednesday which commemorates
Judas' agreement to betray Jesus. (Mark 14.10-11;
Luke 22 3-6; matt.26. 14-16)
Holy Thursday or
Maundy Thursday celebrates Jesus'
institution of the sacraments of Holy Eucharist
and Ordination. It also commemorates the Last
Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. During
the meal Jesus took bread and wine and shared
them with his disciples. Christians continue to
share bread and wine as part of their worship
in church.The Last Supper may be a Passover meal
– the meal which Jewish people share together.
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During the Last Supper, Jesus
washed his disciples' feet and the custom of washing
feet by the Priest is still followed in many countries.
On Maundy Thursday night Jesus was betrayed by
Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The name 'Maundy' is derived from the Latin word
“mandatum”, meaning a commandment:
Jesus at the Last Supper, commanded:
“And now I give you a new commandment: love
one another. As I have loved you, so you must
love one another”. ' John 15:12
Good Friday
is commemorated the arrest, trial, crucifixion,
death, and burial of Jesus Christ. Jesus died
on the cross and was buried before sunset and
Friday was first day that Jesus lay in the tomb.
On Holy Saturday
Jesus rested in the tomb, the second day that
Jesus lay in the tomb which was on the Sabbath.
Holy Saturday is chiefly a day of vigil (watch).
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches hold
vigil services.
During
Holy Week the dairy products and meat products
are strictly forbidden. Also no alcoholic
beverages are permitted and no oil is used in
the cooking. Friday and Saturday are observed
as fast days, meaning that nothing should
be eaten on those days. However, fasting is exempted
those who are very young, ill or elderly. |
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