The Triduum

[hopeful1]

could you please refresh my memory, what happens each day of the triduum?

[Adeodatus]

1. The first day is Holy Thursday, also called Maundy Thursday. 'Maundy' is a medieval English corruption of Latin 'mandatum', which occurs in today's Gospel. When Jesus washes His disciples' feet He says, "I give you a new comandment (mandatum novum), love one another as I have loved you."

On this day we have the Mass of the Lord's Supper, which is all about the events of the night before Jesus suffered. Hence the foot washing. It also recalls the institution of the Eucharist in the Last Supper. At the Gloria, the bells are rung and then fall silent. They are not rung again at all until Easter. When the Mass ends, the ciborium containing the Eucharist is brought to a side chapel, to the altar of repose, where we keep watch with Jesus until midnight. The altars are stripped of their cloths because the Passion of Christ has begun. Likewise, the holy water stoups are emptied. The tabernacle is empty, and is left unveiled and open. With Good Friday beginning at midnight, it is a day of penitence.

2. Good Friday, the day Jesus died. At 3pm, the hour He died, we have the Liturgy of the Passion. Good Friday is the only day of the year when we do not celebrate Mass. The Liturgy of the Passion commemorates Christ's suffering and death. We venerate the Cross, and the Passion of Christ from John's Gospel is sung or read. Towards the end of the Liturgy, pre-consecrated Hosts are given as Communion.

The tabernacle is still left empty. But the crucifix is displayed prominently, and we genuflect to the crucifix on entering and leaving the church. All crucifixes are unveiled, but statues and images remain veiled.

3. Holy Saturday. Close to midnight, the Easter Vigil begins. We light the fire outside, it is blessed,and the Paschal Candle is blessed and lit. We process into church, and the Exultet, the song of glory and rejoicing, is sung by the deacon. The Mass continues with many readings recalling the history of our salvation.


On all three days, some churches will celebrate the ancient office of Tenebrae. This is a combination of the Office of Readings (Matins) and Morning Prayer (Lauds), with beautiful responsories and lovely long readings from the Scriptures and the Church Fathers. These services involve the gradual extinction of candles on a "Tenebrae hearse" as the service progresses. With the Benedictus, the last candle is either hidden behind the High Altar (Roman rite) or extinguished (Dominican rite), and the church falls into darkness. The cantors and people sing a "troped Kyrie", back and forth, and it ends with the wail, "Mortem autem crucis" (Even death on a cross). Then everyone falls to their knees, and the cantors prostrate. Somewhere in the midst of all this the people rap their pews with their books repeatedly---the 'strepitus', which recalls the earthquake at the death of Jesus. Then everything falls into silence and darkness, while the last collect is prayed and everyone departs in silence. It's all very dramatic and moving. Go to one if there's one near you!