What is Holy Week?

Holy Week is the most solemn week of the Christian year. It begins with Palm Sunday and leads the Church through Christ’s Passion and death to the celebration of His Resurrection at Easter.

How Holy Week begins. On Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Catholics remember Jesus entering Jerusalem as the promised King. The crowd welcomed Him with branches and cries of praise (Mt 21:1-11). At the same Mass, however, the Passion is proclaimed. The liturgy holds together Christ’s royal triumph and His willing sacrifice on the Cross. Jesus enters Jerusalem knowing that His kingdom will be established through His death and Resurrection (CCC 559-560).

What happens during the week. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week continue the preparation for the Paschal mystery. Dioceses also celebrate the Chrism Mass, often during Holy Week, although it may be held earlier for pastoral reasons. At this Mass, the bishop blesses the oils used for the Anointing of the Sick and catechumens and consecrates the sacred chrism used in Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders. The priests of the diocese renew their priestly promises.

The heart of Holy Week. On Thursday evening, the Easter Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Good Friday commemorates Christ’s Passion and death. Holy Saturday is marked by silence and waiting until the Easter Vigil begins after nightfall. These liturgies are closely connected and form the high point of the entire liturgical year. The Church celebrates Christ’s saving work because His death destroyed death and His Resurrection opened the way to new life (CCC 1168-1169).

Why Catholics celebrate it every year. The liturgy does more than recall past events. Through the Church’s worship, the saving mystery of Christ is proclaimed and made sacramentally present so believers may receive its grace (CCC 1085). At every Mass, Christ’s one sacrifice is made present without being repeated (CCC 1366-1367). Holy Week gives this central mystery its fullest annual expression.

How to observe it. Attend Palm Sunday Mass and, if possible, the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. Make time for confession, prayer, fasting, and reading the Passion narratives. Set aside unnecessary distractions so Christ’s final days, death, and Resurrection can shape your own life.