Religion Correspondent
The Catholic Church commences the Holy Week with Palm Sunday. In different gospel accounts there is the idea that Jesus after the transfiguration he made a resolution to go to Jerusalem to fulfil his mission.
It was at the transfiguration where he was asking his father to confirm the work he was supposed to do.
The transfiguration is like a fore-test of his resurrection. The reading and sermons of the priest focus on this. It tells us about how Jesus started his passion and what preceded it.
The chronology of salvation is what is celebrated. This is when Jesus suffered, died,was buried and rose from the dead.
From Monday and Tuesday believers are now recounting that Judas is plotting with the high priests.
Wednesday believers are in the moment when they are hearing the sealing of the deal and fate of Jesus.
Thursday morning the bishop, his priests and catechumens gather for the Chrism mass. The idea comes from the oils of Christ where the oil of the sick is blessed for the entire year, there will be blessing oil for the catechumen who are preparing for baptism to the succeeding year followed.
This is followed by consecration.
Consecration of the oil of chrism means to set apart the oil for Christ so those anointed are set apart for Christ. That oil makes believers sharers in the priesthood of Christ.
Those baptised share in the common priesthood of Christ while those ordained in priesthood share in the priestly ministry of Christ. The same Bishops have fullness of priesthood.
During Holy Thursday the church gathers under its Bishop in the cathedral where the priest will renew their commitment to their priestly ministry.
So in Rome the Pope gathers with his priests in St John Lutheran and each bishop in his own diocese gathers with his priest in his own cathedral for that morning mass.
There is mass of last supper done in the evening. The whole idea of the solemness of arrest, last supper with the disciples will be the atmosphere of the church.
It is significant in celebrating love as Jesus said that his disciples would be known by loving one another and the washing of each other’s feet.
The second part is the celebration of the Eucharist which is the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ.
After the mass is finished believers go into Gethsemane hour where they experience Jesus being arrested and taken to Pilate to be tried. And something that is unique on Holy Thursday is they take the holy Eucharist out of the church to a place of repository where they strip the altar to remember the stripping of the high priest at Golgotha.
Believers pray and adore, and go through their own passion like what Jesus did.
At midnight people leave because as Catholics believe that is when Pilate took Jesus. So people go back to their homes
On Good Friday people go for the way of the cross. At three o’clock the whole Catholic churches gather to commemorate the very hour that Jesus died.
Veneration of the cross is also done. This is done through various ways. Some kiss the statue to remember Jesus, some prostate, some kneel, some just look or salute, some dance to remember Christ.
People in different situations are prayed for. Believers pray for the church, the people, bishop, priests, those to be baptised, unity among Christians, Jews,those who don’t yet believe in Christ, those who do not believe in God, leaders of countries and those who believe in other faiths.
Communion then follows which was given on the last supper.
Until Easter vigil on Saturday there is no mass. On Saturday people gather around the fire to await the resurrection of Christ on Sunday.
This article was provided by a Catholic believer.