Paschal Triduum 2024. What happens in churches on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday

The Paschal Triduum is the most important moment in the liturgical year of the Catholic Church. It is a celebration of the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ lasting three full days: from the evening mass on Holy Thursday to the evening vespers on Easter Sunday.

Are the faithful obliged to go to church during the Paschal Triduum? According to the first church commandment, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Holy Mass and refrain from “unnecessary work” every Sunday and the so-called holy days of obligation. However, the list of these holidays does not include Maundy Thursday, Good Friday or Holy Saturday. This means that the faithful do not have to go to church on these three days.

Nevertheless, in the Polish Episcopate's letter from 2003 on church commandments, bishops encouraged the faithful to take part in the liturgy on these days in accordance with tradition. Especially since this liturgy has a unique character.

The Paschal Triduum begins on Holy Thursday evening. Then the Mass of the Lord's Supper, ending Lent, is celebrated in churches to commemorate the Last Supper, during which Jesus Christ instituted the Sacraments of Priesthood and the Eucharist. A ceremonial ceremony of Mandatum – washing of feet – takes place. During mass, the faithful can receive communion under two kinds: bread and wine. The Mass of the Lord's Supper ends with the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to the adoration chapel. The place where the Blessed Sacrament is kept from the end of the Liturgy of the Lord's Supper to the beginning of the Liturgy of the Lord's Passion is traditionally called the dark room. During the transfer procession, a hymn from the 13th century is sung, beginning with the words “Before such a great Sacrament”.

On Good Friday, the faithful (aged 18 to 60) observe strict fasting. They cannot eat meat and should limit themselves to one full meal. On this day, the Stations of the Cross are celebrated, followed by the Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord, the most important element of which is the unveiling of the Cross and its adoration. Good Friday is to commemorate the suffering of Jesus Christ, no mass is celebrated on this day. Passion according to St. John is the central element of the Liturgy of the Word.

According to custom, on Holy Saturday the faithful visit the symbolic tombs of the Lord in churches. Easter foods are also blessed on this day, including bread, eggs and meat. It is worth emphasizing, however, that this custom is not an element of the liturgy.

In the evening of Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil is celebrated. It consists of three parts: Liturgy of Light, Liturgy of the Word and Baptismal Liturgy. In front of the temples, a fire is blessed and the paschal candle is lit – a large wax candle symbolizing the resurrected Christ. The Paschal candle is carried into the temple, which is dark, and then the faithful light their candles and illuminate the church.

Resurrection is also part of Holy Saturday. It is organized on Saturday evening or on Easter Sunday at dawn, before the first mass of the day. The resurrection procession is a solemn announcement to the world of the Resurrection of Christ.

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