Lent

Holy Week

[For information about worship services held by Emmanuel during Holy Week, click here.]

In the church year, the events of the Lenten Season culminate with Holy Week. This occurs during the last week of Lent and spans several of the important church festivals:

The events that take place this week will culminate on Easter Sunday and define the core of Christian religious belief.

Palm Sunday

Entrada en Jerusalén by William Hole

On the sixth Sunday of Lent we commemorate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Throngs of crowds, already visiting the city to celebrate the Passover, waved palm branches and proclaimed Jesus as the messianic king - that is, the descendant of King David who would restore the Kingdom of Israel.

Palm Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday to mark the beginning of Holy Week and Jesus' final journey to the cross. Though today the word 'passion' has a more general meaning, the English word traces its roots to the Latin word passus, 'to suffer'.

The celebratory nature of Palm Sunday is tempered by the realization that God's plan is coming to fruition. Passion Sunday provides an opportunity to ponder the suffering and death of Jesus, so that we can better appreciate the joy of the Easter (resurrection) celebration. In this context it is not unusual for the entire Gospel lesson to consist of the complete Passion text (Matthew 26:1 - 27:66; Mark 14:1 - 15:47; Luke 22:1 - 23:56; John 18:1 - 19:42).

Worship services include blessing of the palms and a procession. The liturgical color is scarlet, the color of blood.

Maundy Thursday

The word "Maundy" is derived from "Mandatus", the first word in the Latin translation of John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another”.

"The Last Supper" - Leonardo daVinci

The Jewish holy day of Passover had begun at sunset on Thursday; while Jesus and his disciples had gathered to observe this festival, Jesus used this as yet another opportunity to teach and instruct his disciples -- both those present with him then and those of us today. During the celebration of the Passover, Jesus' words of instruction at His last supper with them laid the foundation for our sacrament of Holy Eucharist. Jesus also washed the feet of his disciples, an act of hospitality practiced during his life but also a symbol of Christians' need to humble ourselves in service to others.

After the meal Jesus and his disciples go to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed while his followers struggled to stay awake. While in the garden, Roman soldiers (led by Judas Iscariot) arrive to arrest Jesus. During the remainder of the night Jesus is tried by the Sanhedrin and by Pontius Pilate (the Roman governor of Judea) and sentenced to death.

Good Friday

Good Friday, the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death on Golgotha. Note that the Jewish holy day of Passover was still taking place (having started the previous evening); during this time lambs were sacrificed at the Temple in atonement for sin. Christians point to a Jesus as the "Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world", as his crucifixion and death parallels the sacrifices being made on this same day.

Jesus died before sunset on Friday (tradition held this death took place around 'the ninth hour', e.g. 3:00pm) and buried (interred) in a tomb hewn from solid rock. His entombment had to be completed before sunset Friday, the start of the Sabbath (day of rest). Thus Friday was the first day Jesus lay in the tomb.

Holy Saturday

The day of Sabbath ("Shabbat"), or the day of rest in the Jewish calendar. Jesus lay in the tomb a second day. Some traditions hold that on this day Jesus descended into Hell to contend with Satan directly.

Sunset Saturday evening marks the end of the Sabbath Day; at this point the Lenten season officially ends and Easter begins.

“Alas! And did my Savior bleed,
And did my sovereign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?”
Hymn #98, Lutheran Book of Worship