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Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday)
The Church celebrates the entrance of the Messiah into
Jerusalem, to accomplish his paschal mystery. Before
most celebrations of Mass this day, the priest blesses
palm leaves. Mass includes a reading of the Passion,
the narrative of Jesus’ capture, sufferings and death.
Monday to Wednesday
Holy Monday (or Fig Monday), Holy Tuesday and Holy
Wednesday (sometimes called Spy Wednesday). The
Gospels of these days recount events not all of which
occurred on the corresponding days between Jesus'
entry into Jerusalem and his Last Supper.
The Chrism Mass, whose texts the Roman Missal now
gives under Holy Thursday, may be brought forward to
one of these days, to facilitate participation by as many
as possible of the clergy of the diocese together with the
bishop. This Mass was not included in editions of the
Roman Missal before the time of Pope Pius XII. In this
Mass the bishop blesses separate oils for the sick (used
in Anointing of the Sick) for catechumens (used in
Baptism) and chrism (used in Baptism, but especially in
Confirmation and Holy Orders, as well as in rites such as
the blessing of an altar and a church).
Holy Thursday
The day commemorates the Last Supper of Christ and
his Eleven Apostles and the institution of the Eucharist.
Celebration of this Mass marks the beginning of the
Sacred Paschal Triduum that concludes with the Easter
Vigil. The Roman Missal recommends that, if considered
pastorally appropriate, the priest should, immediately
after the homily, celebrate the rite of washing the feet of
an unspecified number of men, customarily twelve.
At the conclusion of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is
carried in procession to an "altar of repose" away from
the main body of the church. At an appropriate time, the
altar is stripped and, to the extent possible, whatever
crosses are in the church are removed, and it
recommends that any remaining crosses be veiled.
Good Friday
The Church mourns for Christ’s death, reverences the
Cross, and marvels at his life for his obedience until
death. The only sacraments celebrated are Penance and
Anointing of the Sick. The altar remains completely bare,
without cross, candlesticks, or altar cloths. It is
customary to empty the holy water fonts in preparation of
the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil. The
Celebration of the Passion of the Lord takes place in the
afternoon, ideally at three o'clock. Since 1970, the colour
of the vestments is red. Previously it was black. If a
bishop celebrates, he wears a plain mitre.
Holy Saturday
A day of silence and prayer which commemorates the
dead Christ in the tomb. No Mass is celebrated. The
remaining Eucharistic Hosts consecrated on Holy
Thursday are kept elsewhere, usually the sacristy, with a
lamp or candle burning before it, so that, in cases of the
danger of death, they may be given as viaticum. The
celebration of Easter may begin after sundown on what
is therefore liturgically Easter Sunday, though still
Saturday in the civil calendar.