Originally published at Orange County Catholic
TODAY BEGINS THE MOST solemn week of the Liturgical Year, when we enter deeply into the Passion of our Lord. The liturgies are beautiful and those who attend find themselves spiritually edified, even if one is not obliged to attend Mass on Holy Thursday or the Service on Good Friday. The Triduum (Latin for three days) begins on the evening of Holy Thursday and continues through Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday.
HOLY THURSDAY
One Mass of the Last Supper is foreseen to be celebrated on Holy Thursday evening, though for pastoral reasons (for example, at a tri-lingual parish), sometimes a second Mass might be offered, also in the evening. The priests wear white and, for the first time since the beginning of Lent, the Gloria is sung while bells ring for the last time until Easter.
After the stories of the Passover and the institution of the Eucharist, we hear John’s account of Jesus washing the apostles’ feet, which we then reenact: the pastor removes his chasuble and ceremonially washes the feet of 12 selected parishioners.
The strangest part of Holy Thursday Mass happens after Communion, when the altar is stripped bare and the priest, the Eucharist, and all the people
