As Catholics, we draw great comfort from knowing that Christ is present in the Eucharist. Whenever I enter a Catholic Church, the first place my eyes are drawn is to the Tabernacle and the Sanctuary lamp that burns beside it, a constant reminder of His Presence. When the Eucharist is removed and the lamp extinguished, the Church is suddenly empty.
Though Roman Catholic, I practice my faith in a Maronite (Eastern) Catholic Church. Holy Thursday differs in that, following the Divine Liturgy, we have Adoration. Essentially, we are responding to Christ's request to His disciple: "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?" (Matthew 26:40) The Blessed Sacrament remains exposed for 3 hours. During that time, local area catholics stop by to visit and pray before the Eucharist. The tradition is to visit and pray in 7 different churches.
On Good Friday, two ceremonies are celebrated. The first is the “Signing of the Chalice” also called the “Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified”. It is a celebration of the Divine Liturgy with no Words of Institution, which are the center of every liturgy. On Good Friday, the only sacrifice is the sacrifice of Christ, who offered himself to his Father. During the ceremony, the priest invokes the Holy Spirit to descend upon the chalice placed on the altar and make it the Blood of Christ to be given during the communion with the hosts consecrated the previous night. The most important moment of this Liturgy is the procession with the Blessed Sacrament placed over the head of the priest reminding him of his day of ordination, when the Bishop handed over to him the celebration of the Eucharist and entrusted to him the service of the people of God.
The second ceremony is the Adoration of the Cross celebrated in memory of the death of Jesus Christ crucified on the “wood of shame”. Jesus was crucified between two criminals. One of them, on the right, repented and won the Kingdom. He entered with Jesus the kingdom prepared for him and for all believers since the foundation of the world. He is the perfect example of repentance. Even at the last minute, Jesus would accept our repentance. He is willing to forgive us and give us new life. During the ceremony, while the priest is reading from the Gospel of Luke the crucifixion of Jesus, the deacon or the server will light the candle placed to the right of the Cross to symbolize the deliverance of the criminal on the right. Many Christians during that day bring some flowers to honor the Holy Cross. All flowers are placed on the shroud that will be laid in the tomb prepared especially for this day. After the Ceremony, the cross is buried until Easter Sunday.
Essentially, this evening's service is like being at Golgotha. When we step into the church, the Crucifix will be in a stand on the altar with a candle on either side, representing the two thieves. At the foot of the crucifix is an icon of the Blessed Mother. After the readings from Isaiah, followed by Hosea and Corinthians. Two gospels are then proclaimed. You can read more about the service at This Link.
Wishing you both a Blessed Easter!
I never knew, the Holy Triduum for the Maronite Rite sounds
very reverent.
I’ve attended one Eastern Rite Mass, it was at an Antiochian
Orthodox Church. They were most welcoming, they introduced the visitor, me, at the end of Mass.
EWTN’s host of more than one of her radio and television shows, Father Mitch Pacqua, isn’t he Maronite (Eastern) Catholic? You learn something new every time he speaks, he’s a walking faith and history lesson.
He is so kind besides.... He treats everyone like gold and
laughs at himself.
Happy Easter NYer