An Introduction To Holy Week

Holy Week is the most significant week of the year for Christian worship. During this week the church remembers the events of Christ's passion and death. The attention of the worshiper during this week is directed to the Lamb of God, the Suffering Servant, the Savior of the world. In worship the church traces Jesus' life through the events of the last days before his death. In doing so, it sees again its own sin and failure, but marvels at the love of Christ for the world. This is a week for careful attention, prayer-filled reverence and profound wonder at the love of God shown in Jesus. The following entries provide the historical, theological, and liturgical resources for Holy Week so that worship planners and leaders, students, and all worshipers can participate in the mystery of Christ's love in worship. Much of the worship of Holy Week is based on centuries-old tradition. This section introduces the reader to the traditional ways in which Holy Week is observed and to the ways anci…