Introduction To The Services Of Holy Week

The following article is a rapid tour of the traditional services of Holy Week. Each of the primary services is discussed briefly, with attention to their primary themes and the features that make each service unique. For more detailed explanation, see the chapters that follow. The sixth Sunday in Lent, the first day of Holy Week, commonly "Passion" or "Palm" Sunday, presents a peculiar set of problems. The celebration of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem brings to a close the first five weeks of our Lenten fast. In the same liturgy, the solemn reading of the Passion narrative initiates for us the beginning of the Holy Week of our Lord's passion and death. It is important that the liturgy for this day encompass both of these emphases, but with a clear distinction between them. Many congregations have found that celebrating the entry into Jerusalem is best done with a massive parade out-of-doors, complete with singing and swaying. The movement from outside in could well signal the mo…