Rev.

Lori McPherson MCC-DC Holy Week 2012

Holy Week Guide

Holy (Maundy1) Thursday
Footwashing Passover Seder (best to participate among Jewish persons instead of appropriating) Tenebrae (extinguishing candles)

Commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Good Friday2
Commemorates Jesus death and the activities leading up to it John 18:1-19:42

Seven Last Words3 Stations of the Cross4

Great Vigil of Easter/Easter Sunday

Service of light (beginning before sunrise or in darkness) lit by Paschal Candle Service of the Word (new creation in Christ) Baptism & Reaffirmation (incorporating death and resurrection of Christ) Eucharist

Commemorates the movement from death to life From the tomb to resurrection Romans 6:3-11

Maundy is a probably a derivative of the latin word mandatum, which roughly translates to mandate or commandment. These days, its just confusing to use it in most circumstances. 2 Good Friday might actually be derived from Gods Friday. 3 This is a scissors-and-paste version of the passionin which the four Gospel accounts are cut apart and put back together in ways that would undoubtedly perplex the four Evangelists. 4 Also a cut-and-paste exercise based on private devotional practice which arose in the 15th Century.

All reference material is pulled from Calendar: Christs Time for the Church by Laurence Hull Stookey (Abindgon Press: 1996).