Holy Week
Holy Week, technically the last week of Lent, is the name for the week preceeding the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Day. In 2009 Holy Week begins at sunset on Saturday, 4 April and ends at sunset on Saturday, 11 April. Holy Week events start off on Psalm Sunday (liturgical color - red) with a joyous palm waving procession into church. The processional symbolizes Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The next three days in Holy Week are simply called Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week, while the last three are known as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Maundy Thursday marks the institution of Holy Communion, which you can read more about in these verses. Good Friday marks the trial and crucifixion of our Lord and is a day of fasting. Some start fasting after taking Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday and continue fasting until after taking Communion on Easter Day (or at the Easter Vigil the night before). Others just fast one the one day. Not much happens on Holy Saturday, except behind the scenes where the Altar Guild, the people who take care of the altar linens & silver and prepare the altar area for worship, and the Flower Guild, the people who arrange the flowers for the altar, are busy getting everything ready for the single most important festal day of the Church Year - Easter Day, which begins when the sun sets on Holy Saturday.
