Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday)

• Beginning of Holy Week.
• Remembrance of the entrance of the Messiah into Jerusalem.
• Mass includes a reading of the Passion–narrative of Jesus’ capture, sufferings and death.
• Church celebrates Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal mystery, when according to the Gospels Jesus rode into Jerusalem humbly on a donkey, reminisce of a Davidic victory procession and people placed palms on the ground in front of him.
• On this day, a procession with palm leaves (or other branches of plants, for example olive branches) takes place in many parishes and the branches are blessed by the priest.(or palm crosses are blessed and distributed)

Between Sunday and Thursday

The days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday are known as Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday or Great Wednesday). During these days, various important events took place according to the gospels, such as Jesus’s conversations with disciples and Jewish religious leaders, and Judas’s preparation to betray Jesus. As in the Orthodox churches, some of these events are commemorated in Catholic and a few Protestant churches in many countries. Within the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, the office of Tenebrae is usually celebrated on the evening of Holy Wednesday.

Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday)

The day commemorates the Last Supper of Christ and his Twelve Apostles and the institution of the Eucharist.

During the Gloria, all the bells of the church are rung. They then remain silent until the Easter Vigil (”the bells have flown to Rome”).

On Maundy Thursday, the celebrant often celebrates the rite of the washing of the feet, where the feet of people (most often, of twelve men) are washed.

On Maundy Thursday during the day, bishops celebrate the Chrism Mass, where they bless the oils for Confirmation, the Anointing of the Sick and the Catechumens. (The Chrism Mass can be relegated on another day on Holy Week, however.)

The hosts not distributed in Communion on Maundy Thursday are reserved and distributed on Good Friday, when no Mass is celebrated.

After the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in procession to an “altar of repose”. Then all altars except that one are stripped.

 Good Friday

• The Church mourns for Christ’s death, reverences the Cross, and marvels at His life for his obedience till death.
• There is no Mass; the Eucharist is not consecrated. Communion takes place with the hosts left over from Holy Thursday.
• The church remains stripped on this day of ornate objects, including the altar cloth and candles, as a sign of respect.
• Holy water fonts are emptied.
• On this day, the stations of the Cross are often prayed either in the church or outside.
• Celebration of the liturgy of the Lord’s Passion occurs in the afternoon.
• The priest wears red (or, according to earlier custom, black). If a Bishop presides or helps to preside, he wears a simplex mitre.
• Liturgy:

The liturgy consists of three parts in the Roman Rite: the Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion.

 Holy Saturday

• A day of silence and prayer which commemorates the dead Christ in the tomb. No Mass is celebrated. In cases of the danger of death, Eucharistic Hosts remaining from the Liturgies of the two previous days are used as viaticum.
• The Tabernacle is left empty and open. The lamp or candle usually situated next to the Tabernacle denoting the Presence of Christ is put out, and the Eucharist is kept elsewhere, usually the sacristy, with a lamp or candle burning before it.

 Easter Vigil

• Takes place during the night, either on the eve of Easter or early in the morning on Easter Sunday.
• The Gospel reminds us to have our lamps ready, to be like men waiting for the Lord’s return so that when He arrives He will find us wide awake and will seat us at His table.
• Night vigil is arranged in four parts:
  • A brief service of light;
  • Liturgy of the word;
  • Liturgy of baptism;
  • Liturgy of the Eucharist.
• The priest wears white.
• Part I: Service of light:
  • All lights of the church are put out.
  • A fire is prepared outside the Church
  • One of the ministers carry the Easter Candle.
  • The priest greets the people then the fire is blessed.
  • After the prayer, the Easter candle is lighted from the new fire.
• Procession:
  • The priest takes up the candle and sings: “Christ our light” and the people answer: “Thanks be to God”.
  • All enter the Church and the priest takes up the candle for the second time and sings: “Christ our light” and the people answer: “Thanks be to God”.
  • When the priest arrives at the altar he takes up the candle for the third time and sings: “Christ our light” and the people answer: “Thanks be to God”.
  • Then all lights in the Church are put on.
• Easter Proclamation (Exsultet)
• Part II : Liturgy of the word
  • Nine Readings are provided, seven from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. (the epistle and gospel)
  • After the Easter Proclamation, the candles are put aside and all sit down. Before the readings begin, the priest speaks about Easter.
  • The readings follow from:

1. The book of Genesis 1:1-2:2 The Creation
2. The book of Genesis 22:1-18 Abraham’s sacrifice
3. The book of Exodus 14:15-15:1 People of Israel leaving the slavery of Egypt
4. The book of the prophet Isaiah 54:5-14 God speaking to the miserable, oppressed people of Israel
5. The book of the prophet Isaiah 55:1-11 God’s covenant with Israel. (God’s magnificent promise)
6. The book of the prophet Baruch 3:9-15,32-4:4 Wisdom of God
7. The book of the prophet Ezekiel 36:16-28 God’s promises to Ezekiel. (all was fulfilled in Jesus Christ)
8. Epistle: The letter of Paul to the Romans 6:3-11
   Lessons on the death and resurrection of Christ
   Alleluia
   Gospel
9. Year A: holy gospel according to Matthew 28:1-10 (Women finding and witnessing to the empty tomb) / Year B: holy gospel according to Mark 16:1-8 (Women are frightened by the empty tomb and the angel’s message about resurrection) / Year C: holy gospel according to Luke 24:1-12 (Women see the empty tomb and are told by angels of the Resurrection)

• Part III: Liturgy of Baptism
  • A vessel of water is placed in the sanctuary
  • Candidates for Baptism (catechumens) - if present - are presented.
• Litany
  • The Litany is sung. The procession begins: Easter Candle first, followed by the candidates then the priest and ministers.
• Blessing of Water
  • The priest blesses the baptismal water and prays. The candle is then taken out of the water and people sing the acclamation. Then the baptismal rites proceed (if catechumens are present, they are baptized.
• Renewal of Baptismal Promises
  • After the rite of baptism, all present renew their baptismal profession of faith.
  • The priest sprinkles the people with water while the people sing.
  • The profession of faith is omitted and proceeds to the Liturgy of the Eucharist
• Part IV: Liturgy of the Eucharist

Easter Sunday

• The Feast of the Resurrection.
• The Church’s greatest feast

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 1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.    
 2Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.    
 3For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.    
 4Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight, that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.    
 5Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.    
 6Behold, Thou desirest truth in my inward parts; in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.    
 7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.    
 8Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.    
 9Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.    
 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.    
 11Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy holy Spirit from me.    
 12Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.    
 13Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.    
 14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness.    
 15O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.This is ______(Name)______ who had uttered a words of prayer for forgiveness and purification. Amen. 

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The deep sea is the world’s largest habitat, accounting for roughly 50% of the Earth’s surface.

 The total global deep sea catch (EEZs and high seas combined) was 3.8 million tons in 2004 and 3.3 million tons in 2005.

 The percent of marine catches coming from DSF increased from 0.8% on average in 1950-1977 to 2.8% in 1979-2005.

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Welcome to Hugsmiles.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

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