Traditional Holy Week Sights from Around the World

Happy Easter! Our favorite images of Holy Week from those sent to us, from different continents and latitudes.

Sincere thanks to all who contributed! (If you have images from your community that you wish others to see, just send them to us for a second post.)

 

LIVE, from Paris: TENEBRAE of Maundy Thursday - LAMENTATIONS by François Couperin

 

This sublime treasure of our Latin Tradition will remain available for those who wish to watch it later at this same address -- sung at the Parish of Saint Eugene and Saint Cecilia.

The Reform of Holy Week in the Years 1951-1956

Rorate Caeli first presented the following translation of Fr. Stefano Carusi's work on the reform of Holy Week under Pope Pius XII seven years ago. As our readership has grown dramatically over that time we are compelled to bring it back and share with new readers. This translation is the work of Fr. Charles W. Johnson, a U.S. military chaplain, and one of the first priests in the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society:

From Disputationes Theologicae:

THE REFORM OF HOLY WEEK IN THE YEARS 1951-1956
FROM LITURGY TO THEOLOGY BY WAY OF THE STATEMENTS OF CERTAIN LEADING THINKERS (ANNIBALE BUGNINI, CARLO BRAGA, FERDINANDO ANTONELLI)

by Stefano Carusi

"It was felt necessary to revise and enrich the formulae of the Roman Missal. The first stage of such a reform was the work of Our Predecessor Pius XII with the reform of the Easter Vigil and the rites of Holy Week (1), which constituted the first step in the adaptation of the Roman Missal to the contemporary way of thinking"

(Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution Missale Romanum, April 3, 1969)

INTRODUCTION
In the course of recent years, the publication of numerous studies concerning the history of the theological and liturgical debate of the 1950's has cast new light on the formation and the intentions (which were not always openly declared at the time) of those who were the actual composers of certain texts.

Pre-1955 Holy Week resource available in English and Italian for clergy and laymen

We are very pleased to first announce the publication of a new English/Italian website: www.pre1955holyweek.com.

This new site is a comprehensive introductory resource for those interested in the celebration of the pre-1955 Holy Week liturgies. The website features free downloadable booklets, in the vernacular and Latin, with the complete ceremonies for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. These include running commentaries and historical notes throughout by Blessed Adolph Schuster. There are also Tenebrae booklets and an introductory explanation of Holy Week by Adrian Fortescue from the “Holy Week Book”.

Interested clergy will find everything they need to get started, including a full Cantus Passionis download, audio aid with accompanied notation for the Passiontide Gospel tone particular only to this traditional Holy Week, and the Fortescue ceremonial. There are also links to some articles about the 1955 reform of Holy Week.

You Suggest: An 'immaculate' new internet radio station broadcasting pre-1955 Easter Triduum

From a reader:

Radio Immaculata is the all new internet radio station of the Franciscan Friars at Gosport, England, hoping to be instruments in the hands of the Immaculate with the slogan: “Bringing Forth Christ Through Mary”. The mission of this station is according to the Marian-Franciscan spirituality developed and promoted by St Maximilian Kolbe, the great twentieth century saint and martyr who volunteered to die in the place of a fellow prisoner at Auschwitz.  Known as the “Apostle of Consecration to Mary." St Maximilian believed that the surest way to win souls for Christ is through Unlimited Consecration to the Immaculate. The station offers a wide variety, both live and on demand, to help promote and maintain traditional Catholic life. The Friars hope that listeners will find plenty to offer them rich spiritual nourishment and support, and all through the Heart of our Blessed Mother. A special feature is the daily live show from one of the Friars at 5pm. With their preference for the Tridentine Liturgy, you can tune in live each week to broadcasts of the Sung Latin Mass in the 'Extraordinary Form' at 9.30 am on a Saturday Morning and 5.00 pm on a Sunday afternoon. More particularly however, the Friars will broadcast the Easter Triduum in the Extraordinary Form (pre-1955). You can tune in live or listen on demand at www.radioimmaculata.org. The programme for Holy Week will be as follows:

Palm Sunday: The Condemned Lord moves along

[On this Palm Sunday, Rorate remembers the
over 30 Coptic Christians martyred today by
the satanic Sect of Death in Egypt.]

Meditation for Palm Sunday - Jesus Carries the Cross to Calvary

I.

The sentence upon Our Saviour having been published, they straightway seize hold of Him in their fury: they strip Him anew of that purple rag, and put His own raiment upon Him, to lead Him away to be crucified on Calvary, - the place appropriated for the execution of criminals: They took off the cloak from Him, and put on Him His own garments, and led Him away to crucify Him.” (Matt. xxvii 31.) They then lay hold of two rough beams, and quickly make them into a cross, and order Him to carry it on His shoulders to the place of His punishment. What cruelty, to lay upon the criminal the gibbet on which he has to die!

But this is Thy lot, O my Jesus, because Thou has taken my sins upon Thyself.

II.

Jesus refuses not the cross; with love He embraces it, as being the altar whereon is destined to be completed the sacrifice of His life for the salvation of men: And bearing His own Cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary.

Now this is how it's done

The good Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) priests know how to treat our Lord. See below for the altar of repose at Immaculate Conception Church in Omaha, NE. If only all churches took the care of Christ so seriously. 

Events: Holy Week Schedules (UPDATED)

Originally posted: 3/14/16 8:07 AM:

NOTE: One way to better ensure yours will be listed is to send us a JPEG of the schedule. If you send us just text that we have to format, it most likely will not be posted.

Thank you!

A very moving Fontgombault Sermon - Maundy Thursday: Christ in the Host asks: "Do you love me?"

MAUNDY THURSDAY

SAINT PETER: "Woman, I do not know Him!"

Sermon of the Right Reverend Dom Jean Pateau

Abbot of Our Lady of Fontgombault

(Fontgombault, April 2, 2015)

Cum dilexisset eos... in finem dilexit eos.

Having loved his own… He loved them unto the end.

Jn 13:1

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

My dearly beloved Sons,

The Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, the institution of which we commemorate tonight, the Paschal mystery, death and rise of Jesus: are these something that God gives us or owes us? 

At the beginning of the Triduum Paschale, which covers the period extending from the morning of Maundy Thursday to that of Easter, this is a crucial question. The actions of our Christian lives will depend on our answer as we face these mysteries that underlie our faith: “If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain: and your faith is also vain.” (1 Co 15:14) 

If the Paschal mystery is my due, basically I don’t have to worry about it. It is, so to speak, in the order of things. God takes care of me, and it is normal. God carries out, as it were, His job of God. 

But if the Paschal mystery is a gift, and if its author is God, then the standpoint shifts radically. God, the Maker of the universe, gives Himself to His creature, the Almighty to him who is powerless. A new dimension opens up in our relationship with God, and consequently in our relationship with others, the dimension of freely given love. The washing of the feet, that the liturgy invites us to reenact today, is part of this viewpoint.

EVENT: Chrism Mass - Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite

If you are nearby, in Southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Northeastern Italy, this is a rare event which you are able to attend: for the third time (as in 2013 and 2014), Archbishop Wolfgang Haas, of Vaduz (Liechtenstein) will celebrate in 2015 the Chrism Mass of Maundy Thursday in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, aided by the priests of his own diocese and by priests and seminarians of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, whose European seminary in Wigratzbad is not far from Liechtenstein.

(Other images from last year's celebration here, via the Wigratzbad blog.)
(Tip: Riposte Catholique)

Fontgombault Sermon - Palm Sunday: "Obedience is at the core of the Incarnation and Passion"

PALM SUNDAY

Sermon of the Right Reverend Dom Jean Pateau

Abbot of Our Lady of Fontgombault

(Fontgombault, March 29, 2015)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

My dearly beloved Sons,

St. Paul asks the Philippians in the Epistle to have between them the same mind as Christ had. At the beginning of the Holy Week, the Church reminds us of this duty.

Events: Holy Week Schedules (constantly updated) - Louisiana, New Jersey, Madrid, Ontario, California, Preston, Melbourne, New York City, Montreal, Vancouver, Washington, Amsterdam, Rhode Island, Hong Kong, Baltimore, Miami, Illinois, Nebraska, Philippines, Mexico (DF, Jalisco, Coahuila), Alabama, etc...

If you wish us to post the Holy Week Schedule of your community, anywhere in the world, just send it to us.

A very blessed Holy Week to all our readers!

***

1. DOMINICAN MONASTERY OF THE HEART OF JESUS - 155 CHURCH STREET, LOCKPORT, LOUISIANA 70374-2552:

Events: Holy Week and Triduum around the world (updated)

Please, if you wish us to post the schedule of Holy Week and Triduum rites in your community around the world, please send us a message with the subject: "Event: Holy Week".

We will post all schedules sent to us in this post, which will be updated as more information comes in. Thank you.

See all events below: Rome, Hong Kong, Reading (England), Louisiana (incl. the Dominican Monastery of the Heart of Jesus), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Quezon City (Philippines), Monastery of St. Benedict in Norcia (Italy), Chicago, Omaha (Nebraska), Sacramento and San Francisco (California), Budapest and Gyömrő (Hungary), Cleveland (Ohio), Guadalajara (Mexico), Melbourne and Wangaratta/Tarrawingee (Victoria, Australia), New York City, Diocese of Richmond (Virginia), Diocese of Paterson (New Jersey)...

For live broadcast schedule by LiveMass, see here.

For French-speaking areas, we suggest the thread provided by Le Forum Catholique.

_____________________________

1. Rome (Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini):

April 13, Palm Sunday: 9:00 a.m. Low Mass

10:30 a.m. Blessing of Palms, Procession and Pontifical Mass, celebrated by His Excellency François Bacqué, titular Archbishop of Gradisca and Apostolic Nuncio.

5:30 p.m. Vespers and Benediction

6:30 p.m. Low Mass

April 16, Holy Wednesday: 8:30 p.m. Tenebræ

April 17, Holy Thursday: 6:30 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper

8:30 p.m. Tenebræ (after the Mass)

April 18, Good Friday: 6:30 p.m. Commemoration of the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ

8:30 p.m. Tenebræ

April 19, Holy Saturday: 10: 30 p.m. Easter Vigil.

April 20, Easter Sunday: 9:00 a.m. Low Mass

11:00 a.m. Solemn High Mass

5:30 p.m. Vespers and Benediction

6:30 p.m. Low Mass

_____________________________

Watching the Sacred Triduum online Triduo Sacro tradicional en directo por internet

There is a huge number of Catholics who do not have access or are not able to go to a closeby celebration of the Sacred Triduum according to the Traditional Roman Rite (Vetus Ordo, Extraordinary Form, etc).

For these Catholics, one option is to watch the Sacred Triduum online and join spiritually those faithful who are present - for instance, by way of LiveMass. Their schedule is the following (remember GMT/UTC is EDT+4, London/BST is EDT+5).

LiveMass.org will turn on the broadcast 10 minutes prior to the beginning time of each liturgy.

Holy Thursday - Jueves Santo:

8:00 PM EDT / 7:00 pm CDT Santa Misa Cantada - Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Guadalajara, Mexico *SD Feed Only*

(Lavatorio de pies, Procesión del Santísimo, Desnudar el Altar)

*** Sarasota Mass will be recorded and broadcast following the Stripping of the Altar in Mexico.

Also, the Holy Thursday Mass will replace the Sunday Mass for VOD until 4/20/2014.

Good Friday - Viernes Santo:

1:00 PM EDT / 12:00 pm CDT Via Crucis - Pilar *SD Feed Only*

2:00 PM EDT / 1:00 pm CDT Stations of the Cross - Christ the King, Sarasota, FL

4:00 PM EDT / 3:00 pm CDT Solemne Acción Litúrgica - Pilar *SD Feed Only*

(Lecturas, Pasión, Oraciones Solemnes, Adoración dela Santa Cruz, Sagrada Comunión)

Holy Saturday - Sábado Santo:

11:30 PM EDT / 10:30 pm CDT Vigilia Pascual - Pilar *SD Feed Only*

(Bendición del fuego Pascual y del Cirio Pascual, Procesión, Præconium, Lecturas, Letanías de los Santos, Bendición del Agua Bautismal, Misa Cantada)

*** Sarasota Mass will be recorded and broadcast following the liturgy in Mexico.

Easter Sunday - Domingo de Pascua:
8:30 AM EDT / 7:30 am CDT Low Mass from Sarasota, FL
10:30 AM EDT / 9:30 am CDT Low Mass from Sarasota, FL
1:00 PM EDT / 12:00 Noon CDT Santa Misa Cantada - Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Guadalajara, Mexico *SD Feed Only*
8:00 PM EDT / 7:00 pm CDT Santa Misa - Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Guadalajara, Mexico *SD Feed Only*