At the heart of the Church’s liturgical year is the Holy Triduum, the three most sacred days that celebrate the one saving mystery of our faith-the Christ Event: the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. These days do not merely recall historical moments; they make present the Paschal Mystery through which humanity is redeemed. As St. Paul reminds us, “Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
The Triduum begins on the evening of Holy Thursday, reaches its solemn height on Good Friday, and finds its fulfillment in the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. Though spread over three days, it is one continuous liturgical celebration of Christ’s saving work.
Holy Thursday: Love Instituted and Shared
The Triduum opens with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, commemorating the institution of the Eucharist and the ministerial priesthood. On this night, Jesus gathers His disciples and offers Himself under the signs of bread and wine: “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me… This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:23-25; cf. Luke 22:19-20).
Equally central is the gesture of humble service when Jesus washes the feet of His disciples, declaring: “I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15).
The Eucharist stands at the heart of the Christ Event, making present the sacrifice of Calvary. As the altar is stripped and the faithful keep watch in adoration, the Church enters into Christ’s agony in Gethsemane, echoing His prayer: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
Good Friday: Love Poured Out on the Cross:
On Good Friday, the Church solemnly commemorates the Passion and Death of the Lord. The liturgy centers on the proclamation of the Passion revealing a love that remains faithful even unto death.
The Cross becomes the throne of Christ’s victory. As the prophet foretold, “He was pierced for our transgressions… and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
In His final moments, Jesus entrusts Himself completely to the Father: “It is finished” (John 19:30). St. Paul proclaims the meaning of this sacrifice: “God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
The veneration of the Cross invites the faithful to recognize that through suffering and death, Christ has reconciled the world to God.
Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil: From Death to Life
Holy Saturday is marked by silence and hope as the Church waits at the tomb, recalling that Christ truly entered the realm of death. Yet hope remains, for as Scripture affirms:
“You will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption” (Psalm 16:10; cf. Acts 2:24). This hope erupts into joy at the Easter Vigil, the pinnacle of the liturgical year. The proclamation rings out: “He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said” (Matthew 28:6).
The Resurrection completes the Christ Event, confirming Jesus’ promise: “I am the resurrection and the life; those who believe in me, even though they die, will live” (John 11:25). Through Baptism, believers are united to this mystery: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead… we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Living the Christ Event
The Holy Triduum calls every Christian to active participation in the Paschal Mystery. Nourished by the Eucharist, strengthened by the Cross, and renewed by the Resurrection, the faithful are sent forth to live lives of sacrificial love and joyful hope.
The Holy Triduum is not merely a liturgical observance but the very heart of Christian life-the Christ Event, once in history yet eternally present, through which God’s love continues to transform the world.
Adlete Mascarenhas