During Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday (March 29), Lent ends and the Easter triduum begins. A single three-day celebration of the Paschal mystery, the triduum opens with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday evening, has its center in the Easter Vigil and closes with Vespers (Evening Prayer) on the Sunday of the Resurrection.

Here's a short explanation of what happens at your parish and at Catholic parishes all over, during this sacred time:

Holy Thursday (April 2) commemorates the day of the Last Supper when Jesus instituted the Eucharist and established the sacrament of ordination for the priesthood. During Mass, which is always celebrated in the evening, the chrism and holy oils, used for baptism, confirmation and the anointing of the sick are brought forward. This Mass also includes the simple rite of the washing of the feet. The Eucharist is celebrated and following the prayer after Communion, the Blessed Sacrament is transferred to a place of reposition and the main altar is stripped bare.

Good Friday (April 3) is the most somber day of the church year. A day of fasting and abstinence, it is also a day when many Catholics visit their parish churches to pray The Stations of the Cross. This is the only day of the year when Mass is not celebrated, and it will not be celebrated again until the Easter Vigil.

The solemn liturgy on Good Friday is known as the Celebration of the Lord's Passion. Moreover, the liturgical color, red, represents the suffering and death of Jesus. Good Friday's readings are from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and from the Letter to the Hebrews. At the Gospel we hear John's proclamation of Our Lord's Passion. The second part of the liturgy is the veneration of the cross, which is followed by a Communion service.

Holy Saturday (April 4) is a solemn day of waiting, commemorating the time when Christ was in the tomb — and it is particularly appropriate time to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary. The Easter Vigil takes place after night has fallen, beginning with a "service of light." Some of the faithful gather around a fire to light the Easter candle. The priest, dressed in white vestments, lights the symbolic candle and the incense. Then, he and other participants process toward the church.

Saturday's Liturgy of the Word contains between three and seven readings from the Old Testament. The story of the Hebrews' deliverance from slavery in Egypt is always included. Each reading is followed by a psalm and prayer. The opening prayer for the vigil is recited, followed by New Testament readings and this year, the Gospel from Mark. Following the readings, the altar candles are lighted, illuminating a church that has been decorated in honor of the risen Lord.

The Easter Vigil is the time when most new Catholics are received into faith communities. Those who are being baptized are presented and assembled around the baptismal font, where they profess their faith and receive the sacrament. Following the baptism, the faithful renew their baptismal vows. The priest sprinkles the assembly with holy water and the newly received are confirmed. Then the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins.

With the Easter Day Mass on April 5, the faithful celebrates the resurrection and the triumph of the Lord. The readings on Easter are from the Acts of the Apostles, the Colossians and the Gospel from John, all focusing on Jesus, his ministry and his resurrection. After the homily, the faithful renew their baptismal promises.

On Easter Sunday the triduum is concluded liturgically with Evening Prayer in the late afternoon or early evening. That is the beginning of the Easter Season, which is the 50 days from Easter Sunday until Pentecost Sunday, May 24.

Note: Catholic Times is offering triduum schedules in this edition so readers can check the times that each parish will hold its liturgies.