What is Holy Week?

Holy Week in the Christian year is the week immediately before Easter. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, which may also be known as Passion Sunday in some denominations. The earliest allusion to the custom of marking this week as a whole with special observances date from the latter half of the 3rd century and 4th century. Of the particular days of the “great week” the earliest to emerge into special prominence was naturally Good Friday. Next came the Sabbatum Magnum (“Great Sabbath”, i.e., Holy Saturday or Easter Eve) with its vigil, which in the early church was associated with an expectation that the Second Advent would occur on an Easter Day. Today, in the Western Christian Church, among Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians and Catholics, the liturgies used for Holy Week are nearly identical.

Services to observe Holy Week as celebrated in the Western Church are as follows:

• Wednesday, March 31, 3:30-4 PM
  Catholic Scripture & Holy Communion Service
  Presiding: Associate Chaplain Terri
  Attend virtually on MS Teams: https://bit.ly/2QKg4Kd
• Thursday, April 1, 3:30-4 PM
  Seven Actions: An Ecumenical Service of Prayer & Communion for Holy Thursday
  Presiding: Chaplain Brent and Associate Chaplain Ryan
  Attend virtually on MS Teams: https://bit.ly/3m483LP
• Friday, April 2, 3:30-4 PM
  Good Friday: Bilingual (English/Spanish) Prayer through Stations of the Cross
  Presiding: Associate Chaplain Terri
  Attend virtually on MS Teams: https://bit.ly/3sAxbfL

(There is a 10 person maximum in the sanctuary as we follow COVID-19 safety guidelines.)

Please Note: For these services, you can attend virtually by using the proved MS Teams links.  These services are being offered in person for all staff, admitted patients and their families that are already at the hospital. Masks and 6-foot social distancing will be required for all participants.