PASSION WEEK

So we denominate the week immediately preceding the festival of Easter , because in that week our Saviour’s pa ion and death happened. The primitive Christians called it Hebdomas Magna , or the Great Week . No one can better describe it to us than St. Chrysostom, who says, “It was called the Great Week, not because it consisted of longer days, or more in number, than other weeks, but because at this time great things were wrought for us by our Lord . For in this week the ancient tyranny of the devil was di olved, death was extinct, the strong man was bound, his goods were spoiled, sin was abolished, the curse was destroyed, paradise was opened, heaven became acce ible, men and angels were joined together, the middle wall of partition was broken down, the barriers were taken out of the way, the God of peace made peace between things in heaven and things in earth; therefore it is called the Great Week . And as this is the head of all other weeks, so the Great Sabbath is the head of this week. Therefore, in this week, many increase their labours; some adding to their fastings, others to their watch ings; others give more liberal alms, testifying the greatne of the Divine goodne by their care of good works, and more intense piety and holy living. As the Jews went forth to meet Christ , when he had raised Lazarus from the dead, so now not only one city, but all the world, go forth to meet him, not with palm branches in their hands, but with alms-deeds, humanity, virtue, fastings, tears, prayers, watch ings, and all kinds of piety, which they offer to Christ their Lord . And not only we, but the emperors of the world, honour this week, making it a time of vacation from all civil busine . The imperial letters are sent abroad at this time, commanding all prisoners to be set at liberty from their chains. For, as our Lord , when he descended into hell, set free those that were detained by death; so the servants, according to their power, imitating the kindne of their Lord , loose men from their corporal bonds, when they have no power to relax the spiritual.” It is plain from hence, that the ancient Christians paid an extraordinary regard to this Holy Week, and that this consisted in additional exercises of devotion, longer fastings, more liberal alms, vacation from all civil busine , and a general release of prisoners, some particular cases of criminals only excepted. The Thursday in this week, which was the day on which Christ was betrayed, was observed with some peculiar customs. In some churches, the communion was administered in the evening after supper, in imitation of the communion of the apostles at our Lord’s last supper. On this day the Competentes , or candidates of baptism, publicly rehearsed the creed before the bishops or presbyters in the church. And on this day it was customary for servants to receive the communion. The modern ritualists call this day Maundy Thursday . (See Maundy Thursday .) The Friday was called Good Friday , or Pasch of the Cro , in opposition to Easter , or the Pasch of the Resurrection . On this day, not only penitents were absolved, but a general absolution and indulgence was proclaimed to all the people, observing the day with fasting, prayers, and contrition. The Saturday of this week was known by the name of the Great Sabbath . It had many peculiarities belonging to it. For this was the only Sabbath throughout the year that the Greek churches, and some of the Western, kept as a fast; all other Saturdays, or Sabbaths, being observed as festivals. On this day they continued to fast, not only till evening, but till cock-crowing in the morning, which was the supposed time of our Saviour’s resurrection. And the preceding time of the night was spent in Divine service, praying, preaching, and baptizing such of the catechumens as presented themselves. A remnant of which custom seems still to be kept up in the Latin offices, which prescribe the reading of numerous chapters from the Holy Scriptures, called prophecies, with prayers, . interspersed. Eusebius tells us that, in the time of Const an tine, this vigil was kept with great pomp. For that emperor set up lofty pillars of wax, to burn as torches all over the city, so that the night seemed to outshine the sun at noonday. The fifth Sunday in Lent is called in the Roman office, Pa ion Sunday, that name being applied to it in reference to our Lord’s prediction on that day of his approaching pa ion. And some persons call the week, of which Pa ion Sunday is the first day, Pa ion Week; and the real Pa ion Week they call Holy Week. This is, however, a piece of pedantry, founded on a mistake.