During Holy Week, the Church celebrates the mysteries of salvation accomplished by Christ in the last days of his life on earth, beginning with his messianic entrance into Jerusalem. The Lenten season lasts until the Thursday of this week. The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.
This year’s Holy Week is being observed in very different circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic. People will experience Holy Week at home during these days. We hope the following information and resources will assist the faithful with their observance of Holy Week and Easter 2020. Do join in on social media using the hashtags #LivingHolyWeek and #HolyWeekAtHome to connect with others and share how you are living Holy Week 2020.
The following resources are included in the links below:
- Mass Readings for Holy Week and Easter 2020
- Details of Pope Francis’ schedule for Holy Week and the Easter Triduum
- Bishops’ Homilies and Messages for Holy Week and Easter
- Details of online broadcasts of services in dioceses
- Details of Easter Services on Television and Radio
- Special Holy Week series of Bishops’ Faithcast podcast
- Additional resources to creatively mark Holy Week at Home
- Prayers
Readings for Holy Week and Easter 2020:
All daily Mass readings are available on www.catholicbishops.ie/readings
Guide to the readings and masses for Holy Week available here
Further information on the readings and saint of the day
Schedule of Pope Francis for Holy Week and Easter 2020
Holy Week, which is the culmination of the 40-day Lenten period, is the most solemn period for Christians worldwide, who celebrate the solemn mysteries of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. This year the liturgical celebrations of Pope Francis from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday will take place in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, without the presence of the faithful. The Stations of the Cross will take place in front of the Basilica.
Pope Francis will celebrate all of the Holy Week Rites in St. Peter’s Basilica, starting with Palm Sunday at 11.00am, 5 April.
As for the Triduum, or the 3 days preceding Easter, the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper will begin at 6:00pm on 9 April.
The following day, Good Friday, Pope Francis will preside over the celebration of the Lord’s Passion. However, that night, the Stations of the Cross will not be held at the traditional site of the Colosseum, but in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican at 9:00 pm.
Likewise, the Easter Vigil Mass will be held in the Vatican Basilica at 9:00 pm on 11 April. The following day, the Holy Father will celebrate Easter Sunday Mass in the basilica and conclude with the “Urbi et Orbi” message and blessing.
Updated Details of Parish Radio, broadcast and online services are available here