Church of St. Francis Xavier

Celebrating the Holy Triduum 2021 at Home

Because of the extraordinary circumstances regarding the Coronavirus, many Catholics will not be able to gather as a community in our sacred spaces to commemorate and celebrate the most holy days of the Christian year.

While we cannot be physically present to one another, you and your family are encouraged to fully participate in our video live stream liturgies that will be broadcast on Facebook Live during .

To access the liturgies, visit the St. Francis Xavier website: www.sfxavier.org

The times for each liturgy are as follows:

Palm Sunday – 11:30pm Holy Thursday – 7:30pm Good Friday – 3:00pm Vigil – 7:30pm Easter Sunday – 11:30pm

You are also most welcome to join the Xavier Community Zoom for each live stream liturgy. This is a way to be together with one another during the celebrations and services. The Zoom link is: https://sfxavierparish.zoom.us/j/490720374

This guide is offered to assist you in entering into these sacred rituals within your own home and participating as fully as possible in our communal celebrations.

Creating a Prayer Space

As you prepare to celebrate the Triduum, you can designate and create your own sacred space. Your prayer space can be unique with items that are special to you and your family and may include a candle, a bible, a crucifix, icon or religious painting, a and a cloth of the appropriate liturgical color.

Below are some particular guidelines for each day regarding your prayer space, items for the liturgies and actions you may want to participate in.

Palm Sunday

The liturgical color is Red. Use a red cloth and include a candle and crucifix reminding us of the Lord’s Passion. Include palms from last year’s Palm Sunday if you have them.

Spy Wednesday/ Wednesday of Holy Week

The liturgical color is purple. Use a purple cloth, a candle, and a perfume to remember the Unnamed Woman who anointed Jesus at Bethany (read Mark 14:3-9)

Spy Wednesday gets its name because this is the day on which Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin. Because Judas is thought to be sneaky, his actions conjured up the image of a spy. The synoptic gospels all include an account of the betrayal — Matthew 26:12-14, Mark 14:10-12, Luke 22:3-6.

In preparation to enter in the Holy Triduum, you are invited to watch a video of the prayerful service “What Wondrous Love is this: The Seven Last Words of Jesus” from 2018 posted on https://sfxavier.org/performing-arts-at-xavier

Holy Thursday

The liturgical color is White. Use a white cloth and include a candle, a cup and bread and a basin and towel.

You are encouraged to wash the hands or feet of one another if you are with your family. You may also wish to wash your own hands if you are alone in solidarity with the wider community.

During the communion time, while we cannot share the Body and Blood of Christ together, you may wish to pass a whole loaf of bread among the members of your family who can take and consume a piece as a sign of .

At the conclusion of the liturgy, you are invited to stay in meditation and contemplation before the repository that will remain live for 30 minutes after the .

Good Friday

The Liturgical Color is Red. Use a red cloth and include a candle and crucifix or rosary in your prayer space. The prayer space this day should be minimal.

If you have a crucifix at home, you are invited to venerate the cross. You may do this by passing it to each member of your family who can hold it reverently for a moment. You may also consider kissing the feet of Jesus, but please use proper precautions and sanitize the cross if a number of people will be venerating.

During the communion time, while we cannot share the Body and Blood of Christ together, you may wish to pass a whole loaf of bread among the members of your family who can take and consume a piece as a sign of spiritual communion.

Good Friday is also a day of fast. Please observe fasting rules of only only meal if you are between the ages of 18-64. Good Friday is also a day of abstinence from meat.

Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil

The liturgical color is White. Use a white cloth and include a candle (unlit) and a bowl of water (holy water if this is available). Also, you are encouraged to turn off the lights in your home as the vigil begins.

Light your candle as the Pascal Candle is lit at the beginning of the vigil. During the singing of the Gloria, turn on the lights in your home.

When the new water is consecrated, you are invited to bless yourself with holy water (if available) or with the water in your prayer space.

During the communion time, while we cannot share the Body and Blood of Christ together, you may wish to pass a whole loaf of bread among the members of your family who can take and consume a piece as a sign of spiritual communion.

Easter Sunday

The liturgical color is White. Use a white cloth and include a candle, bowl of water and flowers if possible.

You are encouraged to bless yourself with holy water (if available) or the water in your prayer space during the sprinkling rite.

During the communion time, while we cannot share the Body and Blood of Christ together, you may wish to pass a whole loaf of bread among the members of your family who can take and consume a piece as a sign of spiritual communion.