The Great Triduum

A special practice of early Christian worship was to treat the three days from Thursday night to Sunday morning as an act of one continuous worship. That practice of the "Three Great Days" has been revived in the worship renewal of the twentieth century.

Most congregations are accustomed to service on Holy (Maundy) Thursday and Good Friday. Far fewer will be familiar with the Paschal Vigil on Holy Saturday/Easter day. On both Maundy Thursday and Good Friday the emphasis is likely to fall on the commemoration of the Last Supper and the crucifixion of Jesus as separate events in the distant past. The integral relationship of these events in the distant past. The integral relationship of these events to each other and to the Resurrection is not stressed. Persons may attend one or both as they chose, with no real sense that anything essential to the meaning of Easter has been lost if they choose to attend either. Not Three but One But the services of the historic triduum are more than the commemoration of a series of past events. They are the celebration of one event, unique and unrepeatable, that is eternally present in and to the community of faith and the lives of believers—namely, the passover of Jesus from death to life which is known as the paschal (Passover) mystery. Because the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus are not three separate events, but one event, integral and indivisible, the services of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday/Easter Day are not three separate services but one service, integral and indivisible, celebrated over three days. The word triduum ("three days") was first used by Augustine to express the essential unity of this single, three-day service. According to ancient understanding, the day begins at sundown rather than at midnight. Thus the evening of Holy Thursday is considered the beginning of Good Friday, the first day of the triduum (Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter day). A Superficial Resemblance Although each element of the triduum necessarily includes the remembrance of a past event, the emphasis falls not on historical commemoration but on present reality. Instead of a series of separate commemorations, complete in themselves, each element contributes to the integral meaning of the whole. Thus the resemblance between customary Holy Thursday and Good Friday services and the equivalent services of the historic triduum is only superficial. Musicians and worship planners will want to respect the uniqueness of the triduum and the unity of its component parts. They will also want to help congregations understand that, as part of the triduum, the services of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are not optional extras for the very devout, but essential elements of the entire service, without which the celebration of Easter is incomplete. To experience fully the meaning of the triduum, it is necessary to participate fully in each of its component parts. Holy Thursday: The Triduum Begins The triduum begins on the evening of Holy Thursday with the commemoration of the institution of the Lord's Supper. The celebration opens in light and joy as the community gives thanks for the meal instituted by Jesus to be the abiding memorial of his death and resurrection every Lord's Day. It closes in shadows and darkness as the community prepares to commemorate the Lord's passion and death. As part of the triduum, Holy Thursday may come as a disappointment to those who have been trying so hard to keep it from becoming just another Communion service. Basic to Holy Thursday of the triduum is a service of Word and Table much like any other. As part of the triduum, the purpose of Holy Thursday is not to re-enact or imitate the Last Supper as an event of the historic past, but to give thanks for the institution of the Lord's Supper as an encounter with the risen Jesus in the living present. What makes Holy Thursday distinctive are the lectionary readings proper to the day, the rite of footwashing, and the stripping of the church—not the addition of historicizing elements such as the seating of people at table in groups of twelve or the substitution of the Passover Seder. A New Commandment The most distinctive feature of Holy Thursday is also its least familiar—the washing of feet. The Common Lectionary Gospel for Holy Thursday Year A and for alternative use in Years B and C is not the institution of the Lord's Supper from Matthew, Mark, or Luke, but the institution of footwashing from John 13:1–15. Jesus washes the feet of his disciples on the night of his betrayal to exemplify the meaning of the new commandment (novum mandatum) which he is about to give them (John 13:34). An acted parable of loving service, footwashing is the mandatum from which Maundy Thursday gets its name. As the ordained servant of the community, the pastor washes the feet, not of the entire congregation, but of a small representative group. Members of this group might include youth and adult candidates for baptism or the renewal of baptism during the Paschal Vigil, elders serving on the session, or any other representative selection of men and women. Although twelve persons have been traditionally chosen for symbolic purposes, the exact number is not important. No introduction is necessary, but a good introductory formula is provided in The Book of Alternative Services of The Anglican Church of Canada (Toronto: Anglican Book Center, 1985). During the actual footwashing, reverent silence is to be preferred. No words are necessary to interpret the meaning of this naturally symbolic act. Although footwashing on Holy Thursday has been part of the triduum from very early times, there may be some reluctance to restore a practice so alien to contemporary culture and so potentially repugnant to modern congregations. But perhaps this version is the best argument for its restoration—with proper preparation and interpretation, of course. Attempts to soften its offense—to the one who washes and to the ones who are washed—are to be discouraged. Handwashing or wiping shoes with a cloth are not symbolically equivalent to footwashing as an effective demonstration of humble and loving servanthood. The Shadows Lengthen The transition from Holy Thursday to Good Friday is provided by stripping the church of its customary ornamentation after the Holy Thursday Communion. During the stripping, all furnishings—vessels, paraments, candles, candlesticks, vases, flags, banners—are removed from the chancel and church. Originally a purely utilitarian act necessary for cleaning the church prior to Easter, the stripping of the church has come to symbolize the stripping of Jesus before the Crucifixion. The stripping may be carried out by designated persons in silence, either before the silent departure of the people, or after—or it may be accompanied by the recitation of Psalm 22. In addition to the stripping, a veil may be draped over the chancel cross. According to one tradition worth preserving, the organ is heard on Holy Thursday for the last time until Holy Saturday/Easter day. An alternative transition is the Office of Tenebrae (Shadows), which consists of various psalms, readings, and prayers, as candles are progressively extinguished (often twelve in number) and the lights of the church are dimmed, leaving only one candle still burning. At the conclusion of the office, with the church in darkness, the one remaining candle is carried out of the chancel or hidden from view during the final prayer. A loud noise is made to represent the earthquake that accompanied Jesus' death (Matt. 27:51). The lighted candle is then brought back into the church or restored to view. The return of the lighted candle proclaims that, as part of the triduum, Tenebrae is celebrated in the light of the Resurrection which the shadows cannot overcome. Enough lights are turned on for the people to depart safely in silence, after which the church is stripped. However Holy Thursday closes, there is no final blessing, but only silent departure or a simple dismissal. The service is not yet over. There is more to come. Good Friday: The Triduum Continues Worshipers return to a bare and undecorated church for the continuation of the triduum on Good Friday. The historic commemoration of the passion is in three parts: the Service of the Word, the Solemn Intercessions, and the Adoration of the Cross. (Roman Catholics also receive Holy Communion on Good Friday, from elements consecrated on Holy Thursday, because Good Friday is traditionally the only day of the year on which the Mass may not be celebrated.) Refrains, responses, and hymns may be sung to guitar or piano accompaniment. The Service of the Word always includes a reading of the Passion according to John (18:1–19:42), preferably arranged for dramatic presentation by three (or more) readers. As the passion of the risen and victorious Christ, who is in charge throughout, John's Passion narrative is aptly chosen. Though quiet and reflective, Good Friday is a day not of mourning but of solemn joy, always celebrated from the perspective of the Resurrection. To Make Intercession The historic intercessions of Good Friday preserve the ancient form of the bidding prayer from the old Roman Sunday liturgy. A useful adaptation of this prayer for contemporary use is included in the Good Friday liturgy of Lutheran Book of Worship Ministers Desk Edition (Minneapolis: Augsburg; Philadelphia: Board of Publication, Lutheran Church in America, 1978), although forms more familiar to the congregation may also be used. To lead the intercessions, the pastor may stand in the center aisle, face the people for each bidding, and then turn to face the chancel for each silence and collect, praying with, rather than to, the people. The concluding Adoration at the Cross can be its most obviously dramatic element, but, as a part of the triduum, the theological heart of Good Friday is the Solemn Intercessions. On Good Friday, Christians commemorate the passion and death of the Lord as an act of intercession on behalf of the world by offering their own intercessions in union with those of the high priest, Jesus, who "always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25, rsv). Adoration (Meditation) at the Cross follows the Intercessions. This act becomes especially vivid if, just before the Adoration, a large, plain wooden cross is carried forward in silent procession by representative members of the congregation and placed in the center of the chancel. The cross should be displayed in a prominent place in the narthex after the stripping of the church on Holy Thursday, to become the first thing seen by worshipers as they return for Good Friday. The act of adoration is accompanied by traditional devotions which include the Reproaches, a moving recitation of God's accusations against God's people. Although the Reproaches have recently been deleted from some service books because of allegedly anti-Semitic connotations, a text acceptable to the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith is included in Handbook of the Christian Year (Nashville: Abingdon, 1986). At the close of Good Friday, after the Adoration, there is no blessing. Worshipers depart in silence or with a simple dismissal, as on Holy Thursday. The Paschal Vigil: The Triduum Concludes The triduum concludes with the Paschal Vigil, or First Service of Easter, which begins late on Holy Saturday (Easter Eve) or before dawn on the morning of Easter day. The Paschal Vigil opens in the darkness that marked the conclusion of Holy Thursday, but the darkness is soon dispelled by the Service of Light. The congregation gathers outdoors, if possible, where the new fire is kindled from which the Paschal candle is lighted. The Paschal candle leads the congregation in procession into the darkened church, where the Resurrection is proclaimed in the glorious hymns known as Exsultet. The traditional text of this musical treasure (though not necessarily its long form) deserves to be sung to its original melody—preferable by a solo voice, although other options are available [see Handbook for the Christian Year, 202–6]. As the Haggadah of the Passover Seder directs its participants to regard themselves as if they too had come forth out of Egypt, so the singing of Exsultet involves Christians in the events of their liberation, and, with its insistent refrain, "This is the night … ," marks the Paschal Vigil rather than Holy Thursday as the Christian equivalent of the Seder Haggadah. During the Service of the Word which follows, the congregation keeps vigil in semi-darkness as it listens to Old Testament readings or prophecies which anticipate the meaning of Christian baptism. Each reading is followed by its own appointed Psalm and prayer. The number and selection of these Old Testament readings may vary—as many as twelve, but not fewer than three, always including the story of the Exodus (Exod. 14:10– 15:1). Because most congregations are not accustomed to listening to a series of readings from the Bible, every effort should be made to keep this part of the vigil from becoming tedious. Capable, well-prepared lay readers should participate. If a reading contains dialogue, congregational interest is heightened if it can be divided among several voices. The psalmody after each reading may be done in a variety of ways, preferably musical. Gifted lay persons may be invited to lead the psalms to simple melodies and refrains of their own composition. From Darkness to Light After the final prophecy is read with its Psalm and prayer, all the lights in the church are turned on, the organ sounds for the first time since Holy Thursday, and "Gloria in Excelsis" or a hymn of resurrection is sung. During the singing, the chancel cross is unveiled and representatives of the congregation restore the furnishings removed on Holy Thursday and decorate the chancel with flowers of the season. In this visually dramatic moment of transition, after keeping vigil in semi-darkness in a church devoid of its usual ornamentation, the essential unity of the entire triduum "comes together" as at no other time for all but the most unobservant participants. As the anticipation of Christian baptism, the Service of the Word naturally leads to the Service of the Water. New Christians who have received final instruction during Lent (and the washing of feet on Holy Thursday) are baptized into the death and resurrection of the Lord (Rom. 6:3–11). The Paschal Vigil restores the original connection between baptism and the paschal mystery of Christ's dying and rising, and the character of Easter as the primary baptismal festival. The Service of the Water culminates in the Service of the Bread and Cup at the conclusion of the Paschal Vigil. As the entire triduum reaches its joyful climax, the community welcomes its new sister and brothers to the festive Resurrection feast (anticipated by the meal of Holy Thursday) and gathers around the table of the risen Lord, who is known to Easter people in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:35). This is the meal of the Christian Passover (Pascha)—equivalent to the Seder—which celebrates the Christian Exodus, not on the evening of Holy Thursday, but in the night of Christ's passing over from death to life. Other Possibilities Christians originally gathered before midnight on Holy Saturday and kept what was probably a much more leisurely vigil throughout the night until dawn, when new Christians were baptized and the Easter Eucharist was celebrated. Building on the structure of the twenty-four-hour prayer vigil and the three-hour Good Friday service, efforts to duplicate the pace of the primitive Paschal Vigil might appeal to some congregations. Everyone gathers for the Service of the Light late on Holy Saturday. Consistent with the true meaning of vigil, the Service of the Word is planned to last throughout the night, arranged in units of reading, Psalm, and prayer, according to a printed schedule. Between units, ample time is allowed for people to move about, visit with each other, have a cup of coffee or other refreshment. Participants either remain throughout the night or sign up for various units, with everyone gathering at dawn for baptism, Eucharist, and the breaking of the fast. Churches of the same denomination in a community might wish to cooperate in the Paschal Vigil, all-night or shorter, gathering in one building or in different buildings for each of its parts and moving between buildings in the manner of a progressive dinner. The Paschal Vigil might also be celebrated ecumenically by congregations of cooperating denominations in the same vicinity. The Service of Light and Service of the Word could be held either progressively or in the same building. Because most churches recognize each other's baptism (at least in principle), the Service of the Water could be celebrated in common, with all the candidates from participating congregations baptized together in a unified witness to the resurrection. The Service of the Bread and Cup could be celebrated in common, or, where confessional differences make intercommunion impossible, participants could disperse to separate buildings for the resurrection meal. Establishing a Precedent As the climax of the triduum, the Paschal Vigil deserves the best efforts of both planners and participants, and should employ the full range of musical and other artistic gifts present in the congregation. Unfortunately, of the three parts of the triduum, the Paschal Vigil is the least familiar. While most congregations expect services on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, there is no precedent for a two-hour service late on Easter eve or before dawn on Easter day. But by celebrating the Paschal Vigil annually for a period of several years, a precedent can be established, and support can be built. With careful promotion and interpretation, and my involving as many participants as possible, most congregations of average size can expect a good response to a late-evening Paschal Vigil the first year. But it would be a mistake to assume a similar response in subsequent years, without exerting the same effort to educate and involve. Success is measured, not by how many can be persuaded to attend the Paschal Vigil for the first time, but by how many are still attending the Paschal Vigil after fifteen consecutive years of annual celebration. Triduum of the Risen Christ Just as the triduum is not three services, but one service, celebrating one event, so too the triduum is not an exercise in make-believe or a game of let's pretend—as though we could somehow make the final events of Jesus' life happen all over again. When we commemorate the institution of the Lord's Supper on Holy (Maundy) Thursday, it is the risen Jesus who stoops to wash our feet and feed us—not a Jesus who is about to suffer. When we hear the Passion according to John and offer the Solemn Intercessions on Good Friday, it is the risen Jesus who steps forward and takes charge, just as it is the risen Jesus who always lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25, rsv)—not a Jesus who is about to die. When we announce the Resurrection during the Paschal Vigil, it is the Jesus risen once and for all whom we proclaim—not a Jesus who is being raised all over again. "Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him" (Rom. 6:9, rsv). The triduum is always to be celebrated from the perspective of this irreversible act.