Holy Week 2023

In the Church’s year, one week stands out as the most solemn and prayerful - Holy Week. Holy Week is different from all other weeks. This week has been supercharged with meaning. The most important events in salvation history are commemorated this week. In Hebrew tradition, this week commemorates the first week of creation, the week of the Exodus from Egypt, the week of entry into the promised land, and the week when the Messiah would come. It is the week of creation and salvation and the life and worship of the Jewish people revolved around this event. This is the week they celebrate the great Passover. In Christian tradition, this is the week Christ entered Jerusalem to suffer, die, and rise again and it is the week when he will return at the end of time to judge the living and the dead. For us, it is the week of new creation and salvation in Christ. We celebrate it as the anniversary of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem up to his resurrection. Yet, it does not happen on a fixed date but during a time as close as possible to how the universe was when these events happened. According to Church tradition, Jesus died and rose from the dead at the time of the spring equinox, when daytime and nighttime are of equal hours, and when the moon was full. Spring means rebirth or new life; the equinox brings us back to the time of creation when God divided light and darkness into two equal parts, and the full moon signifies fullness of light and endless light. At this time two thousand years ago, Christ gave up his life for us and rose from the dead. These cosmological elements remind us of the event, and they recapture it for us. May we spend this week walking together in Christ to His Cross and so share in the joy and glory of His resurrection. 

Cover display by Mr. Donald Polilio. 
Write-up by Mr. Jeff Velasco