Holy Week in the Maronite Church
By Fr. George El-Andari
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Holy Week or Passion Week in the Maronite Church is rich in tradition; it’s a significant liturgical season that commemorates the events leading up to the crucifixion, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is a time of remembrance of the final events in Jesus’ earthly life. During it, the faithful reflect upon and live out all that Jesus went through for the salvation of the human race so that we may one day share in his divine grace in his Heavenly Kingdom.
During the forty days of Great Lent, the Maronite Church guides us through a significant spiritual season focused on prayer, fasting and almsgiving, which means a time of reflection, meditating, thanksgiving, transformation and renewal of a heart that leads us to the harbor of Holy Week. Holy Week is viewed as an independent liturgical season within Great Lent that leads up to the resurrection.. |
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Holy Week starts with “Naheero” or the “Coming to the Harbor” on the evening of Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday. The richness of this great week comes from the richness of the great mystery we celebrate, the mystery of Christ the crucified Redeemer, the Man of sorrows, the Lord of Glory. During this week, the number of prayers increases significantly in the Maronite liturgy. The first three days of Holy Week are particularly focused on a specific theme, with prayers, hymns, and Scriptural readings to reflect that theme. All the readings during this week, especially those of the first three days, revolve around the passion and suffering of Christ. Each focuses on a particular aspect of Christ’s character as revealed through a figure and a biblical parable
On Palm Sunday evening, the celebration of “Naheero” or “the Coming to the Harbor” is a significant Maronite rite. This ceremony marks the beginning of Holy Week and symbolizes the faithful’s arrival at a place of safety after a period of fasting and prayer. It is a time of reflection and preparation for the events leading up to Easter. The name “Naheero” or “Coming to the Harbor” emphasizes the transition from Lent to the solemn observation of Holy Week. This unique liturgical rite includes specific prayers and hymns that reflect on the themes of salvation and readiness for Christ’s passion. In it, the community gathers for prayers and reflections, fostering a sense of unity and sharing faith as they prepare for Easter. The rite of “Coming to the Harbor” begins outside of the Church and moves inside the Church after a candlelit procession. This is to symbolize that Christ is the true light of the world. The proclamation of the Gospel on this day is the Parable of the Ten Virgins who are awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom. In this parable, Jesus meant to teach us the necessity of being prepared and vigilant for the return of Christ, as those who are ready will enter the Kingdom of Heaven while the unprepared will be left out.
Holy Monday: the hymns and prayers of Holy Monday remind us of Joseph the righteous, the son of Jacob, who was sold and suffered in his life because of his brothers. In the readings, we see how Joseph was betrayed. Joseph is a type of Christ; his storyonly anticipates what Jesus Christ suffered. As Joseph was dishonored and sold by his brothers for thirty pieces of silver, Jesus was similarly betrayed by Judas the Iscariot, who gave him up for thirty pieces of silver. The second parable shared on Holy Monday is that of the barren fig tree and the withered vine, symbolizing the barrenness of the Jewish people, the rejection of their places of worship, and the threat to the Holy City of Jerusalem. We see Christ as the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament. Jesus is the suffering servant of Isaiah who was delivered to human hands, suffered, spit on, whipped, humiliated, and put to death for our own sake.
Holy Tuesday: Tuesday of Holy Week in the Maronite Rite recounts the recurring theme of the vineyard that appeared in Monday’s hymns and chants. This theme is embodied in the figure of Naboth the Jezreelite, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahad, King of Samaria. Jezebel incited her husband, Ahad, to kill Naboth so that she could take the vineyard. This story illustrates the grave error into which the kings of Israel fell, between the unjust sentence of stoning against Naboth the Jezreelite and the sentence of crucifixion against Jesus at the hands of false witnesses who only remotely resembled what happened to Jesus. Jesus, the innocent king, died to atone for the sins of the kings of his people.
Holy Wednesday: The prayers of Holy Wednesday are very rich in biblical figures and events. The figure of Job the Righteous dominates the prayers, which is why it is also called Job's Wednesday. Job is likened to Jesus, who likewise was an innocent man who endured great suffering. Job is an example of patience, faith in God, and faithfulness to Him. This day’s prayers and hymns urge us to emulate Job the Righteous, who has become a model for every righteous person who suffers and loves God. Through Job, the righteous and suffering Christ teaches us that suffering, even unto death, is an act of love beyond compare. With Job, a great figure emerges, distinguished by her love and humility: Mary Magdalene. On this day, we have Job and Mary Magdalene. We also see the image of the woman washing Christ's feet with her tears. We all know how Mary Magdalene washed Jesus' feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. This image depicts the contrast between Judas Iscariot, who betrayed his Teacher to the priests, and Mary Magdalene's love for Jesus.
On this day, the Church also celebrates the Rite of the Lamp. Rich in meaning, the Rite of the Lamp is deeply rooted in Maronite heritage, reflecting ancient traditions and the community’s spiritual journey during Lent. Seven wicks in the dough represent the seven lamps envisioned by the Prophet Jeremiah and by John the Apostle in the book of Revelation; the dough symbolizes the body of Job and humanity’s brokenness and suffering. During the celebration, the oil, which represents healing, is blessed, and all the faithful receive it through an anointing on the forehead.
Joseph son of Jacob, Nabot Elisrael, and Job the righteous: these three personalities represent humanity in its entire anthropological and existential dimension—manwho is suffering and the trial of Evil through his life asthe Church always searches for answers to the questions of Evil and pain. Reflecting on the life of the three, there is a common pain among the ones who are suffering, which is not a meaningless pain. Rather, it is the pain that precedes the rescue of God in the life of every human being who is a victim of human injustice and a target of Evil.
Holy Thursday: Holy Thursday, or “Thursday of the Holy Mysteries” in the Maronite liturgical texts, is the first day of the Easter Triduum. The prayers of this day focus on the final hours of Christ's presence with his disciples when He washed their feet, and the readings center on Easter and its meaning. In the reading from Luke, Jesus shares the Jewish Passover meal with his disciples. Jesus ate the lamb and unleavened bread and drank the cup. Between Jesus' Christian Eucharistic meal and the consecration of the bread of his body and the cup of his blood, there is an important comparison. In the second part of the meal, the mystery of the Eucharist remains the center of spiritual life in the Kingdom of Jesus. In addition, on this day, we have: the Rite of Chrismation (Chrism Mass), celebrated by the Patriarch; the Rite of the Washing of the Feet; and the Rite of the Celebration of the Last Supper. So, Holy Thursday is very important; it is Easter Thursday. It is called Holy Thursday because on that day, Jesus established the Sacraments, especially the Sacraments of the Eucharist and the Priesthood. It is the Thursday of the Priests who are the servants of the Holy Sacraments and the administrators of the Holy Eucharist in memory of our Lord, in memory of His death and resurrection until He comes back.
In the Maronite Rite, the Church fulfills the commandment of our Lord to “love one another as I have loved you” on this day. The priest washes the feet of twelve parishioners, acting in persona Christi, showing love, compassion, and humility as the servant to his people. Jesus gave himself as an example to follow when He washed the feet of his disciples to fulfill the prophecies of the prophet Isaiah who spoke about the Suffering Servant. Lastly, faithful people may visit seven Churches, symbolizing the seven Sacraments, and meditate on one of the Sacraments while adoring the Exposed Eucharist in each Church they visit.
Holy Friday: Holy Friday, also known as Good Friday, is a day of profound significance, centered on the death of Christ the Redeemer. All the mysteries, culminating in the Eucharist on Holy Thursday, reach their full salvific power in the darkness of Good Friday with the Redeemer's death on the Cross. It is a day of profound sorrow, following a day of profound love. On this day, the Maronite Church celebrates the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts, also known as the liturgy of the “Signing of the Chalice,” which is a solemn communion. The Church also celebrates the Adoration of the Cross on this day in memory of death of Jesus Christ who was crucified on the “wood of shame.” This adoration carries very rich symbols and meanings, varying according to each rite. Its true meaning s found only in its complementary rite, the Rite of Peace, the Rite of Christ's Victory over Death, which concludes and completes the Paschal Liturgy. Before the adoration of the Cross, faithful bring flowers to honor the Holy Cross, placed into the shroud that will be laid in the tomb prepared especially for this day before the cross is buried until Easter Sunday.
Holy Saturday: In the Maronite Church, Saturday of Holy Week is called “Saturday of Light.” This day is a day of painful sorrow. It is the last day of the Holy Week and the last day of Lent. It is the day that our Lord chose to enter the tomb and visit the Dead. The Church observes this day with the Divine Offices and the rite of forgiveness, which is a prayer that celebrates the forgiveness won by the death of Jesus Christ. It is a Saturday of confession on which all faithful are urged to confess at least once a year before Easter. The Church refrains from all signs of joy and celebrations, including the celebration of the Eucharist. Today is a day that is full of spiritual richness because Christ temporarily parted from his bride, the Church, until the hour of the resurrection. Hence, this day, which is filled with hidden but rich lights, is a special liturgical day. It is the only Saturday of the year in which fasting is mandatory for the community who lives a period of waiting for the return of the awaited Christ, risen from the grave and returning in glory to the Father.
Easter Vigil and the Glorious Resurrection: The Easter Vigil is the night before Easter spent in prayers and praises of the Resurrected Christ. Our Maronite Church shares this tradition with the Roman Catholic Church, as the keeping of the Easter Vigil is a common heritage for all Eastern and Western Churches. Yet what we wait most for is the celebration of Easter at Midnight, the first hour of the glorious day. The celebration of Easter concludes with the Rite of Peace, where after the liturgical celebration, the priest blesses the congregation with the Cross and all parishioners come forward and kiss it. After the Easter celebration, people take the flowers laid in Jesus’ tomb on Good Friday back to recognize the new life won by our Lord’s resurrection.
Maronite Holy Week offers unique spiritual gifts and traditional practices that originated in the ancient Church. During this sacred time, the Maronite Church emphasizes deep spiritual reflection and participation in liturgical celebrations, which are designed to enhance the faithful’s love for Christ and his Church and encourage participation. During Holy Week, our spiritual gifts are engaging in prayers, meditations and reflections that deepen our faith and connection to God and this closeness to God helps us pray, fast, love, give, repent, forgive, and have mercy on each other.
Holy Monday: the hymns and prayers of Holy Monday remind us of Joseph the righteous, the son of Jacob, who was sold and suffered in his life because of his brothers. In the readings, we see how Joseph was betrayed. Joseph is a type of Christ; his storyonly anticipates what Jesus Christ suffered. As Joseph was dishonored and sold by his brothers for thirty pieces of silver, Jesus was similarly betrayed by Judas the Iscariot, who gave him up for thirty pieces of silver. The second parable shared on Holy Monday is that of the barren fig tree and the withered vine, symbolizing the barrenness of the Jewish people, the rejection of their places of worship, and the threat to the Holy City of Jerusalem. We see Christ as the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament. Jesus is the suffering servant of Isaiah who was delivered to human hands, suffered, spit on, whipped, humiliated, and put to death for our own sake.
Holy Tuesday: Tuesday of Holy Week in the Maronite Rite recounts the recurring theme of the vineyard that appeared in Monday’s hymns and chants. This theme is embodied in the figure of Naboth the Jezreelite, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahad, King of Samaria. Jezebel incited her husband, Ahad, to kill Naboth so that she could take the vineyard. This story illustrates the grave error into which the kings of Israel fell, between the unjust sentence of stoning against Naboth the Jezreelite and the sentence of crucifixion against Jesus at the hands of false witnesses who only remotely resembled what happened to Jesus. Jesus, the innocent king, died to atone for the sins of the kings of his people.
Holy Wednesday: The prayers of Holy Wednesday are very rich in biblical figures and events. The figure of Job the Righteous dominates the prayers, which is why it is also called Job's Wednesday. Job is likened to Jesus, who likewise was an innocent man who endured great suffering. Job is an example of patience, faith in God, and faithfulness to Him. This day’s prayers and hymns urge us to emulate Job the Righteous, who has become a model for every righteous person who suffers and loves God. Through Job, the righteous and suffering Christ teaches us that suffering, even unto death, is an act of love beyond compare. With Job, a great figure emerges, distinguished by her love and humility: Mary Magdalene. On this day, we have Job and Mary Magdalene. We also see the image of the woman washing Christ's feet with her tears. We all know how Mary Magdalene washed Jesus' feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. This image depicts the contrast between Judas Iscariot, who betrayed his Teacher to the priests, and Mary Magdalene's love for Jesus.
On this day, the Church also celebrates the Rite of the Lamp. Rich in meaning, the Rite of the Lamp is deeply rooted in Maronite heritage, reflecting ancient traditions and the community’s spiritual journey during Lent. Seven wicks in the dough represent the seven lamps envisioned by the Prophet Jeremiah and by John the Apostle in the book of Revelation; the dough symbolizes the body of Job and humanity’s brokenness and suffering. During the celebration, the oil, which represents healing, is blessed, and all the faithful receive it through an anointing on the forehead.
Joseph son of Jacob, Nabot Elisrael, and Job the righteous: these three personalities represent humanity in its entire anthropological and existential dimension—manwho is suffering and the trial of Evil through his life asthe Church always searches for answers to the questions of Evil and pain. Reflecting on the life of the three, there is a common pain among the ones who are suffering, which is not a meaningless pain. Rather, it is the pain that precedes the rescue of God in the life of every human being who is a victim of human injustice and a target of Evil.
Holy Thursday: Holy Thursday, or “Thursday of the Holy Mysteries” in the Maronite liturgical texts, is the first day of the Easter Triduum. The prayers of this day focus on the final hours of Christ's presence with his disciples when He washed their feet, and the readings center on Easter and its meaning. In the reading from Luke, Jesus shares the Jewish Passover meal with his disciples. Jesus ate the lamb and unleavened bread and drank the cup. Between Jesus' Christian Eucharistic meal and the consecration of the bread of his body and the cup of his blood, there is an important comparison. In the second part of the meal, the mystery of the Eucharist remains the center of spiritual life in the Kingdom of Jesus. In addition, on this day, we have: the Rite of Chrismation (Chrism Mass), celebrated by the Patriarch; the Rite of the Washing of the Feet; and the Rite of the Celebration of the Last Supper. So, Holy Thursday is very important; it is Easter Thursday. It is called Holy Thursday because on that day, Jesus established the Sacraments, especially the Sacraments of the Eucharist and the Priesthood. It is the Thursday of the Priests who are the servants of the Holy Sacraments and the administrators of the Holy Eucharist in memory of our Lord, in memory of His death and resurrection until He comes back.
In the Maronite Rite, the Church fulfills the commandment of our Lord to “love one another as I have loved you” on this day. The priest washes the feet of twelve parishioners, acting in persona Christi, showing love, compassion, and humility as the servant to his people. Jesus gave himself as an example to follow when He washed the feet of his disciples to fulfill the prophecies of the prophet Isaiah who spoke about the Suffering Servant. Lastly, faithful people may visit seven Churches, symbolizing the seven Sacraments, and meditate on one of the Sacraments while adoring the Exposed Eucharist in each Church they visit.
Holy Friday: Holy Friday, also known as Good Friday, is a day of profound significance, centered on the death of Christ the Redeemer. All the mysteries, culminating in the Eucharist on Holy Thursday, reach their full salvific power in the darkness of Good Friday with the Redeemer's death on the Cross. It is a day of profound sorrow, following a day of profound love. On this day, the Maronite Church celebrates the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts, also known as the liturgy of the “Signing of the Chalice,” which is a solemn communion. The Church also celebrates the Adoration of the Cross on this day in memory of death of Jesus Christ who was crucified on the “wood of shame.” This adoration carries very rich symbols and meanings, varying according to each rite. Its true meaning s found only in its complementary rite, the Rite of Peace, the Rite of Christ's Victory over Death, which concludes and completes the Paschal Liturgy. Before the adoration of the Cross, faithful bring flowers to honor the Holy Cross, placed into the shroud that will be laid in the tomb prepared especially for this day before the cross is buried until Easter Sunday.
Holy Saturday: In the Maronite Church, Saturday of Holy Week is called “Saturday of Light.” This day is a day of painful sorrow. It is the last day of the Holy Week and the last day of Lent. It is the day that our Lord chose to enter the tomb and visit the Dead. The Church observes this day with the Divine Offices and the rite of forgiveness, which is a prayer that celebrates the forgiveness won by the death of Jesus Christ. It is a Saturday of confession on which all faithful are urged to confess at least once a year before Easter. The Church refrains from all signs of joy and celebrations, including the celebration of the Eucharist. Today is a day that is full of spiritual richness because Christ temporarily parted from his bride, the Church, until the hour of the resurrection. Hence, this day, which is filled with hidden but rich lights, is a special liturgical day. It is the only Saturday of the year in which fasting is mandatory for the community who lives a period of waiting for the return of the awaited Christ, risen from the grave and returning in glory to the Father.
Easter Vigil and the Glorious Resurrection: The Easter Vigil is the night before Easter spent in prayers and praises of the Resurrected Christ. Our Maronite Church shares this tradition with the Roman Catholic Church, as the keeping of the Easter Vigil is a common heritage for all Eastern and Western Churches. Yet what we wait most for is the celebration of Easter at Midnight, the first hour of the glorious day. The celebration of Easter concludes with the Rite of Peace, where after the liturgical celebration, the priest blesses the congregation with the Cross and all parishioners come forward and kiss it. After the Easter celebration, people take the flowers laid in Jesus’ tomb on Good Friday back to recognize the new life won by our Lord’s resurrection.
Maronite Holy Week offers unique spiritual gifts and traditional practices that originated in the ancient Church. During this sacred time, the Maronite Church emphasizes deep spiritual reflection and participation in liturgical celebrations, which are designed to enhance the faithful’s love for Christ and his Church and encourage participation. During Holy Week, our spiritual gifts are engaging in prayers, meditations and reflections that deepen our faith and connection to God and this closeness to God helps us pray, fast, love, give, repent, forgive, and have mercy on each other.
