The final week of Jesus’s life is known as the Holy Week or the Passion Week. It is a significant week for Christians worldwide as it marks the events leading up to Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection. The Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday.
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by crowds waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna” (meaning “Save now”). This event is recorded in all four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It symbolizes Jesus’s arrival as the long-awaited Messiah who would save God’s people.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday is also known as Holy Thursday or Covenant Thursday. This day commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples, where he instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion. During this meal, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, giving them an example of humble service and love.
The Last Supper
The Last Supper was a Passover meal that Jesus celebrated with his disciples on Maundy Thursday. During this meal, he broke bread and shared wine with his disciples, telling them that it represented his body and blood that would be given for them. He also predicted his betrayal by Judas Iscariot and his denial by Peter.
Good Friday
Good Friday is the day when Christians remember Jesus’s crucifixion and death on the cross. It is a solemn day of mourning and reflection on the sacrifice that Jesus made for humanity’s sins.
The Crucifixion
Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane Garden after praying to God to let this cup pass from him if it was possible but said not my will but yours be done. He was then taken before Pilate, the Roman Governor, who found him innocent. However, to appease the Jewish leaders and the crowd, he ordered Jesus’s crucifixion.
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is the culmination of the Holy Week when Christians celebrate Jesus’s resurrection from the dead. It is a day of joy and hope as it marks Jesus’s victory over sin and death.
The Resurrection
On the third day after his crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead. The tomb was found empty by Mary Magdalene and other women who had come to anoint Jesus’s body with spices. The resurrected Jesus appeared to his disciples and many others before ascending to heaven.
- Palm Sunday – commemorates Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem
- Maundy Thursday – commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples
- Good Friday – commemorates Jesus’s crucifixion and death on the cross
- Easter Sunday – celebrates Jesus’s resurrection from the dead
In conclusion, Holy Week is a time for Christians worldwide to remember and reflect on the events leading up to Jesus’s death and resurrection. It is a time of mourning, repentance, and renewal as we remember God’s great love for humanity.