Happy Easter! Felices Pascuas! Χριστός ἀνέστη! – Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Easter Sunday is the most important day of the Liturgical Year, as the Church throughout the world celebrates the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Dead. The Word of God took on human flesh (John 1:14), was born of the Virgin Mary, was Baptized in the Jordan River by John, called the Twelve to be his Apostles, embarked on his public ministry around Galilee, and journeyed to Jerusalem to Suffer, to Die, and to Rise from the Dead – for the sake of the salvation of Humanity and the Re-Creation of the World.

This weekend begins the most-solemn week of the Liturgical Year: Holy Week. Originating as a means by which the unbaptized Catechumens would prepare themselves for Baptism at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, Holy Week became one the principal ways in which the Church commemorates the various events of the Lord’s own Passion, Death and Resurrection.

Passiontide and the Covering of Images Though Holy Week begins next week, the Holy Mother Church anticipates the celebration of the Paschal Mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ – that is, his Passion, Death and Resurrection – by preparing us in a number of ways in anticipation of Holy Week. This Sunday, the Fifth Sunday of Lent is the beginning of what is called “Passiontide”.