Sometime ago, probably around the 3rd Century BC, a man who identified himself only as Qoheleth (which means Preacher, or Teacher, or Gatherer in Hebrew) reflected on the meaning of life in a book we have come to call Ecclesiastes. In it he pronounced, “There is a TIME for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1NIV) Holy Week is the TIME to take the time to remember the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. It is sacred time.
Christians around the world remember these events through a series of special worship services. No one knows for sure when this tradition began; however, a woman by the name of Egeria went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 381AD, and she wrote in her journal an account of the Holy Week rites she attended while there. The most common Holy Week Services still observed today are Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. These are observed the week preceding Easter.
Unlike many holidays (holy days), Easter is not a fixed date. The date of Easter is set based upon the lunisolar calendar. Easter is set to fall on the first Sunday which falls after the full moon that occurs on, or closest to March 21. This year the full moon will rise on Wednesday, March 23 so Easter will be March 27. Palm Sunday is always the Sunday before Easter, thus Holy Week this year will be March 20-26.
The Record Bee will be publishing a special feature on each day Holy Week Services are observed. In the Religion section March 19, the day before Palm Sunday, for example, we will feature a special article on the history, meaning and traditions of Palm Sunday followed by a brief paragraph submitted by any Lake County Church planning a Palm Sunday Service. We will do the same for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter.
If your faith community will be offering any or all of these services, please submit a brief article telling us about each service.
Name of Church.
Name & Time of Special Service
A few sentences describing the event.
The address of the church.
Contact name and number.
Holy Week submissions should be emailed to editor Dave Faries at dfaries@record-bee.com by noon on March 25.
Rev. Shannon Kimbell-Auth serves as pastor for United Christian Parish
