The Easter Triduum begins with this Mass and ends with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday; the Church counts it as the summit of the whole liturgical year. Earlier the same day the bishop gathers his priests in the cathedral for the Chrism Mass, at which the holy oils for the coming year are blessed and the sacred chrism consecrated. In the evening every parish celebrates the one Mass of the Lord's Supper, and the whole community is invited, since this Mass makes present the night on which the Lord gave himself. The Gloria is sung after the long silence of Lent and the bells are rung; then bells and organ fall silent until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil. The readings are the same every year: the institution of the Passover in Exodus, Saint Paul's account of the Supper handed on to him — the earliest written witness to the Eucharist — and John's account of the washing of the disciples' feet. The Missal places the washing of feet, the Mandatum, after the homily; in 2016 Pope Francis decreed that those chosen may be taken from among all the members of the People of God. After the prayer after Communion the Blessed Sacrament is carried in procession to a place of reposition prepared elsewhere in the church, while Pange Lingua is sung, its last verses, Tantum Ergo, at the moment of reposition. The altar is then stripped and crosses are removed or veiled. The faithful are urged to remain in adoration for some part of the night, keeping watch as the Lord asked in Gethsemane; adoration continues at least until midnight, though after that hour it is kept without solemnity. No Mass may be celebrated after this one until the Easter Vigil, except for the sick.

Liturgical season

Triduum

• Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
• 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
• John 13:1-15

liturgical_season