Holy Week is the most sacred week in Christianity that occurs the week after Lazarus Saturday. Every year, the Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday. In 2023, the Week begins on April 2, 2023, and concludes on April 9, 2023. In Eastern Rite Churches, Holy Week starts after 40 days of Lent whereas, in the Western Christian Churches, it falls on the last week of Lent or Sixth Lent Week. In this article, you can find the details of the Holy Week 2023 Schedule, along with the significance and celebration of each day.
Schedule for Holy Week in 2023 (Holy Saturday falls on April 8)
Check out the schedule for Holy Week in 2023 according to Western Christianity:
| Event | Date | Day |
| Palm Sunday | April 2, 2023 | Sunday |
| Holy Monday | April 3, 2023 | Monday |
| Holy Tuesday | April 4, 2023 | Tuesday |
| Holy Wednesday | April 5, 2023 | Wednesday |
| Maundy Thursday | April 6, 2023 | Thursday |
| Good Friday | April 7, 2023 | Friday |
| Holy Saturday | April 8, 2023 | Saturday |
| Easter Sunday | April 9, 2023 | Sunday |
Note: In Eastern Christianity, Holy Week will be observed from April 9 to April 15.
Significance of Holy Week
Every day of the Holy Week has its own significance as explained below.
- Palm Sunday: Every year, Palm Sunday is observed on Sunday that falls before Easter. The day commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
- Holy Wednesday: This day commemorates the story of Judas arranging his betrayal of Jesus with the chief priests. Holy Wednesday is also known as Spy Wednesday.
- Maundy Thursday: Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday is the fourth day of Holy Week. It commemorates the Washing of the Feet (Maundy) and the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. The day also initiates the period commemorating the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
- Good Friday: Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, and Black Friday.
- Holy Saturday: Holy Saturday, also known as the Great Sabbath, or Hallelujah Saturday, commemorates the Harrowing of Hell when the body of Jesus Christ lay in the tomb.
- Easter Sunday: Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Easter is the third day of the burial of Christ following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary.
Celebration of Holy Week 2023
Specific celebrations are carried out on each day of the Holy Week according to Christian traditions. The celebrations for each day of Holy Week are discussed below.
To celebrate Palm Sunday, palm branches are blessed by the Church Priest and distributed among devotees. These branches represent the palm branches scattered by the crowd in front of Christ as he rode into Jerusalem. These branches are further woven into crucifixes, rings, and other ornaments.
Monday through Wednesday of Holy Week
From Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday, daily mass takes place in Churches and prayer services are offered.
On the occasion of Maundy Thursday, the Pope traditionally washes and kisses the feet of 12 people in memory of Christ’s washing the feet of his disciples. These people are generally the members of Church.
There are no traditional celebrations of Good Friday and people observe this day with a fast and offer prayers in churches. Devotees mourn the death of Jesus Christ following his crucifixion on Good Friday.
Holy Saturday
As per older tradition, graves are decorated with flowers on Holy Saturday and the celebration of the sunrise service starts before dawn on Easter Sunday.
On Easter Sunday, people visit the church and offer prayers to Jesus Christ. They also decorate Easter eggs and Easter baskets on this day and prepare traditional Easter dinners.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Holy Week celebrates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Palm Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday.
Good Friday is a day of sadness and mourning as Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.
