Holy Week

Holy Week commemorates the seven days leading up to <a href="/facts/Easter/LYPGCQge">Easter</a>. It begins with the commemoration of <a href="/facts/Triumphal_entry_into_Jerusalem/5D4V36LI">Christ's triumphal entry</a> into <a href="/facts/Jerusalem/PKJ8LT0Y">Jerusalem</a> on <a href="/facts/Palm_Sunday/AbWVfUhu">Palm Sunday</a>, marks the <a href="/facts/Betrayal_of_Jesus/69DjKRtM">betrayal of Jesus</a> on <a href="/facts/Spy_Wednesday/MvepqSAa">Spy Wednesday</a> (<a href="/facts/Holy_Wednesday/MvepqSAa">Holy Wednesday</a>), climaxing with the commemoration of the <a href="/facts/Last_Supper/94qJrkNp">Last Supper</a> on <a href="/facts/Maundy_Thursday/7sNTWDVs">Maundy Thursday</a> (<a href="/facts/Holy_Thursday/7sNTWDVs">Holy Thursday</a>) and the <a href="/facts/Passion_of_Jesus/zHxtCPQd">Passion of Jesus</a> on <a href="/facts/Good_Friday/TDXcVFfH">Good Friday</a> (<a href="/facts/Holy_Friday/TDXcVFfH">Holy Friday</a>). Holy Week concludes with Christ's <a href="/facts/Crucifixion_of_Jesus/6BmdyCNg">death</a> and <a href="/facts/Harrowing_of_Hell/7KXJRtBn">descent into hell</a> on <a href="/facts/Holy_Saturday/E87ugXRR">Holy Saturday</a>. For all Christian traditions, it is a <a href="/facts/Moveable_feast/0TzbTtxw">moveable observance</a>. In <a href="/facts/Eastern_Christianity/ks2ztPhI">Eastern Christianity</a>, which also calls it Great Week, it is the week following <a href="/facts/Great_Lent/H6NLE5IC">Great Lent</a> and <a href="/facts/Lazarus_Saturday/tWo9oD4I">Lazarus Saturday</a>, starting on the evening of <a href="/facts/Palm_Sunday/AbWVfUhu">Palm Sunday</a> and concluding on the evening of <a href="/facts/Holy_Saturday/E87ugXRR">Great Saturday</a>. In <a href="/facts/Western_Christianity/9YP8vhKs">Western Christianity</a>, Holy Week is the sixth and last week of <a href="/facts/Lent/DCjMp9Ly">Lent</a>, beginning with Palm Sunday and concluding on <a href="/facts/Holy_Saturday/E87ugXRR">Holy Saturday</a>.
Christians believe that Jesus rested in death from the ninth hour (3 pm) on Good Friday until just before dawn on Sunday morning, the day of <a href="/facts/Resurrection_of_Jesus/6oxjSUry">his resurrection from death</a>, known as Easter Sunday. However, in <a href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=1%20Peter%203:19&version=nrsv">1 Peter 3:19</a>, there may be a clue as to a task Jesus performed during this period between death and resurrection: "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." This marks the beginning of the season of <a href="/facts/Eastertide/JXx9WWDz">Eastertide</a>, with its first week being known as <a href="/facts/Easter_Week/o5aolEGg">Easter Week</a> (or <a href="/facts/Bright_Week/4Rd49UDC">Bright Week</a>).
Holy Week <a href="/facts/Liturgies/GlxuzMSY">liturgies</a> generally attract the largest crowds of the year. Many <a href="/facts/Christian_culture/R1IaF7yj">Christian cultures</a> have different traditions such as special liturgies or services, floats, sculptures or live reenactments of Christ's life, his arrest and <a href="/facts/Crucifixion/754Fyshn">crucifixion</a> (also called the Lord's Passion or <a href="/facts/Passion_of_Jesus/zHxtCPQd">Passion of Jesus</a>); the latter are known as <a href="/facts/Passion_Play/VxwrXFnK">Passion Plays</a>, which are often <a href="/facts/Ecumenism/1Yyzv1zM">interdenominational</a> productions. In Eastern Rite Churches there are also many means to commemorate the <a href="/facts/Great_Feasts/Solkde4A">Great Feasts</a> and emphasize the theme of resurrection. Many television channels air films related to Holy Week, such as <a href="/facts/The_Ten_Commandments_(1956_film)/wxdqlJfW">The Ten Commandments</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Greatest_Story_Ever_Told/y3zzS79k">The Greatest Story Ever Told</a> and <a href="/facts/The_Jesus_Film/6oX5jVuo">The Jesus Film</a>.

Holy Week open-in-new

Holy Week