Posted April 2, 2013

The summit of the Church’s liturgical year is the Easter Triduum — from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery.

The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night.

The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion and Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord. The following photos by CatholicPhilly.com staff photographer Sarah Webb capture the moments of these liturgies this year in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

  • Hundreds of priests in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia sing a hymn during Communion at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, March 28, at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia.

  • Holy Thursday, the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

  • Msgr. Joseph McGeown, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Philadelphia’s Andorra section, sings a hymn during the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

  • Archbishop Charles Chaput blesses the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of Catechumens at the Chrism Mass March 28, 2013.

  • Archbishop Charles Chaput mixes fragrant balsam into the Oil of Chrism at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, March 28.

  • Holy Thursday, the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

  • Father John Masson, from Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Warminster, receives the blood of Christ during the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday.

  • Holy Thursday, the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

  • After the Chrism Mass Archbishop Chaput greets many of the young people present for the Mass, including three busloads of Latino Catholics from St. Rocco Parish, Avondale.

  • The Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday last year gathered hundreds of priests and lay faithful in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. (Sarah Webb)

  • Msgr. Paul Dougherty preaches the homily during Easter Sunday Mass at St. Albert the Great Church in Huntingdon Valley.

  • Msgr. Paul Dougherty, pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish in Huntingdon Valley, blesses parishioners on Easter Sunday after they renewed their baptismal vows.

  • Easter Sunday at St. Albert the Great Parish in Huntingdon Valley.

  • Juliana Stein is all smiles after Easter Sunday Mass at St. Albert the Great Church in Huntingdon Valley.

  • Gracie Mae Clift hugs her bunny tight after Easter Sunday Mass March 31 at St. Albert the Great Church in Huntingdon Valley.

  • Msgr. Joseph Duncan, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Bensalem, prepares to proclaim the Gospel during the Easter Vigil Mass at the church.

  • The paschal candle is presented during the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bensalem.

  • Bishop John McIntyre blesses the paschal candle and holy water in the baptismal font during the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bensalem. The prayers highlighted the significance of signs of fire and water, symbolizing the light of Christ in His resurrection and the purification of water in baptism.

  • Altar servers help parishioners light their candles during the Service of Light, the opening rite during Easter Vigil Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bensalem.

  • Easter Vigil Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bensalem.

  • Parishioners symbolically share the light of Christ during Easter Vigil Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bensalem.

  • Bishop John McIntyre blesses parishioners at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bensalem as they renew their baptismal vows during the Easter Vigil mass.

  • Parishioners from St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in South Philadelphia process through the streets for the living stations on Good Friday, March, 29.

  • Parishioners from St. Thomas Aquinas Parish process through the streets of South Philadelphia for the living stations on Good Friday, March, 29.

  • Parishioners from St. Thomas Aquinas Parish act out the living stations through their South Philadelphia neighborhood on Good Friday.

  • Parishioners from St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in South Philadelphia act out the living stations through the neighborhood on Good Friday.

  • Parishioners at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in South Philadelphia portray Jesus being stripped of his garments in an outdoor living stations procession on Good Friday.

  • Right Rev. Richard Antonucci, O.Praem., lies prostrate in prayer on Good Friday at Daylesford Abbey, of which he is the abbot.

  • Young men carry the cross through the church on Good Friday at Daylesford Abbey.

  • The shroud of the cross is dramatically unfurled before being placed on the altar during the Good Friday liturgy at Daylesford Abbey.

  • The cloth that had shrouded the cross becomes the altar linen, during the liturgy on Good Friday at Daylesford Abbey.

  • The cross is raised for veneration at Daylesford Abbey in Paoli on Good Friday, March 29.

  • Good Friday at Daylesford Abbey, Paoli.

  • Transitional deacon Sean Loomis proclaims the Gospel during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper March 28.

  • Archbishop Charles Chaput at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday at the Cathedral Basilica of SS Peter and Paul.

  • Archbishop Charles Chaput washes the feet of seminarians at the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, March 28 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

  • Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.