The holiest time of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum. The word Triduum is Latin for “three days.” The celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season.
The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, continues to the evening of Good Friday, then to the Easter Vigil of Holy Saturday night through Easter morning, and then concludes with Evening Prayer (Vespers) on Easter Sunday. Hence, three days are observed.
During these most sacred days of the Triduum, we observe in a solemn way the greatest mystery of our redemption: The Paschal Mystery – the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
At the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the Church is drawn into the whole event of Christ’s Death and Resurrection. This Mass focuses on the institution of the Eucharist. The priest washes the feet of parishioner. Bread and wine are changed into the real presence of our Lord. We stay with Christ after Mass in adoration, called to watch in prayer like the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane.