A Visual Journey through Holy Week
For the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, ignoring its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Reflect on how he endured such great hostility from sinners so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:2-3)
In Christian worship, Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter Sunday. It’s when the Church solemnly commemorates the suffering and death of Christ. Over the course of this week, there are a series of special celebrations, deeply rooted in tradition, that help the faithful to bring Christ’s last days to mind.
At the end of Holy Week is the Easter Triduum (sacred three days), when the Church recalls the ‘Paschal Mystery’ – the death, burial and resurrection of Christ – which all originally took place during the Passover festival (in Latin, Paschalis). The Triduum also marks the end of the season of Lent.
At this time, Catholics reflect on the ‘Passion’ of Christ, which comes from the Latin expression Passio Christi. This refers to the sufferings experienced by Jesus during Holy Week – such as his anxiety in the Garden of Gethsemane, his scourging, the carrying of the cross, and his death by crucifixion.
The prayers of Holy Week are among the most profound and beautiful in the Church’s liturgy. Shaped by the greatest saints and theologians, they are designed to help Catholics to immerse themselves in the Paschal Mystery.
Using examples from church art, here we walk day by day through Holy Week, reflecting on seven relevant events from those dramatic days.
1. Palm Sunday: Christ’s entry into Jerusalem
The next day the great crowd of people who had come for the feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. Thus, they went out to meet him, carrying branches of palm and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.” (John 12:12-13)
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday, which is also known as Passion Sunday. On this day, the Church honours the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem, while the crowds waved palm branches. During Mass, the gospel story of Christ’s Passion is read, and blessed palm branches are distributed.
The people were expecting the Messiah to be a revolutionary leader who would save them from Roman rule. However, Christ’s humble entrance on a donkey showed that his kingdom was of a different kind. His throne would be the cross.
In this contemporary oil painting, we see Christ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, while the crowds hail him as their political saviour – much to his dismay. This image was painted by Peter Koenig, and is found within the church hall of St Edward’s, Kettering. The modern-day setting brings home the radical and controversial nature of Christ’s dramatic entry into the city.
Find out more: Christ enters Jerusalem
2. Holy Monday: The Suffering Servant
He was despised and shunned by others, a man of sorrows who was no stranger to suffering. He was pierced for our offenses and crushed for our iniquity; the punishment that made us whole fell upon him, and by his bruises we have been healed. – Isaiah 53:3,5
In the Church’s worship, over the next three days there are readings from the Book of Isaiah. These are from the four ‘Servant Songs’ included within the prophet’s collection of material. The Servant Songs tell the story of a man who is chosen by God to bring salvation, yet who is mistreated and put to death. According to the gospels, the servant prophesied in these texts is Jesus Christ (Luke 22:37).
Foreseeing the death of the Messiah, the prophets didn’t just speak – they sang. Isaiah sang of a servant who would suffer. King David lifted his voice to foretell the piercing of Christ’s hands and feet. And Zechariah penned a song about the murder of God’s shepherd. Their words were not just words, they were soulful songs from the heart.
In this Station of the Cross, we see the Suffering Servant put to death on the cross, as foretold in the Old Testament. This was carved by John Skelton and is found within the church of St Edmund’s, Loughton. Behind the cross we see the hill of Golgotha picked out in green, and the city of Jerusalem in the distance.
Find out more: The Suffering Servant / The Crucifixion
3. Holy Tuesday: St Peter denies Christ
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times. (John 13:36-38)
On this day, the Church recalls Christ’s prediction that before the cockcrow, St Peter would deny knowing him. At the Last Supper, Christ warned that this would happen, but St Peter promised that he would stay faithful.
After Christ was arrested and taken to the high priest’s palace, St Peter followed along. As he was warming himself by the fire, the bystanders asked him if he was one of Christ’s disciples. He denied it three times, and immediately a cock crew.
This stained glass scene is part of a wider West Window telling the story of the lives of St Peter and St Paul. it’s based on St Luke’s account of St Peter’s denial. He alone includes the detail that on the third denial, “the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” (Luke 22:61) This reminds us that God sees everything that is happening, both the good and the bad.
The window – which dates to 1926 – is found within St Peter and St Paul, Ilford, and was designed by Arthur A. Orr. Notice the cock crowing on the right as the servant identifies St Peter as one of the disciples.
Find out more: St Peter denies Christ
4. Spy Wednesday: Judas betrays Jesus
Then one of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him (Matthew 26:14-16).
In Ireland, historically this day was known as ‘Spy Wednesday’ and in Germany, as ‘Crooked Wednesday’. This refers to the day when Judas went to the authorities to get money for spying on Jesus. The next night, Judas brought the soldiers to the Garden of Gethsemane, and famously betrayed Christ with a kiss. Despite this, Christ still addressed him as “Friend”, not “Enemy”.
Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus is one of the most tragic events of Holy Week. It’s emphasised in all four gospels. As we can see in the quotation above, he was motivated by greed. Despite his later remorse, he fell into despair and took his own life.
In this stained glass detail, we see Judas in the act of betraying his Master with a kiss. The window is from the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, in Portsmouth. It was created by Hardman & Co. in the 1950s, and is part of a wider scheme of windows picturing gospel scenes.
Find out more: The Agony in the Garden / Judas betrays Christ / Christ is arrested
5. Maundy Thursday: The Last Supper
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after he had pronounced the blessing, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take this and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after offering thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from this, all of you.” (Matthew 26:26-27)
The Thursday of Holy Week is known as Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday. On this day, the Church recalls the Last Supper, when Christ introduced the Holy Eucharist and washed the feet of the apostles.
During Mass on this day, the priest washes the feet of some of the congregation, to remind everyone of the importance of humility. The evening of Maundy Thursday also marks the start of the Easter Triduum, the three-day period when Christians celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
This contemporary icon of the Last Supper appears to be the work of Dr Stéphane René, a London-based artist working in the Neo-Coptic style. It’s found within the sanctuary of St Wilfrid’s, Burgess Hill. Here we see Christ holding the gaze of the viewer as he consecrates the bread and wine, while his apostles look to him in prayer.
Find out more: The Last Supper / Christ washes the disciples’ feet
6. Good Friday: The Passion of Christ
Then they took him away, and, carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, “Golgotha”). There they crucified him along with two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle (John 19:16-18).
On this day, the attention and devotion of the faithful is focused on the suffering and death of Christ. This is a day of penance for Catholics, and as such, the prayers of the Church express the deepest mourning and sorrow.
During the celebration of Christ’s Passion, the story of Christ’s arrest, torture and death is read. The cross is then unveiled and the people come forward in turn to show it respect. To meditate still further on the mystery of the crucifixion, on Good Friday the faithful may also participate in the Stations of the Cross.
In this painted sculpture of the death of Christ, which is the Twelfth Station of the Cross, we see the Virgin Mary and St John in mourning. Scripture often speaks of the hands and feet of God as symbols of how he interacts with the world. Here we see the hands that stretched out the heavens, stretched out on the cross, and the feet that walked through the Garden of Eden, pierced with nails.
This Station was produced in the Art Deco style by Herbert Tyson Smith in the 1930s and is found within St Matthew’s, Clubmoor.
Find out more: The Stations of the Cross / Christ dies upon the cross
7. Holy Saturday: Christ in the tomb
Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb that he had hewn out of the rock. He then rolled an immense stone against the entrance of the tomb and departed (Matthew 27:59-60).
On Holy Saturday, the Church recalls the time that Christ’s body remained in the tomb, and anticipates his resurrection. In the Book of Genesis, God rested from creation on the seventh day. On the same day, Christ rested in the grave, while his disciples observed the Sabbath.
Holy Saturday is observed as a day of silence, stillness and expectation – a sacred pause before the triumph of the Risen Christ. On the evening of Holy Saturday, the Church celebrates the first Mass of Easter. During this service, the Paschal Candle is lit, and the water that will be used for future baptisms is blessed.
This gilded sculpture of Christ’s burial is found within St Anne’s, Dennistoun. It was produced by the Scottish artist, Archibald Dawson. The Latin caption is from Matthew 27:60 (the quotation above) and refers to the burial of Christ’s body in the new stone tomb.
Find out more: The Burial of Christ
The ceramic tile detail of Christ carrying the cross featured at the start of this article is the work of Joseph William Ledger and Phyllis Butler. Dating to 1966, it’s found within the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary, Marylebone. It’s part of a series of ceramic scenes picturing the Mysteries of the Rosary.
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