What is this fancy new word-triduum? 

Well, it isn’t exactly new…

Definition of triduum: a period of three days of prayer usually preceding a religious feast day. 

The feast day in this case is Easter. It includes  three days we often call “Maundy Thursday” and “Good Friday” and “Holy Saturday.” 

Maundy Thursday

On Maundy Thursday, we hear the story of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. At the last supper, (depending on which gospel you read), we hear about how  Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. They may have been eating the passover meal. Jesus then instituted a new covenant which we now call “communion.” The evening may have ended with a trip to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus went to pray. The disciples who were with him fell asleep instead of keeping watch. 

Judas then comes and gives Jesus a kiss, signaling to the authorities that he is the one who they are looking for. He is arrested and taken into custody.

Good Friday

On Good Friday, we hear about what happened after that: the trial, the crowd yelling, the sentencing, and the hanging on the cross. 

Holy Saturday

During Holy Saturday, many churches gather late in the evening for a long event known as an “Easter Vigil.” During the Easter Vigil, participants find creative ways to tell the salvation history of God in the Old Testament. At the end, they light a fire, sometimes baptisms happen. At midnight, the alleluias ring out and the champagne is popped and Easter begins! (did you know that you’re not supposed to say the word “alleluia” during Lent?)

TheTriduumProject.com

That is the Triduum before Easter. At Spirit Garage, we are participating in a thing called “The Triduum Project” online with other pastors, performers, artists and other leaders around the country. Each set of people has taken one hour of a 54-hour livestream event, and many of these themes will be explored in various ways. 

There will be yoga, music, bread breaking, holding vigil down at the US-Mexico border, some seminary professors doing teaching things, worship, kids time, youth time, gaming and other things. It includes some people you’ll know, like Agape, Rachel Kurtz, Joe Davis, John Hermanson, Jonathan Rundman, and more. 

When to see the Spirit Garage Livestream

Our part will begin at 8 PM on Friday evening. We put together a collection of poetry and music that fits with the story of the last days of Jesus’ life as it is told in Mark 14 and 15. Erin Arndt will read the scripture, John Kerns will sing, and Pastor Holly will read poetry. We hope you will join us during this hour. We also hope you will find other times you want to engage in the content of the livestream. 

This is a strange way to do Holy Week, but also cool. Hope to see you online at Thetriduumproject.com