CHARLOTTE — With reverence and solemnity, hundreds gathered at St. Patrick Cathedral on Holy Thursday for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper as Bishop Michael Martin reminded them to humbly serve others.
Holy Thursday is the beginning of the Triduum, three of the holiest days of the Church’s liturgical year leading up to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter. The other two days that make up the Triduum are Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.
The liturgy was a milestone for Bishop Martin as he celebrates his first Holy Week since he was installed as bishop in May 2024.
He greeted the congregation with a description of what makes the Holy Thursday liturgy so special.
“On this holy night, our Lord, with an eye toward the wholeness of salvation, instituted the Eucharist and instituted the priesthood,” he said.
The Mass was punctuated with solemnly beautiful chants and hymns offered by the Cathedral choir. Clouds of incense filled the air as the pews were filled with people ranging from teenagers and families with small children to couples and senior citizens.
In his homily, Bishop Martin reflected on the importance of the Triduum and how the three days are “one continuous celebration…that shows us the enormous beauty of the layers of our ritual lives as Catholics.”
He said the three readings for the Mass offered a trio of important truths that reflect the essence of the Triduum and of Easter. The first reading from Exodus that described God’s installation of the feast of Passover tells us that all human beings are “slaves to sin.” The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians described how salvation can only be found through Christ, a fact embodied in the Eucharist.
Finally, the passage from John’s Gospel in which Jesus washes his disciples’ feet, Bishop Martin said, reminds us all that our mission is to humble ourselves to accept loving service to others.
After the homily, Bishop Martin took part in one of the most visual and moving elements of the Holy Thursday liturgy – the washing of the feet, also called the mandatum, which is done in honor of Christ’s washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper.
He knelt before six men and six women chosen from the Cathedral’s parishioners, washed their feet and then dried them with a towel. During the ritual, the choir sang the moving antiphon “A new commandment I give you: Love one another as I have loved you.”
At the conclusion of Mass, the congregation filed out of the Cathedral, following Bishop Martin as he carried the Blessed Sacrament to an Altar of Repose in the parish’s Family Life building. There, many knelt in silent adoration as outside, others drove up to join the solemn time meant to commemorate Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Altar of Repose was open for prayer until midnight.
CHARLOTTE — With reverence and solemnity, hundreds gathered at St. Patrick Cathedral on Holy Thursday for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper as Bishop Michael Martin reminded them to humbly serve others.
Holy Thursday is the beginning of the Triduum, three of the holiest days of the Church’s liturgical year leading up to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter. The other two days that make up the Triduum are Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.
The liturgy was a milestone for Bishop Martin as he celebrates his first Holy Week since he was installed as bishop in May 2024.
He greeted the congregation with a description of what makes the Holy Thursday liturgy so special.
“On this holy night, our Lord, with an eye toward the wholeness of salvation, instituted the Eucharist and instituted the priesthood,” he said.
The Mass was punctuated with solemnly beautiful chants and hymns offered by the Cathedral choir. Clouds of incense filled the air as the pews were filled with people ranging from teenagers and families with small children to couples and senior citizens.
In his homily, Bishop Martin reflected on the importance of the Triduum and how the three days are “one continuous celebration…that shows us the enormous beauty of the layers of our ritual lives as Catholics.”
He said the three readings for the Mass offered a trio of important truths that reflect the essence of the Triduum and of Easter. The first reading from Exodus that described God’s installation of the feast of Passover tells us that all human beings are “slaves to sin.” The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians described how salvation can only be found through Christ, a fact embodied in the Eucharist.
Finally, the passage from John’s Gospel in which Jesus washes his disciples’ feet, Bishop Martin said, reminds us all that our mission is to humble ourselves to accept loving service to others.
After the homily, Bishop Martin took part in one of the most visual and moving elements of the Holy Thursday liturgy – the washing of the feet, also called the mandatum, which is done in honor of Christ’s washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper.
He knelt before six men and six women chosen from the Cathedral’s parishioners, washed their feet and then dried them with a towel. During the ritual, the choir sang the moving antiphon “A new commandment I give you: Love one another as I have loved you.”
At the conclusion of Mass, the congregation filed out of the Cathedral, following Bishop Martin as he carried the Blessed Sacrament to an Altar of Repose in the parish’s Family Life building. There, many knelt in silent adoration as outside, others drove up to join the solemn time meant to commemorate Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Altar of Repose was open for prayer until midnight.
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. (Photos by Amy Burger)
Holy Thursday Altar of Repose at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. (Photos by Amy Burger)
Holy Thursday Altar of Repose at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. (Photos by Amy Burger)
Holy Thursday Altar of Repose at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. (Photos by Amy Burger)
Father Joseph Matlak, assisted by Deacon Matthew Hanes, offered Vesperal Divine Liturgy on the Great and Holy Thursday in the Byzantine Rite at St. Basil Church in Charlotte. (Photo by Mike FitzGerald)
Mass of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated at St. Benedict the Moor Parish in Winston-Salem. (Photos by Lisa Geraci)
Mass of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated at St. Benedict the Moor Parish in Winston-Salem. (Photos by Lisa Geraci)
Mass of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated at St. Benedict the Moor Parish in Winston-Salem. (Photos by Lisa Geraci)
Mass of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated at St. Benedict the Moor Parish in Winston-Salem. (Photos by Lisa Geraci)
Fathers Sabastian and Sampson celebrate Mass on Holy Thursday at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Lexington. (Photo provided)
On Holy Thursday, the faithful at Our Lady of Grace parish pray at the Altar of Repose. (Photos by Annie Ferguson)
On Holy Thursday, the faithful at Our Lady of Grace parish pray at the Altar of Repose. (Photos by Annie Ferguson)
On Holy Thursday, the faithful at Our Lady of Grace parish pray at the Altar of Repose. (Photos by Annie Ferguson)
St. Therese Parish in Mooresville held a beautiful remembrance of The Lord's Last Supper. Father Mark Lawlor washes the feet of parishioners. (Photos provided)
St. Therese Parish in Mooresville held a beautiful remembrance of The Lord's Last Supper. Father Mark Lawlor washes the feet of parishioners. (Photos provided)
St. Therese Parish in Mooresville held a beautiful remembrance of The Lord's Last Supper. Father Mark Lawlor washes the feet of parishioners. (Photos provided)
Holy Thursday feet washing at St. Stephen Maronite Church in Charlotte. (Provided photo)
Holy Thursday at St. Elizabeth In Boone. (Photo provided)
Holy Thursday at St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem. (Photo provided)
Following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Divine Redeemer in Booneville, the faithful prayed at the Altar of Repose. (Photos by Sergio Lopez)
Following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Divine Redeemer in Booneville, the faithful prayed at the Altar of Repose. (Photos by Sergio Lopez)
Following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Divine Redeemer in Booneville, the faithful prayed at the Altar of Repose. (Photos by Sergio Lopez)(Copy)
Following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Divine Redeemer in Booneville, the faithful prayed at the Altar of Repose. (Photos by Sergio Lopez)
Deacon Andrew Templeton incenses the Gospel at the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. (Photo by Edward Chaplinsky Jr.)
Father Matthew Harrison, parochial vicar, washes the feet of parishioners during Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. (Photo by Edward Chaplinsky Jr.)
Father Matthew Harrison elevates the consecrated Host during Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. (Photo by Edward Chaplinsky Jr.)
Altar servers kneel in front of the altar during Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. (Photo by Edward Chaplinsky Jr.)
