Ribbons during the Sacred Triduum
Three days that do not behave like any others in the year. Almost everything comes from one section, and one hour disappears.
Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday each have a complete proper office in the Proper of Seasons. The Psalter is not used in the ordinary way, the Proper of Saints is not used at all, and Night Prayer is omitted by anyone attending the evening liturgies.
The Triduum begins with Evening Prayer on Holy Thursday, or with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper for those attending it, and runs to Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. Liturgically these are the three highest-ranking days of the year, and the office is arranged accordingly.
Day by day
Holy Thursday
The Office of Readings and Morning Prayer are proper to the day and come from the Proper of Seasons. Evening Prayer is prayed only by those who do not attend the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Night Prayer is prayed only by those who did not attend that Mass.
Good Friday
Office of Readings and Morning Prayer, both proper. Evening Prayer is prayed only by those who did not attend the afternoon celebration of the Passion. The whole day is in the Proper of Seasons.
Holy Saturday
Office of Readings and Morning Prayer, proper. Evening Prayer is prayed by those not attending the Easter Vigil. This is the quietest office of the year and the one most people have never prayed.
What each ribbon does
| Ribbon | During the Triduum |
|---|---|
| Proper of Seasons | Everything. Move it each day. The three days sit together at the end of the Lent section, just before Easter. |
| Psalter | Not used in the usual sense. The psalms for these days are printed with the proper. Leave the ribbon where it is; it picks up again at Week I on Easter Sunday. |
| Night Prayer | Only on the nights you did not attend the corresponding liturgy. Sunday form after Evening Prayer I where it applies. |
| Proper of Saints | Not used. No memorial can be celebrated on these days. |
| Commons | Not used. |
Set the ribbons before Holy Thursday, not during. The Triduum is the one stretch of the year when hunting through the book mid-office is genuinely disruptive. Setting the Proper of Seasons ribbon to Holy Thursday on Wednesday evening, and knowing the three days run consecutively from there, saves a lot of paging.
The dates
| Year | Holy Thursday | Good Friday | Holy Saturday | Easter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Mar 25, 2027 | Mar 26, 2027 | Mar 27, 2027 | Mar 28, 2027 |
| 2028 | Apr 13, 2028 | Apr 14, 2028 | Apr 15, 2028 | Apr 16, 2028 |
Common questions
Is Night Prayer prayed during the Triduum?
Only by those who did not attend the principal liturgy of that day. Anyone at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the celebration of the Passion, or the Easter Vigil omits Night Prayer that night.
Which Psalter week applies during the Triduum?
None in the ordinary sense. The psalms for these three days are proper and are printed with the office in the Proper of Seasons. The four-week cycle restarts at Week I on Easter Sunday.
Can a saint’s memorial be celebrated during the Triduum?
No. Nothing may be celebrated on these three days, and unlike ordinary Lenten weekdays there is not even a commemoration.
When exactly does the Triduum begin and end?
It begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday and ends with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday.