There are many events that are familiar to us from the Easter Story. We all know about the crucifixion and about the resurrection, and we have probably seen artwork that represents the last supper and the betrayal of Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane. But what is the order in which the main events of Jesus’s last week on earth? Christians celebrate the main events of Easter during Holy Week every year and each day of the Passion Week reflects the key events in the week leading up to Jesus’s death and resurrection.

 

Passion Week day 1

Palm Sunday. This is the day of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a humble donkey and the crowds welcomed him by singing ‘Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.’

‘And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.’ Matthew (21: 9-11)

Passion Week day 2

Holy Monday. This is the day of the cleansing of the Temple. Jesus went to the temple and was horrified to find money-lenders, merchants and priests using the temple to buy and sell animals and goods for temple sacrifices.

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. John (2: 13-19).

Passion Week day 3.

Holy Wednesday. This is the day when Judas betrayed Jesus.

‘Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.’ Matthew (26: 14-25)

Passion Week day 4

Maundy Thursday. This is the day when Jesus ate his last supper with his closest friends, the twelve disciples.

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out hishand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? Matthew (26: 47-54)

Passion Week day 5

Good Friday. This is the day when Jesus was tried and executed. He was taken to the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate and falsely accused of great crimes. The crowd was whipped up into a frenzy and screamed that he be crucified. Pilate tried to …

Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. John (19: 19-20)

Passion Week day 6

Holy Saturday. The Gospels are silent about the events of this day, but church tradition is full of drama and action. This is the day when Christ descended into hell, to confront the devil. Tradition has it that he kicked down the door of hell and beat up the devil, before releasing all the souls that were held in torment there.

According to the Apostles ’Creed, written in the 2nd century: ‘He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again’

Passion Week day 7

Easter Sunday. This is the culmination of Holy Week – the day when Christ rose from the grave into eternal life. Without this event, the Easter Story would be robbed of its vital power and it would just be another heart-rending death of an innocent man. Because of the resurrection, the Easter Story is known as ‘the greatest story every told’.