The Paschal Mystery; the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, is the single most important event in the history of human existence. And yet it is not merely an event in history; it transcends time and space to be a real and true event in our present time and in our locality. Our celebrations over the Sacred Triduum make present the Paschal Mystery for us here and now.

Easter is the greatest feast on our calendar: We are asked to attend Mass every Sunday because of what happened on Easter Sunday: He is risen! Alleluia! Indeed this feast is so important that it is more than a day—there is an Octave of Easter this week whereby every day is Easter Day.  As we know, the date of Easter changes each year; this is because of a decision at the Council of Nicaea in 325 that Easter Sunday will be the first Sunday after the Spring Equinox (21 March). Thus, the earliest date for Easter 22nd  March and the latest would be 25th April.

Therefore Easter is not simply one feast among others, but the “Feast of feasts,” the “Solemnity of solemnities,” St. Athanasius calls Easter “the Great Sunday” and the Eastern Churches call Holy Week “the Great Week.”

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