Holy Week: Bishop Deeley Presides at Good Friday Celebration of the Passion of the Lord
PORTLAND---Facing a completely bare altar with no cloths or candles, Bishop Robert Deeley began the Good Friday celebration of the Passion of Our Lord by making a reverence at it and then laying prostrate in a sign of sorrow for Jesus’ death on the cross and humility to the will of God. The large gathering at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception knelt in silence. 25 pictures from the service can be found below.
From the earliest days of Christianity, no Mass has been celebrated on Good Friday, the only day of the year on which that occurs. Instead, the faithful gathers for a special liturgy focusing on the cross to commemorate the saving Passion, crucifixion, and death of Jesus. The vestments worn are red, the symbol of martyrdom and blood, and Good Friday is a day of fasting and penance in solemn remembrance. It is also a time to examine the places in our own lives where we fail to follow Jesus and fall into sin. Good Friday is not only a commemoration of a historical event; Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, along with his glorious resurrection, comprise the heart of the faith.
The service combined times of quiet prayer with solemn musical accompaniment. The liturgy took place in three parts: Liturgy of the Word, Solemn Adoration of the Cross, and the distribution of Holy Communion.
Liturgy of the Word
The Passion of the Lord was proclaimed, recalling Jesus' death on the cross at Calvary, by Fr. Seamus Griesbach, rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and pastor of the Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes; Fr. Kevin Upham, parochial vicar for the Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes; and Fr. Selvaraj Kasi, HGN, (“Fr. Raj”) also a parochial vicar for the Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes.
The faithful at the Cathedral joined Catholics around the world in praying for the same ten intentions offered for the unity of the universal Church: for the holy Church, for the pope, for all orders and degrees of the faithful, for catechumens (those preparing to enter the Church), for the unity of Christians, for Jewish people, for those who do not believe in Christ, for those who do not believe in God, for those in public office, and for those in tribulation (the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned, the traveling, and the dying).
Fr. Raj served as the homilist during the Good Friday service.
“The paradox of the cross is that Jesus died for us even though we don’t deserve it. His death has made us God's friends. Jesus Christ paid a huge price for our salvation. We should be filled with gratitude, gratitude strong enough to make us hate sin of every shade, strong enough to make us translate our love of God into love of all God’s people,” he said. “There is no greater love than that of a person who is willing to die for another, and the cross tells this love story. The cross is the symbol of the risen Christ who promises us a crown of glory as a reward for our patient bearing of our daily crosses.”
Fr. Raj said that we can draw strength and inspiration from Jesus who walks ahead of us carrying his heavier cross while “supporting us in carrying our crosses.”
“We have to begin every day with a Sign of the Cross, asking the blessing and protection of the crucified Lord in our lives that day. A loving, prayerful touch on the cross we wear on our body will encourage us to serve others selflessly with real commitment.”
Solemn Adoration of the Cross
A large cross was carried up the center aisle to the front of the church with Fr. Griesbach accompanying the procession.
“Behold the wood of the cross, on which hung the salvation of the world,” sang Fr. Griesbach each of the three times the cross was elevated, with the third time being at the front of the sanctuary.
“Come, let us adore,” responded the congregation each time.
All present then came forward for adoration of the cross, some kissing the cross, others touching it, genuflecting before it, or gazing at it and praying silently. The cross is venerated as a remembrance of Christ who offered his life for the forgiveness of every person's sins and for the salvation of the world, and serves as an opportunity for the faithful to revere the Cross and ponder the enormity of Jesus’ salvific act.
Holy Communion
The hosts used during the distribution of holy Communion on Good Friday had been consecrated by Bishop Deeley during the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The altar will remain stripped until the Easter Vigil. Only the cross remained.
“May abundant blessing, O Lord, we pray, descend upon your people who have honored the death of your son in the hope of their resurrection. May pardon come, comfort be given, holy faith increase, and everlasting redemption be made secure,” prayed Bishop Deeley at the end of the service.
Just as they had arrived, the celebrants and assembly departed in silence on Friday, awaiting the joy of Easter.
On Good Friday, all Maine churches held a special collection for the Church in the Holy Land, offering the opportunity to support the land where Jesus walked. The collection helps provide resources for parishes and academic institutions, health care initiatives, and those in need of food. It also provides a home for children facing domestic violence, employs over 1,000 workers in the Holy Land, and preserves shrines and nearly 700 homes for Christian families.
Here in Maine, the Eastern Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem supports the work of the Latin patriarch, the Catholic archbishop responsible for Roman Catholics living in Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. That work includes providing funding for schools in the Holy Land, which are currently educating thousands of students, both Christian and Muslim. Members of the Equestrian Order sat in the first two pews at Friday evening's service.
Bishop Deeley will preside at the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday (8 p.m.) and the celebration of the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday (10 a.m.), both at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and both also livestreamed.
A special Easter Triduum page, featuring Mass listings, events, and resources, can be found here on the Diocese of Portland website. Stories and pictures from many Holy Week Masses and services can be found on the diocesan website, the diocesan Facebook page, the diocesan Twitter page, the diocesan Instagram page, and on Bishop Deeley’s personal social media pages on Twitter and Instagram.
