Advertisement

Advertisement

Holy Week

noun

  1. the week preceding Easter Sunday.


Holy Week

noun

  1. the week preceding Easter Sunday
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of Holy Week1

1700–10; translation of Italian settimana santa
Discover More

Example Sentences

A comparison of the four narratives clearly indicates the order of events upon the several days of the Holy Week.

But a free scope was allowed to their avarice, which was glutted, even in the holy week, by the pillage of Constantinople.

The Pope always goes there the last day of the Holy Week, and stays there all the summer.

The ceremonies of the Holy Week in Rome are a most solemn, and to most minds, affecting religious drama.

As it was, the air was thundery and ominous through all the solemn days of the Holy Week.

Advertisement

Discover More

More About Holy Week

What is Holy Week?

Holy Week is the week before Easter, from Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday.

Easter is the holiday on which Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. Holy Week is based on the biblical account of the events that occurred in the week before what’s now called Easter Sunday, including Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), the Last Supper (Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday), and his crucifixion and death (Good Friday).

In Western Christianity, Holy Week is the last week of Lent, the season of fasting and penitence that precedes Easter.

In the Orthodox Church, Lent ends when Holy Week begins.

When is Holy Week?

The dates of Holy Week depend on the date of Easter, which moves every year.

In Western Christianity, the date when Holy Week starts (on Palm Sunday) can fall between March 15 and April 18, and the date on which it ends (on Holy Saturday) can fall between March 21 and April 24.

In 2024, Holy Week is from March 24 to March 30, with Easter Sunday on March 31. In 2025, Holy Week is from April 13 to April 19, with Easter Sunday on April 20.

In the Orthodox Church, the date of Easter is calculated in a different way.

In 2024, Orthodox Holy Week is from April 28 to May 4, with Easter Sunday on May 5. In 2025, Orthodox Holy Week is from April 13 to April 19, with Easter Sunday on April 20.

More information and context on Holy Week

The first records of the term Holy Week come from the early 1700s. It’s a direct translation of the Italian phrase settimana santa.

Holy Week can include a variety of church services, with different ones held on different days. The week often begins in a celebratory way on Palm Sunday (commemorating Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem) and turns to somber reflection as Good Friday approaches. Easter Sunday itself is a time of celebration and is considered the most important Christian holiday.

What are some terms that often get used in discussing Holy Week?

How is Holy Week discussed in real life?

For many Christians, Holy Week is associated with preparation for Easter and the church services and other traditions that occur during that week.

 

Try using Holy Week!

True or False?

Holy Week starts on Easter.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


holy water sprinklerHoly Willie