What is Holy Week?

Learn more about the events commemorated during Holy Week and Easter.

Holy Week is the final week in the season of Lent. Throughout the week, Christians commemorate the key events leading up to Jesus' death and resurrection. It's a meaningful time of reflection and hope as we take time to consider Jesus' sacrifice and look forward to the joy of Easter. 

Palm Sunday

Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem while riding on a donkey. The people shout 'Hosanna’, a word of praise, and place branches and cloaks on the road in front of him (Matthew 21:1–11).

Monday

Jesus enters the Temple courts, overturning the tables of the money changers and driving out the people who are buying and selling. He accuses them of turning God’s house into a ‘den of robbers’ (Mark 11:15–17).

Tuesday

Jesus returns to the Temple and is questioned by the Jewish authorities. As people are giving their offerings, a poor widow steps forward to make her offering of two copper coins. Jesus praises her for giving ‘everything – all she had to live on’ (Mark 11:27 to 12:44).

Wednesday

Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples meets with the chief priests and agrees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14–16).

Maundy Thursday

Jesus and his disciples share in the Last Supper as part of the Jewish festival of Passover. Jesus breaks bread, telling his disciples: ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ He hands them a cup of wine to drink, saying: ‘This is my blood.’

Later, after praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is arrested and taken to the high priest, Caiaphas, who accuses him of blasphemy (Matthew 26:17–28, 36–66).

Good Friday

In the early hours of the morning, Peter denies knowing Jesus. Judas takes his own life. Jesus’ trial continues when he stands before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, who sends him to King Herod, only for Herod to return him to Pilate. Pilate sentences him to death. 

After a crown of thorns is placed on his head, Jesus walks to the site of his execution. Mary watches as her son is crucified and dies. Jesus’ body is placed in a tomb with a large stone covering the entrance (Matthew 26:69 to 27:61; and Luke 22:54 to 23:55).

Easter Day

Early in the morning, a group of women go to the tomb, where they plan to anoint Jesus’ body. When they arrive, the stone has been rolled away. Jesus’ tomb is empty. Two figures ‘in clothes that gleamed like lightning’ tell them: ‘He is not here; he has risen!’ (Luke 24:1–6).