Holy Thursday

In Paul Turner's Blog by Paul Turner

Two (minor) questions regarding Holy Thursday have come up:

  1. Regarding when to empty the holy water fonts:  You write in Glory in the Cross (P. 76) that  after the Holy Thursday service has concluded “Holy water stoups may be emptied at this point.”  Your footnote refers to a CDWDS answer to a related question.  That answer states, “The practice of the Church has been to empty the Holy Water fonts on the days of the Sacred Triduum in preparation of the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil and it corresponds to those days on which the Eucharist is not celebrated (i.e., Good Friday and Holy Saturday).” The 2025 Ordo for my archdiocese and Peter Mazar  and G. Thomas Ryan all write that the fonts are emptied before Holy Thursday Mass begins.  So curious as to your thinking: Is the emptying delayed simply to “correspond to those days on which the Eucharist is not celebrated?”  The CDWDS answer is confusing because the first half of the sentence seems to suggest that they would be emptied before Holy Thursday Mass begins (since the Triduum has then begun) while the second half leans toward the later emptying. 
  1. Is it assumed that at the place of repose on Holy Thursday evening a tabernacle would be lit? I couldn’t find any note regarding that. Perhaps it is thought that one or more of the processional candles would remain with the Blessed Sacrament at the place of repose?

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1. Yeah, that’s not the CDWDS’s clearest instruction. However, I think that the second half illuminates the first half of the sentence. The Holy Thursday Mass is Mass, so those entering the church may avail themselves of blessed water in preparation for celebrating the eucharist. The Ceremonial of Bishops notes the old and honored practice of doing this upon entering a church, though it does not associate the practice with Mass (110). And remember there’s still an active tradition in many parts of the Catholic world that the Chrism Mass takes place on Holy Thursday before the Triduum begins. The fonts would thus be filled for that celebration on the same day.

I still say that since the Triduum begins with the Mass of Holy Thursday, those entering may use holy water, but the symbol is removed after that Mass for the sake of Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

I’ve never found an official reference supporting the idea of using holy water on the way out of church, so the presumption may be that the use of holy water ends when the Triduum begins.

2. Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery outside Mass says that the presence of the Most Holy Eucharist in a tabernacle may be indicated by a veil or some other way, and that a special lamp should shine continuously (11). I don’t know of any requirements to provide a lamp for the altar of repose on Holy Thursday, but I customarily see it. Probably not required, but it would be appropriate and in keeping with tradition.