Basilica prepares for tridium celebration
By JASON McFARLEY
News Editor
When it comes to the Lenten season and Notre Dame, the past 40 days perhaps have little on the next three.
That's because when Lent, the traditional Catholic season of sacrifice, ends, the production at the University begins.
"A lot of students have told me that one of their goals is to spend Holy Week at Notre Dame," said Father Richard Warner, director of Campus Ministry. "I don't think there's anyplace in the country that celebrates the tridium like the Basilica."
The tridium designates the three-day period from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday.
Traditionally, the events that begin on Holy Thursday at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the cathedral-style church situated on central campus, have attracted large crowds. Warner said worshippers usually arrive at the chapel an hour before the events are scheduled to begin. Some churchgoers are from the area, but most represent the University community, Warner said.
"Many graduates come back just to be here, and they do that year after year," said Warner, who will preside at the noon Easter Mass. "It's really unique."
What makes the Easter Mass and the activities leading up to it at the Basilica special?
Start with the fact that Catholics view Easter, which celebrates Jesus's resurrection, as the defining holiday of their faith.
Add to that the return of ornamentation missing from the church during the 40 days of Lent. During the Lenten season, solemnity and starkness permeate the majority of Catholic churches, as altars are stripped of decorations and flowers.
"On Thursday, the main altar is totally bare. Friday it's austere," Warner said. "Saturday it's magnificent. There are tulips, daffodils, trees É it's absolutely beautiful."
Music by student choirs is also a selling point for the more than 1,500 people who attend annual tridium activities, Warner said.
Of course, weeks of preparation go into pulling off only a handful of liturgical services.
Rehearsals for choir performances and other events began as early as two weeks before their planned dates, according to Father Peter Rocca, the Basilica's rector. He said rehearsals also take place the day of the events.
"A lot of planning and practice goes into the celebrations. Everyone works hard to see that it is a special occasion," said Rocca, who will preside over the Easter vigil Saturday night.
Tonight a Tenebrae service is scheduled for 11 p.m. at the Basilica. A ceremony that remembers Jesus's burial, Warner said the event usually draws between 1,400 and 1,600 members of the campus community every year.
Good Friday ceremonies are highlighted by a celebration of the Lord's Passion at 3 p.m, and the Vigil Mass is at 9 p.m. Saturday. Four Easter Masses will be held Sunday at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 9 p.m.
"This really is a wonderful time of the year. Everything is beautiful and the services are very special," Warner said.
All News Stories for Thursday, April 12, 2001
