PORTLAND – The Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Portland at 307 Congress Street is welcoming the public to attend Easter Mass on Sunday, March 31. The Mass at 10 a.m. will be the final Easter Mass celebrated by Bishop Robert Deeley before the end of his tenure on May 7, when a new bishop will be installed.
The season of Easter is the most important of all liturgical times, when Catholics rejoice in the Lord’s resurrection. Easter celebrates that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to Mary of Magdala, who witnessed her vision to the apostles; Peter and John ran to the empty tomb; they saw and believed.
The summit of the liturgical year is the Easter Triduum, which begins on the evening of Holy
Thursday and concludes on the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery.
The “three days” are the most holy of the liturgical year because they commemorate the Institution of the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist and priesthood), with its command to “wash the feet” of others in imitation of Jesus Christ; the Passion of the Lord, who suffered and died on the cross on Calvary for the sake of our salvation; Holy Saturday, when we “vigil” in anticipation of the Easter joy that comes to the world through the resurrection of Christ from the dead; and Easter, a day of celebration.
For more information see Easter Diocese of Portland (portlanddiocese.org).