Holy Wednesday

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In Christianity, Holy Wednesday — also called Spy Wednesday, and in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, Great Wednesday — is the Wednesday of Holy Week, the week before Easter. It is followed by Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday).

1 Names
2 Liturgy
3 Customs
4 References

[edit] Names

In Western Christianity, the Wednesday before Easter is sometimes known as 'Spy Wednesday',^[1]^[2] as being the day that Judas Iscariot first conspired with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus for thirty silver coins.^[3]^[4]^[5]

In the Czech Republic the day is traditionally called Ugly Wednesday, Soot-Sweeping Wednesday or Black Wednesday, because chimneys used to be swept on this day, to be clean for Easter.^[6]

[edit] Liturgy

Although it is frequently celebrated on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday,^[7] the Tenebrae is a liturgy that is often celebrated on this day. The word tenebrae comes from the Latin meaning darkness. In this service, all of the candles on the altar table are gradually extinguished until the sanctuary is in complete darkness. At the moment of darkness, a loud clash occurs symbolizing the death of Jesus.^[8]

[edit] Customs

On this day, members of the Eastern Orthodox Church receive Holy Unction after participating in the Divine Liturgy.^[9]

In Poland, children enjoyed hurling an effigy of Judas from the church steeple. It was then dragged through the village, pounded with sticks and stones and what was left of it was drowned in a nearby pond or river.^[10]