The CTS, publisher of the Lectionary for England & Wales and Scotland, has released an ESV translation version of the Passion Gospel readings for Palm Sunday and Good Friday. Like the four volumes of the new Lectionary (2024), these books are beautifully produced for liturgical use.

The Passion readings for Palm Sunday (Year A – Matthew, Year B – Mark, Year C – Luke) and for Good Friday (John in all three years) are arranged for the traditional three readers: C – Chronista (the narrator), S – Synagoga (voices other than Christ), and ✠ – Christ.

The Passion Gospels have been sung or read in parts at least since the eighth century.

It seems that, in the 1970s, some publishers of Mass sheets introduced the idea of assigning the crowd parts to the congregation. This was never an approved decision and has largely died out. It is based either on a misunderstanding of an alternative name given to the Synagoga part (“Turba” meaning crowd) or on an understandable but misguided intention of giving the congregation a more active role. In some places, this was later changed to inviting the congregation to speak the words of Christ. Hopefully these innovations are no longer used.

In 1988, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued guidance which sought to ensure the liturgies of the Triduum were properly celebrated without curtailment or rearrangement This document, Paschalis Solemnitatis, notes, “The passion narrative occupies a special place. It should be sung or read in the traditional way, that is, by three persons who take the part of Christ, the narrator, and the people. The passion is proclaimed by deacons or priests, or by lay readers. In the latter case, the part of the Christ should be reserved to the priest.” (n.33)

The Passion is proclaimed:
– by the deacon or priest or by readers with the part of Christ reserved to the priest if possible
– reading by three deacons is envisaged by the Ceremonial of Bishops
– only a deacon asks for the priest’s blessing
– without candles or incense
– there is no greeting (“The Lord be with you”) or kissing of the Gospel book at the end
– it is customary to kneel in silence for a short time after the words of Jesus’ death
– “for the spiritual good of the faithful, the passion should be proclaimed in its entirety, and the readings that proceed it should not be omitted”
(cf. Lectionary I (2024) p.274; Ceremonial of Bishops (1989) n.272 and 319)

The Passion Gospels for Holy Week can be ordered from the CTS here.