Introduction
Holy Week is the path Jesus walked from Palm Sunday to the empty tomb. This page offers you twelve prayers to walk with him, from Palm Sunday to Easter Day. You can pray one each day, say them aloud as a family, or use them as a simple starting point to write your own words.
Prayers for Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week (Sunday, March 21, 2027)
Palm Sunday opens the week. Pray these words after first reading the account of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.
"Lord Jesus, you entered Jerusalem on a little donkey, amid cries of joy. Teach me to welcome you as you are: a humble king, who comes to save me rather than to impress me. May my praise be sincere."
"Father, this week, slow down my heart. There is work, errands, the noise around me. Give me the grace to walk step by step with your Son toward the cross, without looking away."
"Jesus, the crowd that sang your praise quickly changed its tune. Keep me from a faith that depends on the mood around me. I want to remain faithful to you when everything becomes harder, because you loved me first."
Prayers for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (March 25 and 26, 2027)
On Thursday, Jesus shares bread and the cup with his disciples. On Friday, he goes all the way to the cross. These prayers speak of service, suffering and forgiveness.
"Lord Jesus, you took the bread and the cup to speak of your body given and your blood shed. Thank you for this table where you welcome me. Awaken gratitude in me, and a desire to serve as you washed the feet of your disciples."
"In the garden, you prayed in anguish, then you placed your will in the Father's hands. When I am afraid of what is coming, teach me to pray as you did: by saying everything, and by trusting you."
"Jesus, on the cross you carried what I could not carry. Thank you for the forgiveness I do not deserve. Help me to forgive in turn those who hurt me, even when it costs me."
Prayers for Holy Saturday and Easter morning (March 27 and 28, 2027)
On Saturday, nothing seems to happen. On Sunday, everything changes. Let these prayers accompany you from waiting to joy.
"God, today everything is silent. Your disciples wept and waited without understanding. I bring you my long-lasting hopes and my unanswered questions. Teach me to stay close to you in the silence."
"Father, this morning the stone has been rolled away and the tomb is empty. Your Son is alive! I rise with joy and give you thanks, because death could not hold him."
"Risen Lord, you called Mary by her name. Call me in the same way. May your resurrection not remain an old memory, but become a strength that moves me forward starting today."
Short prayers for Easter Day with family, at the table or at church
These three prayers fit in a few lines. You can say them before a meal, at the start of a service, or with the children.
"Father, thank you for this meal and for those gathered around the table. Thank you above all for Jesus, who died and rose again for us. May the joy of this day stay in our conversations."
"Living Lord, we sing with your church, here and all over the world. Receive our praise, we who are small and fragile. You are the master of life."
"Lord, bless the children who are with us today. May they know that you are alive, that they know you and love you. And if a chair remains empty, hold close to you the one who is missing."
Verses to pray during Holy Week
These five passages guide you from the garden of Gethsemane to Easter morning. Read one before you pray.
Luke 22:42
"saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."
Jesus' prayer before his arrest. It helps you pray when you are afraid and want to entrust yourself to God. Read all of Luke 22.
John 19:30
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit."
Jesus' last words on the cross. Read them on Good Friday, in silence. Read all of John 19.
Isaiah 53:5
"But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed."
What the prophet announced centuries before the cross: Jesus carried our sins. For a prayer of thanksgiving and forgiveness. Read all of Isaiah 53.
Luke 24:5-6
"Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee,"
The announcement of the two men to the women who came to the tomb. The perfect text for the prayer on Easter morning. Read all of Luke 24.
Romans 6:4
"We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life."
The link between Jesus' resurrection and the new life of the believer. Read it at the end of the week, to pray from your own life. Read all of Romans 6.
How to pray during Holy Week
Take a moment each day, even a short one. Ten minutes, at the same time, is better than one long prayer made just once. One prayer per day of the week is enough to let you be carried.
Read the passage before you pray. Open the Gospels to the episode of the day: the entry into Jerusalem, the last meal, the cross, the empty tomb. Your words will come more naturally once you have the story in front of you.
Pray with the children. Tell them about the week in a few sentences, then invite them to say thank you or ask forgiveness in their own words. If your family has the tradition of hunting for eggs, let them do it, and also take the time to tell them why we celebrate Easter.
Write your own prayer. Tell God what you are carrying right now: a weariness, a grief, a thanksgiving. An honest prayer, even a clumsy one, speaks to him more than a text recited without thinking.
Further reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What prayer should I say on Easter Day?
Thank God for Jesus' resurrection, for the new life he gives and for the people around you. You can pray at the table, at church or alone when you wake up. A few simple sentences, addressed to God with sincerity, are enough.
When does Holy Week begin in 2027?
It begins on Palm Sunday, March 21, 2027, and ends on Easter Sunday, March 28. In between, Maundy Thursday falls on March 25, Good Friday on March 26 and Holy Saturday on March 27.
Can I pray with children during Holy Week?
Yes, and it is a wonderful opportunity. Tell the story in a few sentences, then let each child say a thank you or a request. The short prayers on this page, especially those for Easter Day, suit them well.