Holy Week
Preserved but no longer current.
The last week in Lent. It begins on Palm Sunday; the fourth day is called "Spy Wednesday" (an allusion to Judas Iscariot's spying on Jesus preparatory to betraying him) ; the fifth is "Maundy Thursday" (#.v.); the sixth is "Good Friday"; and the last "Holy Saturday" or the "Great Sabbath.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Holy Week” mean?
The last week in Lent. It begins on Palm Sunday; the fourth day is called "Spy Wednesday" (an allusion to Judas Iscariot's spying on Jesus preparatory to betraying him) ; the fifth is "Maundy Thursday" (#.v.); the sixth is "Good Friday"; and the last "Holy Saturday" or the "Great Sabbath.
Is “Holy Week” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.