> as lemmas

1612 I. B tr. P. Du Moulin Waters of Siloe iv. 189 At Rome in the passion weeke, which they call the great weeke, you may see whole troopes of hired persons, who..do publikely mangle their backs with scourgings.

1659 H. L'Estrange Alliance Divine Offices v. 151 It [sc. Holy Week] became to be stiled also The great Week.

1716 M. Hole Pract. Disc. Liturgy Church of Eng. IV. liii. 431 This Week immediately preceding the Feast of Easter..was antiently call'd sometimes the Great Week, sometimes the Holy Week.

1812 J. Brady Clavis calendaria I. 266 The week was called the ‘Great Week’, in token of the inestimable blessings bestowed upon mankind, through the merits and sufferings of our Saviour.

1907 Amer. Anthropologist 9 753 Treats of the ceremonies and customs of the ‘great week’ (holy week) in the Salentine peninsula,—processions, representation of the passion of Jesus, etc.

2000 J. Baggley Festival Icons for Christian Year viii. 71 At a later stage further liturgical observances marked the particular stages in the drama of the Passion and Resurrection, and became what we now refer to as Holy Week or Great Week.