A Narrative Description of Holy Week Services
Holy Week is the last week of Lent. Its purpose is to re-enact, re-live, and participate in the events leading to the Passion of Christ, and to help us observe a Holy Lent. Observances of Holy Week began in Jerusalem in the earliest days of the Church. The first service of Holy Week is Palm Sunday (or Passion Sunday), when we remember the entrance of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. He was triumphantly hailed as he rode a donkey across palm fronds into the city – to shouts of “Hosanna in the Highest.”
Tenebrae Tues. March 30, 7:00 pm
The Tenebrae service recreates the emotional aspects of the story of the Passion of Christ. It is not supposed to be an uplifting service. If your expectation of Christian worship is that it should always be happy and exhilarating, you won’t appreciate this service the first time you attend it. The purpose of the service is to recreate the betrayal, abandonment, and agony of the events leading to the crucifixion of Christ. It leaves us in suspense, because the story isn’t over until Easter Day.
Seder Meal Wed. March 31, 6:00 pm
Jesus and the disciples ate the Passover meal in the upper room. It would have taken place after sundown on Thursday. We will offer the congregation a symbolic Passover Seder such as Jesus and the disciples would have eaten. Our Seder meal will take place on Wednesday night in place of our regular Wednesday Night Retreat.
Maundy Thursday Thur. April 1, 7:00 pm
On Maundy Thursday we enter the Triduum (the three days). This is the time from sundown on Holy Thursday to sundown on Easter Day. The purpose of Maundy Thursday is to remember the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples and his betrayal by Judas. You will not want to miss this special evening service. We will meet the disciples in the upper room and hear their stories. Then we will engage in symbolic foot washing prior to offering our last Eucharist until Easter Day. At the conclusion of the service the altar is stripped of all liturgical elements.
Gethsemane Watch Thur. April 1-2, 10:00 pm – 6:00 am
Join with fellow pilgrims as we watch with Christ in the Garden before His trial and execution. Judas left during the Last Supper, but Jesus and the remaining disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed – and the disciples kept falling asleep. Throughout the night starting at 10:00 pm on Maundy Thursday until sunrise on Good Friday, we will hold a vigil in the church. Can you remain awake for just one hour for Christ?
Good Friday Fri. April 2, 12:00 noon & 7:00 pm
The origin of the term ‘Good Friday’ is unclear, but the meaning of the day is without doubt – it is the Friday on which the Church keeps the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ – the Great or the Holy or the Good Friday. We will take a miniature pilgrimage Via Delarosa carrying our Good Friday cross through the community to St. Andrew’s. There we will celebrate the dramatic Good Friday liturgy.
Holy Saturday Sat. April 3, 9:00 am
A day of joy and sadness intermingled. Holy Saturday is the close of the season of Lent and the beginning of a time of rejoicing. A Proper Liturgy is celebrated on Saturday morning – a day of absolute fasting dating back to the time of St. Irenaeus.
The Great Vigil of Easter Sat. April 3, 7:00 pm
The first service of Easter Day is the Vigil observed after sundown on Saturday night. The vigil opens with the Service of Light – the blessing of the new fire and the lighting of the paschal candle. In the early church the vigil of Easter was devoted to baptism of catechumens. And finally, Alleluia’s will return after forty-days of absence.
Easter Day Sun. April 4 8:00 & 10:30 am
Our Easter observance will continue with celebrations of Holy Eucharist at 8:00 and 10:30, the flowering of the cross at both services, and the Easter Egg Hunt for the children at 12:00 noon.
Alleluia, Christ is Risen!