Holy Week (the week between Palm Sunday and Easter) is a commemoration of Jesus’s journey to Jerusalem and death on a cross. It is marked by three major feast days, known as the Triduum. These are the most beautiful, profound, and tragic days of the Christian year. Service times and descriptions of the days are below.
Palm Sunday
Blessing of the Palms at 10:00 AM
Main Servie at 10:30 AM
On Palm Sunday we reenact Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, accompanied by loud Hosannas and people waving palms. This was a political act, a demonstration against the Roman Empire, and the announcement of a new way of living with empires or other systems of political dominance. On this day, we assert, with Jesus, that we want to live in the Beloved Community, where everyone is honored, listened to, and treated justly.
Maundy Thursday
Service at 7:00 PM on April 6 in the Sanctuary.
On Maundy Thursday we remember and reenact the way in which Jesus washed his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, instituted the sharing of Holy Eucharist as a rite of community and reconciliation, and went to wait out the night before his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemene. The service includes foot washing and eucharist, and is followed by the Watch in the Garden
The Watch in the Garden
Beginning at 9:00 PM on April 6 and ending at 7:00 AM on April 7
After the Last Supper, Jesus and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent the night in prayer. Throughout the night, parishioners come to the church to pray for an hour in a garden that we create in the sanctuary. Use this link to sign-up.
Stations of the Cross on Good Friday
Noon on April 7, Beginning at Trinity Episcopal Church on Capitol Square
Our friends at Trinity have invited us to join them for Stations of Love and Justice, an ecumenical Christian procession around the State House. Join with leaders from across Christian denominations as we remember those who suffer in our day, and pray for justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being. Trinity is located at 125 E. Broad Street.
Good Friday Service
Service at 7:00 PM on April 7 in the Sanctuary.
On Good Friday we accompany Jesus to the cross. We are like the female disciples who stay faithfully at his side as he suffers and dies. On this solemn day we remember both our failures and our faithfulness, and, like Christ, try to expand our compassion to encompass the whole world. The service consists of prayers, anthems, and the adoration of the cross.
The Easter Vigil
Service at 6:30 AM in the Sanctuary
The Easter Vigil is one of the most beautiful services of the year. It begins in darkness with the lighting of the Paschal Fire. The singing of the Exsultet and readings from the Hebrew Scripture take place in candlelight. The sun rises as we approach the Gospel story of Jesus’s resurrection, and shines on us as we celebrate a festive eucharist together.
Easter Sunday
Service at 10:30 AM in the Sanctuary
We will celebrate Easter together with a festive eucharist, special music, and an egg hunt for the kids!
