Holy Week continues:
Maundy Thursday, March 28,
through Easter Sunday, March 31
March 29: Good Friday
- Concluding Prayers for Watch Night and Consuming the Reserved Sacrament, 6 am in The Chapel of Repose (Chapel of Christ the King).
- Stations of the Cross for Children and Adults, noon in the Nave.
- Solemnities and Veneration of the Cross, an Ecumenical Service with the Seven Last Words of Christ, 7 pm in the Great Hall. The Passion Gospel, Reflections on the Seven Last Words of Christ by Vestry and Clergy, Veneration of the Cross with Robert Lehman’s Crux fidelis, Eric Farnham’s Adoramus te, Christe, John Goss’s O Savior of the world, and hymn singing from the Baptist tradition.
March 30: Holy Saturday
- Prayers, 9 am in the Nave.
- Pysanky (Ukranian East Egg dyeing), 9:30 am (email amyc@stmaryshighpoint.org for sign-up and more info)
- Easter eggs and Easter art for kids, 10 am – noon
- Great Vigil of Easter, 7:45 pm. starting in the Columbarium. Vigil services of the Western Church were expansions of the monastic mid-night services (Matins) held earlier (following evening Vespers) so that the laity could attend. Matins essentially consisted of prayers, psalms, three lessons paired with sung responses, and concluding prayers. On nights before the principal feasts, they were tripled. Thus, our popular Christmas version of Nine Lessons and Carols finds its origin in this practice. At the Great Vigil, the nine lessons come after the kindling of the Paschal fire and recount the story of our salvation culminating in Easter’s miracle. This year, we will musically follow the pattern of the Christmas lessons and carols with Easter and Passion carols (yes, they exist!) as responses to the readings. Come, experience the unfolding of our story through these lessons and wonderful carols! Bring bells to the Great Vigil service to ring at the Easter Acclamation!
March 31: Easter Sunday
- 8, 9 and 11 am services in Chapel, Great Hall and Nave. 11 am music includes Viadana’s ecstatic Exsultate justi, Arlen Clarke’s Rise heart, thy Lord is risen, Easter carols, and rousing hymns. Bring cut flowers to flower the cross at the 9 and 11am Easter Sunday Services!
- Easter Egg Hunt for kids of all ages between the 9 and 11 am services.