Holy Week and Easter Services
2020
All services will be live-streamed.
A description of each service is provided below the list of services.
Palm Sunday
April 5
The Liturgy of the Palms
Holy Eucharist Rite I
8:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist Rite I
8:00 a.m.
The Liturgy of the Palms
Holy Eucharist Rite II
10:30 a.m.
Holy Eucharist Rite II
10:30 a.m.
Holy Wednesday
April 8
Tenebrae
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Maundy Thursday
April 9
Proper Liturgy for Maundy Thursday
Holy Eucharist Rite II
&
The stripping of the Altar
Online Vigil before the Altar of Repose
9 p.m. Thursday - 11:30 a.m. Friday
Zoom Meeting ID: 129-627-882
9 p.m. Thursday - 11:30 a.m. Friday
Zoom Meeting ID: 129-627-882
Good Friday
April 10
The Proper Liturgy for Good Friday
Mass of the Pre-Sanctified
12:00 p.m.
Mass of the Pre-Sanctified
12:00 p.m.
The Stations of the Cross
6:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
Holy Saturday
April 11
The Great Vigil of Easter
Blessing of the Paschal Candle & Kindling of the New Fire
Holy Baptism and Sung Holy Eucharist Rite II
8:00 p.m.
Have bells to ring!
Holy Baptism and Sung Holy Eucharist Rite II
8:00 p.m.
Have bells to ring!
Easter Sunday
April 12
Holy Eucharist Rite I
with Easter Hymns
8:00 a.m.
with Easter Hymns
8:00 a.m.
Sung Holy Eucharist Rite II
10:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
Descriptions of Holy Week Services
Palm Sunday
The liturgy for the Sunday of the Passion, also known as Palm Sunday, is distinctive in that it begins in triumph and ends in tragedy. Palm Sunday both begins Holy Week and points to the Triduum, the great Three Days, which begin with Maundy Thursday and end with the Great Vigil of Easter. It is important to remember that the Holy Week liturgies are really one long liturgy in separate acts. You are invited to journey through Holy Week and experience the last days of Jesus' life by participating in all the Holy Week liturgies as fully as you are able.
Tenebrae at St James
Tenebrae is an ancient and lovely Holy Week service, in its simple form made up entirely of readings and Psalms. The service is a time of solemn prayer and reflection on the Passion of Christ, in preparation for the Great Three Days (Triduum). The congregation participates either by reading the Psalms along with the leader, or simply by praying as they listen to the Psalms and readings. The service begins and ends in silence, with additional silences interspersed throughout. During the course of the service, candles are extinguished and lights are dimmed, until at the end of the service, the church is dark. At the very end of the service, a sudden loud noise is heard, symbolizing the earthquake at Christ's crucifixion (Matthew 28:2). A single candle, representing the light of Christ, is returned to the altar, and the service ends in silence. Join us to experience the spare and somber beauty of Tenebrae: Wednesday, April 8, at 7:00 p.m.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday takes us to the Upper Room where Jesus held his Last Supper with his followers and instituted Holy Communion. Our worship continues with the stripping of the altar. After the stripping of the altar, the service ends in silence. The absence of a dismissal at the end of the liturgy indicates that the service is not over, but continues with the Good Friday liturgy.
Vigil at the Altar of Repose
Consecrated bread and wine will be placed on the Altar of Repose, where you can visit via Zoom for an hour (or any length of time) throughout the night in the sacramental presence of Christ, as the disciples tried to wait during Jesus' nightlong agony in the Garden. You are invited to watch with Christ for one hour between the hours of 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 9 and 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 10.
Good Friday Liturgy
This liturgy marks the second of the "Triduum Sacrum" - the Holy Three Days. On Good Friday, we commemorate the events immediately leading to and including the death of Jesus Christ as we read John's account of those events. We pray the solemn collects for the Church and for the world. We venerate the cross, "on which was hung the world's salvation". We confess our sins and receive communion from the Reserved Sacrament. We leave the service in silence, waiting for the next chapter of the story to unfold.
Stations of the Cross
We contemplate Jesus' last steps on his journey to Golgotha in the Stations of the Cross.
All are invited to experience this powerful, ancient form of meditation and prayer.
The Great Vigil of Easter
Saturday evening's liturgy marks the last of the "Triduum Sacrum" - the Holy Three Days. Three services make up this central observance of the heart of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. It is important to remember that the Holy Week liturgies are really one long liturgy in three separate acts. The Easter Vigil is the central and principal liturgy of the Christian Year. All that comes before it from Advent to Good Friday is in preparation for it. All that comes after it from Easter Day through the last day after Pentecost is celebrated in light of it. Before it we celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ which eventually leads to his death. After it we celebrate our new life in Christ which the resurrection makes possible. We will kindle the New Fire symbolizing Christ's victory over sin and death, and our victory over the same through him.
Palm Sunday
The liturgy for the Sunday of the Passion, also known as Palm Sunday, is distinctive in that it begins in triumph and ends in tragedy. Palm Sunday both begins Holy Week and points to the Triduum, the great Three Days, which begin with Maundy Thursday and end with the Great Vigil of Easter. It is important to remember that the Holy Week liturgies are really one long liturgy in separate acts. You are invited to journey through Holy Week and experience the last days of Jesus' life by participating in all the Holy Week liturgies as fully as you are able.
Tenebrae at St James
Tenebrae is an ancient and lovely Holy Week service, in its simple form made up entirely of readings and Psalms. The service is a time of solemn prayer and reflection on the Passion of Christ, in preparation for the Great Three Days (Triduum). The congregation participates either by reading the Psalms along with the leader, or simply by praying as they listen to the Psalms and readings. The service begins and ends in silence, with additional silences interspersed throughout. During the course of the service, candles are extinguished and lights are dimmed, until at the end of the service, the church is dark. At the very end of the service, a sudden loud noise is heard, symbolizing the earthquake at Christ's crucifixion (Matthew 28:2). A single candle, representing the light of Christ, is returned to the altar, and the service ends in silence. Join us to experience the spare and somber beauty of Tenebrae: Wednesday, April 8, at 7:00 p.m.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday takes us to the Upper Room where Jesus held his Last Supper with his followers and instituted Holy Communion. Our worship continues with the stripping of the altar. After the stripping of the altar, the service ends in silence. The absence of a dismissal at the end of the liturgy indicates that the service is not over, but continues with the Good Friday liturgy.
Vigil at the Altar of Repose
Consecrated bread and wine will be placed on the Altar of Repose, where you can visit via Zoom for an hour (or any length of time) throughout the night in the sacramental presence of Christ, as the disciples tried to wait during Jesus' nightlong agony in the Garden. You are invited to watch with Christ for one hour between the hours of 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 9 and 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 10.
Good Friday Liturgy
This liturgy marks the second of the "Triduum Sacrum" - the Holy Three Days. On Good Friday, we commemorate the events immediately leading to and including the death of Jesus Christ as we read John's account of those events. We pray the solemn collects for the Church and for the world. We venerate the cross, "on which was hung the world's salvation". We confess our sins and receive communion from the Reserved Sacrament. We leave the service in silence, waiting for the next chapter of the story to unfold.
Stations of the Cross
We contemplate Jesus' last steps on his journey to Golgotha in the Stations of the Cross.
All are invited to experience this powerful, ancient form of meditation and prayer.
The Great Vigil of Easter
Saturday evening's liturgy marks the last of the "Triduum Sacrum" - the Holy Three Days. Three services make up this central observance of the heart of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. It is important to remember that the Holy Week liturgies are really one long liturgy in three separate acts. The Easter Vigil is the central and principal liturgy of the Christian Year. All that comes before it from Advent to Good Friday is in preparation for it. All that comes after it from Easter Day through the last day after Pentecost is celebrated in light of it. Before it we celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ which eventually leads to his death. After it we celebrate our new life in Christ which the resurrection makes possible. We will kindle the New Fire symbolizing Christ's victory over sin and death, and our victory over the same through him.
