Holy Week and Easter Services
A description of each service is provided below the list of services.
Palm Sunday
April 14
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
Sung Holy Eucharist Rite II
with the St. James Adult Choir
10:30 a.m.
incense will be used
Sung Holy Eucharist Rite II
with the St. James Adult Choir
10:30 a.m.
incense will be used
Holy Wednesday
April 17
Tenebrae
With the St. James Chant Choir
7:00 p.m.
With the St. James Chant Choir
7:00 p.m.
Maundy Thursday
April 18
Agape Feast & Footwashing
with the St. Francis Community
Parish Life Center
6:00 p.m.
Proper Liturgy for Maundy Thursday
Holy Eucharist Rite II
with the St. James Adult Choir
The stripping of the Altar & The Vigil at the Altar of Repose
7:30 p.m.
incense will be used
with the St. Francis Community
Parish Life Center
6:00 p.m.
Proper Liturgy for Maundy Thursday
Holy Eucharist Rite II
with the St. James Adult Choir
The stripping of the Altar & The Vigil at the Altar of Repose
7:30 p.m.
incense will be used
Good Friday
April 19
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
with the St. Francis Community
in the Parish Life Center
6:30 p.m.
with the St. Francis Community
in the Parish Life Center
6:30 p.m.
Holy Saturday
April 20
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.
Bring bells to ring!
incense will be used
Holy Baptism and Sung Holy Eucharist Rite II
8:00 p.m.
Bring bells to ring!
incense will be used
Easter Sunday
April 21
Holy Eucharist Rite I
with Easter Hymns
7:45 a.m.
with Easter Hymns
7:45 a.m.
Sung Holy Eucharist Rite II
With Brass & Adult Choir
9:00 a.m.
With Brass & Adult Choir
9:00 a.m.
Children's Easter Egg Hunt
10:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
Sung Holy Eucharist Rite II
With Brass & Adult Choir
11:00 a.m.
incense will be used
With Brass & Adult Choir
11:00 a.m.
incense will be used
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 chanted 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 chanting the Psalms along with the chant choir, 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 congregation leaves in silence. Join us to experience the spare and somber beauty of Tenebrae: Wednesday, April 17, at 7:00 p.m.
Maundy Thursday
The Agape Meal and Footwashing
The term "Agape Meal" comes from the Greek word άγαπη (agapē) which is most often translated as love, affectionate regard, goodwill, or benevolence. The agape meal has its roots in the first days of the Church when the earliest Christian communities shared a "love feast" of fellowship among members of the Church immediately before the Eucharist (Acts 2:46). The provisions for the banquet were contributed by the more wealthy individuals and were made common to all Christians, whether rich or poor, who chose to partake in the feast. Portions were also sent to the sick and absent members of the Church.
Tertullian (c. 197-213), one of the great fathers of the Church, describes the agape meal as follows:
"Our feast shows its motive by its name. It is called by the Greek word for love. Whatever is reckoned the cost, money spent in the name of piety is gain, since with that refreshment we benefit from the needy . . . We do not recline at the table before prayer to God is first tasted. We eat the amount that satisfies the hungry; we drink as much as is beneficial to the modest. We satisfy ourselves as those who remember that even during the night we must worship God; we converse as those who know that the Lord listens. After the washing of hands and lighting of lamps, each one who is able is called into the center to chant praise to God either from the holy scriptures or from his own talents... Prayer in like manner concludes the meal." (The Apology 39.16-18).
Over time, the Agape Meal and the Eucharist became separated in time and location. Due to this development and due to some of the continuing abuses in the Agape Meal cited by Paul in his epistle to the Church at Corinth (1 Cor. 11:17-34), the Agape Meal fell into disuse by the eighth century. However, with increased biblical and historical scholarship and the rise of the liturgical movement, the Agape Meal has enjoyed a recent revival in the Church, especially on Maundy Thursday.
The structure of the meal this evening follows what would have been a familiar structure to the early Church. In accordance with ancient Jewish tradition, the presider (host) gives a blessing over the wine and the bread, then over the rest of the food. Jesus probably used a similar blessing at the Last Supper when the scriptures tell us that he "gave thanks" over the bread and wine (Luke 22:17-19; Matthew 26:26-27; Mark 14:22-23). The people then would feast, and the feast would close with a prayer.
The foods chosen for the meal would have been foods that were readily available in Jesus' day, and would have been eaten regularly. While eating fish would have been more common on the coast and the inland seas, for an average family, meat would rarely have been eaten, except on festive occasions. (Luke 15:23-27). Rather, grains, lentils, and beans were a staple of the biblical diet (Genesis 25:34; 2 Samuel 17:28; Ezekiel 4:9).
The Maundy Thursday Liturgy
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 congregation may stay and pray, leaving in silence when ready. 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 in the library, where you can visit 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 18 and 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 19.
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. As has been our tradition, this service will be bilingual, in Spanish and English, and all are invited to attend and 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 chanted 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 chanting the Psalms along with the chant choir, 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 congregation leaves in silence. Join us to experience the spare and somber beauty of Tenebrae: Wednesday, April 17, at 7:00 p.m.
Maundy Thursday
The Agape Meal and Footwashing
The term "Agape Meal" comes from the Greek word άγαπη (agapē) which is most often translated as love, affectionate regard, goodwill, or benevolence. The agape meal has its roots in the first days of the Church when the earliest Christian communities shared a "love feast" of fellowship among members of the Church immediately before the Eucharist (Acts 2:46). The provisions for the banquet were contributed by the more wealthy individuals and were made common to all Christians, whether rich or poor, who chose to partake in the feast. Portions were also sent to the sick and absent members of the Church.
Tertullian (c. 197-213), one of the great fathers of the Church, describes the agape meal as follows:
"Our feast shows its motive by its name. It is called by the Greek word for love. Whatever is reckoned the cost, money spent in the name of piety is gain, since with that refreshment we benefit from the needy . . . We do not recline at the table before prayer to God is first tasted. We eat the amount that satisfies the hungry; we drink as much as is beneficial to the modest. We satisfy ourselves as those who remember that even during the night we must worship God; we converse as those who know that the Lord listens. After the washing of hands and lighting of lamps, each one who is able is called into the center to chant praise to God either from the holy scriptures or from his own talents... Prayer in like manner concludes the meal." (The Apology 39.16-18).
Over time, the Agape Meal and the Eucharist became separated in time and location. Due to this development and due to some of the continuing abuses in the Agape Meal cited by Paul in his epistle to the Church at Corinth (1 Cor. 11:17-34), the Agape Meal fell into disuse by the eighth century. However, with increased biblical and historical scholarship and the rise of the liturgical movement, the Agape Meal has enjoyed a recent revival in the Church, especially on Maundy Thursday.
The structure of the meal this evening follows what would have been a familiar structure to the early Church. In accordance with ancient Jewish tradition, the presider (host) gives a blessing over the wine and the bread, then over the rest of the food. Jesus probably used a similar blessing at the Last Supper when the scriptures tell us that he "gave thanks" over the bread and wine (Luke 22:17-19; Matthew 26:26-27; Mark 14:22-23). The people then would feast, and the feast would close with a prayer.
The foods chosen for the meal would have been foods that were readily available in Jesus' day, and would have been eaten regularly. While eating fish would have been more common on the coast and the inland seas, for an average family, meat would rarely have been eaten, except on festive occasions. (Luke 15:23-27). Rather, grains, lentils, and beans were a staple of the biblical diet (Genesis 25:34; 2 Samuel 17:28; Ezekiel 4:9).
The Maundy Thursday Liturgy
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 congregation may stay and pray, leaving in silence when ready. 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 in the library, where you can visit 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 18 and 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 19.
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. As has been our tradition, this service will be bilingual, in Spanish and English, and all are invited to attend and 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.
