We will be in our own Zeughausmarkt building this year for Passiontide and Easter, and you are invited to attend as many of the individual services and devotions as you can.
They’re at different times of the day and evening, so everyone should be able to make at least some of them. No previous experience necessary, but be ready for an ‘experience’ once you get there! Here is a brief walk through Holy Week at St. Thomas, then followed by the summary in the flyer too.
Palm Sunday with procession of palms and Passion gospel – Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the crowd go wild, welcoming their Messiah. But then the mood turns…….. as they realise he’s not quite what they’ve been waiting and hoping for!
Stations of the Cross meditation – we offer this twice, on Monday and then repeated again on the Tuesday of Holy Week. The opportunity to engage physically, and in pictures, with Jesus’ last walk through Jerusalem, from Pilate’s house to Calvary. The ‘stations’ are the places where he stopped along the way.
Maundy Thursday supper – Jesus’ last supper with his friends: they shared bread and wine, which is the model for our present day Eucharist. Then after supper, they go into the Garden of Gethsemane, where Judas is waiting with treacherous intent…
Good Friday Liturgy of the Cross – Jesus is tried and condemned. Trumped up charges, but he is crucified nonetheless. A solemn recalling of his sacrifice with ‘The reproaches’, and lots of music. This service concludes at the hour when traditionally we think Jesus breathed his last.
Easter Saturday evening brings the drama of the Full Easter Liturgy – the Vigil in darkness as we recall God’s saving deeds in history, the Service of Light and fanfare (bring something to make a noise!) as we celebrate the resurrection, a sprinkling with holy water (Asperges), and the first joyous Eucharist of Easter Day.
Easter Day itself sees another celebratory Eucharist in our usual Sunday service slot. With Easter Eggs for the tiddlers.