Palm Sunday
We received sad news early last week that Andy Holme, a member of our security team at the Cathedral was rushed into hospital and died of a heart attack last Monday. Andy had been off ill for the last few months but his death has come as a shock to us all at the Cathedral, particularly to his close colleagues. He had worked here at the Cathedral for the last 24 years and many of you will have known him over that time – he was a quiet and reserved man but always good natured and ready to help in any way he could. Please remember him and his family in your prayers at this time.
This Sunday we walk in procession waving palms to mark the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and begin the Solemn Celebrations of Holy Week. As well as the normal schedule of masses today there will be an evening sung service of Tenebrae in the Cathedral at 7.30pm. This is a service of reflections on the betrayal, suffering and death of Christ – after each of the sung reflections a candle is extinguished until the last light – the Christ candle – is put out after we hear the final psalm, the Miserere, signifying the Lord’s death on the cross, concluding with a final prayer and departure in silence. This prepares us for the week ahead as we walk the journey of Christ’s passion leading to the glory of the resurrection.
Masses are at the normal times on the Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week. On Wednesday there will be no evening mass at 5pm as we will be preparing to celebrate the mass of Chrism which will take place that evening at 7.30pm. At this Evening Celebration the Archbishop invites priests and people from across the Diocese to take part in this service at which the priests renew their commitment to their ministry and when the Sacramental Oils of Baptism, Chrism and Oil of the Sick are blessed for use throughout the year.
The Feasts to which all of the season of Lent prepares us for are the Sacred Triduum days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday (Easter). The Office of Readings and Morning Prayer at 10am on each of these days provides a time of prayer for us to prepare for the later liturgies. On Holy Thursday we re-enact the Lord’s Supper which Jesus shared with his apostles on the night he was to be betrayed and arrested. The second reading from St Paul on the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Gospel account of the washing of the Disciples feet outline the principal focus of the evening service at 7.30pm. The Archbishop will wash the feet of 12 of the congregation accepting the Lords ‘Mandatum’ to do this in memory of him and we, the church community, renew our service of one another and our devotion to Christs presence in the Eucharist. We conclude the evening celebration by processing to the altar of repose to watch in quiet prayer in memory of the Lord’s Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Good Friday we keep as a day of reflection on the Lords Passion and Death with prayer and devotions in the morning (Office at 10am, Stations of the Cross at 11.30am) leading up to the Solemn Service at 3pm. We mourn the Lords Death and Venerate the Cross as the sign of the triumphant symbol of Christ’s victory over sin and death.
Apart from the sung office on Saturday morning there are no celebrations of the Sacraments until the Easter Vigil at 9pm. (NB there is no Crypt vigil mass next Saturday nor confessions that day). Holy Saturday is a day of waiting and preparation as we await the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection, the Lord has been laid in the tomb only to be raised up high. At the Vigil Service we enter into the darkened Cathedral for the solemn Easter Exultet and welcome in the joyful light of Easter Proclaiming Christ Risen from the Dead. During the Vigil Service ten adults will be baptised or received into full communion with the Church.
Monsignor Anthony O’Brien
Cathedral Dean
