The Lent and Easter cycle at York Minster will culminate in a series of special services for Holy Week (20-27 March). Commencing on Ash Wednesday and running until the Feast of Pentecost (15 May), Lent and Easter recalls the events leading to the crucifixion with solemn recollection of Jesus’ suffering and death followed by rejoicing on the news of his resurrection.
Everyone is invited to York Minster’s services, events and music for Holy Week. These are:
Sunday 20 March - Palm Sunday
Procession with Palms and Eucharist Service
9.45am Gather at the Kohima Memorial, Dean’s Park, York Minster.
10.00am Recalling Jesus’ entry into the City of Jerusalem on a donkey, this year’s Palm Sunday Procession will depart from Dean’s Park for the short walk to the Minster. Palm crosses will be blessed and distributed and carried in procession into the Minster. St Luke’s account of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, the Passion, will be sung.
Monday 21 March
Performance of JS Bach’s Jesu, meine Freude by The Ebor Singers
7.30pm A performance by The Ebor Singers of Bach’s magisterial motet with readings and prayers, followed by Compline.
Tuesday 22 March
Reading of the Passion Gospel followed by Compline and Charpentier’s Le Reniement de Saint Pierre
7.30pm A reflective reading of the account in St Mark’s Gospel of the passion and death of Jesus, followed by a performance of Charpentier’s short oratorio Le Reniement de Saint Pierre (The Denial of St Peter) by The Ebor Singers. The evening will conclude with a service of Compline.
Wednesday 23 March
Stainer’s Crucifixion followed by Compline
7.30pm A performance by The Ebor Singers of one of the nation’s most popular choral works.
Thursday 24 March – Maundy Thursday
Chrism Eucharist – Eucharist of the Last Supper – Watch of Prayer - Tenebrae
11.00am Chrism Eucharist. The clergy and lay ministers of the Diocese renew their commitment to serve Christ, and oils are blessed for use at baptism, confirmation and ordination, and for the anointing of the sick and dying.
7.00pm Eucharist of the Last Supper. The events of the night before Jesus’ death are enacted including the ritual washing of feet and stripping of the altars.
8.30pm Watch of Prayer. We keep watch with Christ as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane – the place where he was later arrested before his trial and crucifixion. A vigil will be held until Midnight.
9.30pm As part of the Watch, The Ebor Singers will sing the office of Tenebrae – a sequence of readings and music interspersed with the gradual extinguishing of candles, symbolising the gathering darkness of Jesus’ passion.
Friday 25 March – Good Friday
Liturgy of Good Friday – Stations of the Cross for families (Dean’s Park) – Three Hours
Devotion
10.00am The Liturgy of Good Friday. On the day that Jesus died, a large wooden cross is the focus of our contemplation of the generous love of God made known in Christ’s giving of his life for the world.
11.30pm We welcome parents, carers and young children to Dean’s Park for Stations of the Cross: a family friendly service with prayers and singing (lasts one hour).
Noon-3pm Three Hours Devotion. A service of readings, meditations, organ improvisations, hymns and prayers with periods of silence for reflection.
Saturday 26 March – Easter Eve
The Easter Liturgy – Vigil, Baptism and Confirmation- First Eucharist of Easter
8.30pm The Easter Liturgy is celebrated with Vigil Readings and the lighting of the Paschal (Easter) Candle. A powerful service in which the resurrection of Christ from the dead is celebrated with the Easter Candle being brought into a darkened Minster. There will be a procession from the Nave to the Crypt for baptisms and confirmation for candidates associated with the Minster. We will then process into the Quire for the first Eucharist of Easter.
Sunday 27 March – Easter Day
Easter Day – Sung Eucharist – Choral Matins – Solemn Evensong
10.00am Sung Eucharist. Our great celebration of Jesus’ glorious resurrection. The Revd Canon Dr Christopher Collingwood, Chancellor will preside. The Preacher will be the Very Revd Dr Vivienne Faull, Dean of York.
11.45am We continue to celebrate the joy of Easter with Choral Matins.
4.00pm The Minster’s celebration of Easter Day concludes with Solemn Evensong and a procession to the Easter Garden.
In addition, Choral Evensong will be sung each day at 5.15pm (4.00pm on Easter Day). York Minster is the only English cathedral which sings Evensong on each day of Holy Week.
About York Minster’s Easter Garden
A key part of the Minster’s Lent and Easter tradition is the Easter Garden. Around five metres long, the garden depicts key scenes from the Passion. Starting on Palm Sunday with just the tomb and three crosses, new elements will be added as the Easter story unfolds including palm branches, 30 pieces of silver (Judas Iscariot’s reward for his betrayal of Jesus), a crown of thorns and three nails and a length of material representing Jesus’ burial cloth.
During the Easter Vigil on Easter Eve, the tomb will be opened and illuminated and the garden festooned with flowers to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. The Easter Garden will be in the Minster until the Feast of Pentecost (Sunday 20 March – Sunday 15 May).
Find out more here.