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Home , Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Stripping of the Altar

Holy and at the American

Palm Sunday (April 9) 10:30 Gather for of the Palms 11am Service 6 pm Lessons & Carols for With , music, and Scripture, enter the drama of Holy Week. This is a haunting service that will give you food for thought and prayer all week, and the exquisite music will fill your soul.

Holy Week April 10-12: Monday – Wednesday of Holy Week 12:30 pm

The , the Great Three Days, begins with .

Maundy Thursday (April 13) 7:30 pm Holy , Foot and Hand Washing & Stripping of the “On the night before he died for us…” We remember ’ and the institution of the Eucharist. Also at that supper, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, an act of humble service which we will repeat. We go to Gethsemane with Jesus and his disciples, where he is to be betrayed. At the end of the service, in a dramatic closing, we strip the altar and leave the church in darkness.

9pm Watch “Could you not stay awake with me for one hour?” Maundy Thursday night we remember Christ's agony as he was betrayed in the garden of Gethsemane. This year we will observe an overnight watch at the Cathedral from 9 pm until midnight, and then again from 7:00 am until noon on . Sign up for slots for one hour or more to join in this longstanding tradition of keeping watch with Christ. It is important to sign up to take part in the Maundy Thursday Watch for security reasons. Jesus said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow…stay here and keep watch with me.

Good Friday (April 14) 12:00 Noon Good Friday This is the terrible day we call Good, the day on which Jesus died. We will hear the story of Jesus’ passion and death (there will be a special re-telling of the Passion in the form of a play, “It Wasn’t My Fault”), pray, hear meditations, confess, venerate the cross, and receive from the reserve . (Good Friday and Holy are the only days of the year on which we cannot celebrate the Eucharist; we can only receive it from the reserve on Friday before 3:00 pm.) The powerful Good Friday liturgy should end around 1:00, after which clergy will be available for private or consultation (yes, Episcopalians can make private confessions; see The , page 447), in French or English.

8 pm The Cathedral Choirs in Concert “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” The Cathedral Choirs will sing the European premiere of Richard Burchard’s Seven Last Words of Christ and other music for Holy Week. The Seven Last Words of Christ are the last seven phrases uttered by our Lord and Savior and they have been beautifully set to music using Burchard’s luscious harmonies and jarring dissonances. There is a suggested donation of 20 euros.

Holy Saturday/Easter Eve (April 15) 8 pm The Great of Easter “In the darkness, fire is kindled,” and then, “On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life,” we journey from darkness to light, death to life, in this ancient and dramatic service. It ends with the Easter acclamation: CHRIST IS RISEN!, followed by the first Eucharist of Easter. Then there’s a festive reception to end our Lenten fast.

ALLELUIA. CHRIST IS RISEN! THE LORD IS RISEN INDEED. !

Easter Sunday (April 16) 9 am Easter Day Eucharist with Choir 11 am Easter Day Festival Eucharist with Choir and Brass Ensemble 6 pm Easter Day Meditation – a quiet, meditative, and joyful service