Easter at St Mary's

2008

Easter Day - Sunday 23rd March 2008
- Christ The Lord Is Risen Indeed -

A rather snowy Easter Day...

Blessing the water and salt for the Vide Aquam,  - no hiding place Mrs Salvage...

An Easter Procession - with the inevitable traffic jam...

Sensing the Paschal Candle and the High Altar before the Eucharist...

A very important Birthday...

Easter beauty...

Holy Saturday - 22nd March 2008

The service starts outside in the dark where the Paschal Candle
is prepared and once lit carried into the dark Church...


It is ceremonially carried through the Church and placed in it's stand
after it has been sensed the Exultant is sung...


The Candle is then carried to the font where the water is blessed for the coming year...
The congregation then joins in a reaffirmation of our Baptismal promises.

Good Friday - 21st March 2008

A most Solemn and poignant service where we reflect upon Our Lord's sacrifice.
The Cross is gradually brought forward in the Church and revealed for veneration.

Maundy Thursday - 20th March 2008

The Altar of Repose awaiting the Holy Sacrament...


The Sacrament is carrier with much solemnity from the High Altar to rest
in the Altar of Repose for the Triduum...

The High Altar is stripped of all it's finery until the Resurrection of Our Lord.

Palm Sunday - 16th March 2008

The Blessing of our palm crosses

 and Procession around the Church

2007

Palm Sunday

A photo of the servers preparing for the recessional at the end of the morning service & some of the Church before Benediction in the afternoon all showing Crosses and Statutes covered in purple

Good Friday

The procession of the Holy Sacrament to the Altar of Repose leaving the High Altar bare at the end of the service. Then a watch was observed at the Altar of repose through to the end of the day.

Holy Saturday

The new fire is ready outside the Church ready to be blessed and then used to light the Paschal Candle - it is then taken into the Church where it is used to light the congregations candles. The Paschal Candle is placed in the Sanctuary for the singing of the Exultet and then used along with oils to bless the font. The Paschal Candle in the Sanctuary ready for Easter Day

Easter Day

The Paschal Candle on Easter Sunday morning & and the High Altar with all its candles alight. The Church was beautifully decorated with lilies and full of people on a lovely sunny day.
 

2006

Holy Saturday 2006

Following are some snaps from the vigil service held on Holy Saturday
Please excuse the quality of some of the photos as light, or the gradual introduction
of it is integral to the service and the use of flash would have been wholly inappropriate.

The lighting of the new fire outside the Church.

Blessing of the Paschal Candle outside Church

The singing of the Exultet (with the Paschal Candle on the stand in the sanctuary)

The blessing of the Font

Preparations for Mass with a resplendent High Altar!

Photos of the Altar and Paschal Candle at the end of the service.