Observing Holy Week and Easter at St. Matthias
Our Lenten journey is coming to its conclusion. We begin Holy Week with the Celebration of Palm Sunday, on Sunday April 13th, at 10 am, when we will process with branches to remember Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem and listen to the Passion narrative.
From there we come to the highlight of the liturgical year: the three days of Easter, beginning with Maundy Thursday, leading into Good Friday, and culminating in the Easter Vigil. These three days are called the Triduum and are in essence one liturgy which flows through the three days. We come and go from these celebrations keeping in mind that they are really one celebration.
Maundy Thursday ritualises our call to servanthood through the washing of feet and remembers the gift of Christ’s own self through the gift of the Eucharist. Our Maundy Thursday celebration will begin on April 17th with a simple soup and bread supper at the back of the church at 5:30. From there we will move to the altar to celebrate the Eucharist and afterwards to strip the altar as we prepare to wait for the celebration of Easter. After the service, the church will remain open for an hour for those who choose to stay and pray for a while in silent contemplation.
Good Friday commemorates the unjust suffering and death of Jesus which he freely accepted out of love for the whole world. On Good Friday, April 18th, the church will be open from 2pm – 4pm, with a short service at 3 pm.
The Easter Vigil reminds us that God has been present and active throughout all of history, and we celebrate that we are a beloved and redeemed people, sent out into the world to bring that love and redemption to all. At the Easter Vigil, we light the new fire from which the Paschal candle is then lit and the Easter Anthem (the Exultet) is proclaimed. The Easter water is blessed and the congregation has the opportunity to renew their baptismal commitment.
Rev. Colleen will lead the Easter Vigil with Rev. Craig Hebert, our Regional Archdeacon, at St. Mary the Virgin, 1701 Elgin Road, Oak Bay, starting at 8pm on April 19th .
A note about the images associated with this post. The procession of Palms, from Palm Sunday 2024, was photographed by Arafin Graham. The image evoking the Crown of Thorns and the Last Supper is from the 2024 Chapel Exhibit by Pyx Sutherland, and is used with her gracious permission. And ... the decorated Easter Cross is also from our treasured collection contributed by parishioners!