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Around the Diocese: Holy Week and Easter 2024
from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church
March 25 2024
From early times Christians have observed the week before Easter as a time of special devotion. As the pilgrim Egeria recorded in the late fourth century, Jerusalem contained many sacred places that were sites for devotion and liturgy. Numerous pilgrims to the holy city followed the path of Jesus in his last days. They formed processions, worshipped where Christ suffered and died, and venerated relics.
From this beginning evolved the rites we observe today on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These services provide a liturgical experience of the last days of Jesus' earthly life, as well as the time and events leading up to his resurrection.
The BCP provides special liturgies for each of these days. The eucharistic lectionary also provides proper readings for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Holy Week. Some parishes observe the service of Tenebrae on one of these days in Holy Week. In many dioceses, the diocesan clergy will make a reaffirmation of ordination vows in the context of a eucharist during Holy Week, usually before Maundy Thursday.
The three holy days, or Triduum, of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are at the heart of the Holy Week observance. In many Episcopal parishes, the liturgical color for Holy Week from Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday is red. Holy Week ends at sundown on the Saturday before Easter, or with the celebration of the Easter Vigil.
Here is a look at some of the Holy Week and Easter happenings throughout the Diocese of Missouri. Hover over the photos to see the captions (photos taken from social media and submitted by parish members):
We will continue to add photos to this album throughout the week. If you would like to add photos from your church, please send them to [email protected]. Be sure to mention your church in your message to us!
We believe in a loving, life-giving and liberating God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe God loves you -- no exceptions!
We invite you to be a part of our faith journey.
The Rt. Rev. Deon K. Johnson is the leader of our diocese. He was elected as our bishop on Nov. 23, 2019, and ordained on June 13, 2020, at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis.
Approximately 10,000 people throughout Eastern and Central Missouri find their faith home with us. About three-quarters of our members are in the metro St. Louis area, but our diocese reaches much farther than St. Louis. You will find more than 40 Episcopal churches, missions and faith communities as far north as Kirksville, as far west as Columbia, and as far south as Poplar Bluff (and many points in between).
If you are looking for a church home or a just a faith community to visit, we invite you to explore The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.