Holy week: April 2-9, 2023

Holy Week at St John’s was marked with five in-person services.  The observation of the Passion of Our Lord started on April 2 with a morning service marking both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday.  Starting with a procession of palms throughout the church involving the entire congregation, we then moved into a reading of the Passion using three readers.  The choir offered three anthems appropriate for the day as we moved from exaltation to crucifixion.

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​Holy Week continued with an extended Compline on Wednesday April 5, and culminated with the singing of John Stainer’s God So Loved the World, from his masterpiece The Crucifixion.
On Maundy Thursday, the Gospel story of the last supper and Jesus washing the disciples’ feet was marked by a hand washing ceremony performed by the Rector.  The singing of Taizé hymns helped attendees enter the contemplative feeling of the service.
Good Friday’s service marked the start of the triduum with readings, prayers, and music, including three choir anthems, one of which had a marvellous saxophone accompaniment offered by Ryan Kingston of this year’s graduating class from Acadia University.

​A Service for Holy Saturday was offered online.  Originally recorded in 2020, this service was devised by the Rev. Sandra Fyfe (now Bishop Sandra) and recorded remotely by various parishioners.  Originally offered as audio only on SoundCloud, this was re-issued on YouTube to complete the Holy Week service offerings.

​Easter Day dawned bright and cool, but the sense of excitement was palpable as parishioners entered into the church.  All were in good voice and we sang the familiar Easter hymns Jesus Christ is Risen Today, The Day of Resurrection, and Christ is Risen Alleluia!  We even enjoyed trumpet accompaniment on the choral anthem Let the Glorious Praise Resound.

Find all of our Holy Week 2023 Services here

Find all of our Holy Week 2023 Services here