A Palm Sunday procession through the city and a beautiful performance of the St John Passion by the Cathedral Choir marked the beginning of Holy Week at Norwich Cathedral.
It was the start of a busy programme of services and events open to all at Norwich Cathedral this week as we journey towards Easter Sunday this coming weekend.
The Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Dr Andrew Braddock, said: “Holy Week takes us to the heart of the Christian faith. In Jesus’ death on the cross, God radically identifies with the suffering of the world. In Jesus’ resurrection, pain and death are overcome by love and hope.”
On Sunday morning, Norwich Cathedral’s Clergy and Choir joined members of St Peter Mancroft Church outside The Forum for the traditional Litany of the Palms before processing through Norwich. Accompanied by a donkey, the procession travelled along the city’s streets before arriving at Norwich Cathedral for the 10.30am Sung Eucharist.
Saturday evening saw Norwich Cathedral Choir and Norwich Baroque join together to perform Bach’s musical masterpiece St John Passion in the Cathedral Nave.
On Monday, Clergy from across the Diocese of Norwich gathered at the Cathedral for the Chrism Eucharist and the first of the Cathedral’s evening Holy Week reflections and musical meditations took place.
Holy Week reflections led by the Revd Dr Cally Hammond will also take place at 7pm Eucharists on Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 1 April and at 1pm on Good Friday.
The Tuesday and Wednesday reflections will also link to musical meditations which follow at 8pm. On Tuesday the Cathedral’s Senior Girl Choristers, with string accompaniment, will perform Pergolesi’s beautiful setting of the Stabat Mater, and on Wednesday Norwich Cathedral Chamber Choir will perform William Lloyd-Webber’s The Saviour.
As we move closer to Easter Sunday, the times for Norwich Cathedral’s main services are as follows:
· Maundy Thursday (2 April) Eucharist of the Last Supper, 7pm
· Good Friday (3 April) At the Foot of the Cross, 11am Good Friday Meditation, 1pm Solemn Liturgy, 2pm
· Holy Saturday (4 April) Easter Vigil and Confirmations, 8pm
· Easter Sunday (5 April) Festal Eucharist, 10.30am Festal Evensong, 3.30pm
On Easter Monday (6 April), David Dunnett, the Cathedral’s Organist Emeritus, will give a free organ recital at 11am.
For the full details of Norwich Cathedral’s services and events throughout Holy Week and Easter visit www.cathedral.org.uk/easter
Pictures: Bill Smith/Norwich Cathedral
