Holy Week in the Diocese
Holy Week comes early this year — March 24 to 31 — the earliest it’s been since 2016. As with other Christians throughout the world, parishes and missions around the diocese are again preparing to offer special worship services and liturgies marking the trial, crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord.
Colorado
The original Anglican parish in our diocese, St. Mary’s in Denver, will be observing Palm Sunday and Easter with its normal schedule: a said mass at 7:30 and a sung mass at 9:30 am. Services for Maundy Thursday begin at 6:00 pm — as do those on Holy Saturday —while the Good Friday observance will be at noon.
Meanwhile, the newest congregation in the diocese, the (as yet unnamed) Northern Colorado mission will be worshipping Palm Sunday at 1:30 pm, with a bagpiper and palm fronds. As with numerous Sunday afternoons this year, the Palm Sunday service will be at the historic 19th century Erie Methodist Church in Erie where they have been worshipping.
California
Meanwhile St. Joseph Parish will be worshiping in the oldest church building in the diocese, the former 1870 Gothic church of Mission San Jose before it was moved 30 miles to its current location in San Mateo. On Palm Sunday, the regular 9:00 am mass will be extended to include a procession with palms. The Wednesday before Easter will be marked by a morning prayer at 9:00 am, and Maundy Thursday by a mass and procession to the altar of repose at 6:00 pm. The overnight vigil at the altar of repose will end with the Good Friday observance at noon. Easter will be celebrated twice: Easter Even at 5:00 pm and Easter Sunday at 9:00 am.
In Fullerton, St. Thomas Anglican will also be observing Holy Week with services on Wednesday through Saturday. Evening Prayer on Spy Wednesday, and the Maundy Thursday and the Easter Vigil masses all begin at 7:00 pm, while the Good Friday service begins at 5:30 pm. As on other Sundays, the Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday masses begin at 11:00 am.
On Palm Sunday, St. Mary Magdalene in Orange will use a said liturgy at 8 a.m., while the sung liturgy at 10:00 am includes the passion play of its second service. After the 7:00 pm service Maundy Thursday, the parish will mark Good Friday with two services, at noon and 7:00 pm, the latter incorporating Stations of the Cross. Easter will be celebrated at the customary 8:00 and 10:00 am times, but the latter is followed by an Easter Egg hunt.
Finally, St. Matthews’s in Newport Beach will kick off Holy Week on Palm Sunday with a said service and congregational palm procession at 7:30 am, with a bagpiper accompanying the procession at the 9:00 am and 11:00 am choral services. Maundy Thursday will be observed at 6:00 pm, Good Friday at 3:00 pm, and the Easter Vigil at 7:30 pm. Easter Sunday will be marked by two sung services at 9:00 and 11:00 am, and an Easter Egg hunt between services. The Sunday (9:00 am), Thursday and Friday services will be livestreamed.
Bp. Scarlett blesses the St. Matthew’s congregation during a previous Good Friday service.