During Holy Week we are encouraged to immerse ourselves in the story through a whole sequence of special services. The week begins with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday through to the empty tomb on Easter morning. The procession with palms, which was already observed in Jerusalem in the fourth century, is accompanied by the reading of the Passion Narrative, in which the whole story of the week is anticipated.

Maundy Thursday (mandatum, ‘commandment’, reflecting Jesus’ ‘new commandment to love one another’) contains a rich complex of themes: humble Christian service expressed through Christ’s washing of his disciples’ feet, the institution of the Eucharist, the perfection of Christ’s loving obedience through the agony of Gethsemane.

After keeping vigil (‘Could you not watch with me one hour?’) Thursday passes into Good Friday with two traditions: the veneration of the Cross and Three hours devotion 12-3pm. There is not a celebration of the Eucharist on Good Friday, but the consecrated bread and wine remaining from the Maundy Thursday Eucharist is given in communion during the final hour of the 3 hours.

The church remains stripped of all decoration. It continues bare and empty through the following day, which is a day without a liturgy: there can be no adequate way of recalling the being dead of the Son of God, other than silence and desolation. But within the silence there grows a sense of peace and completion, and then rising anticipation as the joy of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter draws near.