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Holy Week "Triduum" Services at St Mary's
Of course everyone loves a good Christmas service but the Episcopal Church of St Maryin the-Highlands maintains the Holy Week services are far more moving. The "Triduum", as it is traditionally called, is one service broken up over three days - Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday (5,6,7 April). Each service is only one hour long.
As these ancient ceremonies are so mysterious and dramatic, Fr Shane Scott-Hamblen, the Rector of St Mary's, will offer a 20-minute explanation and description of each service ("Program Notes") half an hour before each event in the Parish Hall.
"The liturgies of the Three Days are the oldest in the Church's great treasury", said Fr Shane. "It just doesn't get any richer or more dramatic than this".
At the Maundy Thursday Mass (5 April, 7:00pm / "Program Notes" at 6:30), Christ's "Last Supper" is commemorated in a candlelit church where everyone is encouraged to receive Holy Communion (especially those who have been denied it in the past for whatever reason). Following the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament (the Eucharistic bread) is exposed for public adoration until midnight. The church's chapel is decorated with candlelight and plants loaned by parishioners. "It's supposed to be the Garden of Gethsemane", Fr Shane said, "but sometimes it looks more like the Jungle of Gethsemane!" Special music will include counter-tenor Jim Mechalakos, various Gregorian chants, and the Rector playing organ meditations from 9pm until midnight.
The Good Friday Liturgy (6 April, noon / "Program Notes" at 11:30) is an Ecumenical service where all of the local Christian churches join together in unity before a life-size cross, which is carried in by the local clergy. The village clergy take different parts of the service. The Rev'd Leslie Mott (Presbyterian) will be the preacher. "Hot Cross Buns" will be served in the Parish Hall at 1pm. For those who want a bit more liturgy, Fr Frank Geer (St Philip's) will lead meditations on the Stations of the Cross in the church at 1:30pm. Music will include more Gregorian chant, the St Mary's Choir, oboe, and a portion of Bach's "St Matthew Passion".
Holy Saturday Night (7 April, 7pm / "Program Notes" at 6:30) is the culmination of the threeday service and is the most dramatic. It begins with the blessing of the bonfire and ends with sprinkling the four corners of the world with holy water. During this service anyone (children or adult) who has not been previously baptized is welcome to receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Everyone is invited to bring a bell to help "ring in" Easter - for a bit of fun.
St Mary's "Open Baptism" has proven very popular. "We even had families coming in from other states last year," said Fr Shane. "They 'googled' us!" The service is followed by a champagne reception to welcome the newly baptized and the arrival of Easter. Anyone seeking Baptism for themselves or their children can call the church to arrange it (265-2539).
Easter Sunday Masses will be at the usual 8 & 10:30am with special music at the 10:30 Mass. Absolutely everyone is welcome to attend the 'Triduum' and Easter Masses. St Mary's prides itself on its inclusivity, offering the best of the Catholic and reformed tradition to anyone who visits. St Mary-in-the-Highlands is located at the corner of Route 9D and Route 301 in Cold Spring. www.stmaryscoldspring.dioceseny.org. Everyone is very welcome!
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