Posted on: 5th April 2022

Holy Week and Easter will be marked at Bradford Cathedral this spring with a programme of services and events starting with the Palm Sunday Eucharists on the 10^th April.

The 10:30am service will feature a dramatic reading of ‘The Passion’, that tells of the final week in the life of Jesus Christ.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week, at 7:30pm, Professor Ben Quash will offer three reflections under the theme of ‘This is my Body, Given for You’, which will each be followed by sung night prayer, led by the choir.

Professor Ben Quash, who is a non-residentiary Canon Theologian of Bradford Cathedral, as well as Professor of Christianity and the Arts at King’s College London, says of these reflections:

“Our 21st-century journey with Jesus’ body will use a series of works of art by artists both ancient and modern, to aid our meditations."

On Wednesday Anthony Gray, Director of Music at St Wilfrid, Harrogate, will be leading a 'Via Crucis' organ meditation. You are invited to join this hour-long service, to sit in the nave of Bradford Cathedral and use the prayers and organ pieces as a focus for contemplation.

Later in the week, there will be a service for Maundy Thursday at 7pm, which will be a communion service with the option of having your feet washed. The Venerable Paul Hooper will preach during this service (as he also will on Easter Day). He will also be leading the reflections on Good Friday. The Venerable Paul Hooper says: “[I am] looking forward to sharing in the worship and witness of the Cathedral as we journey together with Jesus through the tumultuous, life changing and world transforming events of Holy Week.”

On Good Friday at 10:30am there will be a ‘Messy Easter’ service, an exploration of the events of Holy Week and celebrating the joy of Easter, that is suitable for all ages. You will be able to join in with craft activities, Bible stories, songs, drama and food

There will also be a three-hour service later on that Friday starting at 12noon, with the ‘Walk of Witness’ around the outside of the Broadway shopping Centre, where those gathered will pause to sing, read and pray, whilst taking it in turns to carry a large cross.

The group will then return to the Cathedral, from 1pm, to share silence, music and readings.

At the weekend there will be confirmation services held, led by the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds (Saturday, 7pm) and a series of services on Easter Day, beginning with ‘Worship at Dawn’ at 6am, where the Easter fire is lit, and a Eucharist at 10:30am.

You are invited to attend any of these services, and many are streamed online. More details can be found on the Bradford Cathedral website, where you can also find videos all about Holy Week and Easter, alongside resources available for use by schools.

The Revd Canon Paul Maybury, Acting Dean of Bradford, says:

“Together we share the final days with Jesus in Jerusalem. Our annual pilgrimage takes us to the cross outside the city wall and beyond. We know the story but each year, we share it again and discover more of its relevance and richness.

“Please share the week with us so that we can rejoice together come the rising of the sun on Easter day.”

The Revd Canon Philip Gray, Acting Canon Precentor, says:

"I am looking forward to spending my first Holy Week at Bradford Cathedral with services available for people to access both in our beautiful building and also on-line through our Bradford Cathedral YouTube page.

“Every year Christ's passion and resurrection is celebrated by Christians with renewed resonance depending on our circumstances and experiences. This year, conscious of the terrible war and suffering in Ukraine, we shall prayerfully offer this situation and one another, alongside our hope in Christ, who we shall behold as our Crucified and Risen Lord."