On Palm Sunday, Christians nationwide put homemade palms and greenery outside their homes. Holy Week is continuing to be celebrated in new ways, from DIY Easter gardens to virtual Easter pilgrimages.
The Jesuits in Britain suggest making space in a corner of the home as a focal point for prayer. On Holy Thursday, they suggest following the Jewish Passover tradition by talking at a household meal about the history of God’s people using bible stories. Perhaps there could be a special act of service within lockdown communities, just as Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. For Good Friday, the Praying with Art series has videos connected with different scenes from the Passion of Christ. Stations of the Cross for Good Friday can be found on this website too. The Columbans also have ecological Stations of the Rainforest.
On Holy Saturday, time in silent prayer is recommended, perhaps take a walk outside or sit in a garden contemplating God’s Creation. On the evening of the Paschal Vigil or on Easter Sunday, there is the suggestion of lighting a candle in or outside the home to remind of Christ’s light. Or what about making an Easter Garden with a tray or container, a plant pot or some stones to make a tomb and some twigs or bamboo cane to make crosses. The garden could be decorated with grass and small flowers, and perhaps some Easter eggs. Children could help with this and decorate hard boiled eggs. One family on twitter plan to do a ‘cosmic walk’ on Easter Sunday. CAFOD Schools has produced a resource pack for Holy Week, which includes Stations of the Cross activities and an Easter Card template.
Ideas from Churches Together include placing a cross on the front door or window on Good Friday and then placing flowers and candles from Easter Saturday. Or what about going outside the front door at 10am on Easter Sunday and singing ‘Hallelujah!’ or ‘Jesus Christ is Risen Today’! An Anglican church in South London has asked people to leave Easter Eggs at church on Thursday, to be given to staff at St Thomas's Hospital, in place of the usual parish Easter Egg Hunt.
The usual Student Cross Pilgrimage cannot happen, but Christina Mottram and Alison Gelder report that there is a Zoom service at midday on each day they would have been walking – Saturday to Good Friday. The Facebook page ‘Student Cross’ is the hub for three daily reflections, each by different people. The different groups (legs) of student cross also have their own Facebook groups and are actively using those to stimulate the community. People in the US, Germany, Hungary and Ireland as well as the UK have tuned in. Scottish Cross plans to have live online services for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Saturday night.
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