Holy Week 2025
Join us in Oxford or online this Holy Week and Easter as we celebrate Christ's passion and resurrection in words, music and prayer.
Christians have celebrated the traditional cycle of Holy Week services for over 1600 years. Highlights of this year's worship at Christ Church include the Palm Sunday procession led by a donkey, the Cathedral Choir’s performance of Dietrich Buxtehude's Membra Iesu Nostri cantata cycle, the Journey to the Cross service for families, and a full celebration of the Sacred Triduum from Maundy Thursday to Easter Day. There will be a series of linked Holy Week addresses throughout the week from The Revd Dr Zachary Guiliano, Priest Vicar.
You can find more details of all of our regular worship and special services this Holy Week below.
(Bold = special service)
Services
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Palm Sunday, 13th April
7.35am
Said Matins according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
8.05am
Holy Communion according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
10.45am
Choral Eucharist of Palm Sunday, with Palm Sunday Procession led by a donkey
Please gather for this service in the Memorial Garden, located at the St Aldates entrance to Christ Church Meadows
The 2024 Palm Sunday Procession
6.05pm
Choral Evensong
With sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary Guiliano -
Monday 14th April
7.15am
Morning Prayer
7.35am
Holy Communion
6.05 pm
Choral Evensong (Frideswide Voices)
With sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary GuilianoAdditional Closures
Chapter House: 10 am - 5 pm
Cathedral: 1 pm - 4:30 pm -
Tuesday 15th April
7.15am
Morning Prayer
7.35am
Holy Communion
5.35 pm
Evening Prayer
7.30pm
Dietrich Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri
Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Frideswide Voices and The Wolsey Consort, directed by Peter Holder
With meditations by The Revd Dr Zachary GuilianoThis sacred concert is offered as an act of worship. It is therefore free to attend, and no booking is required.
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Wednesday 16th April
7.15am
Morning Prayer
7.35am
Holy Communion
1.05
Holy Communion (1662 Book of Common Prayer)
6.05
Philip Moore's Via Crucis: Organ meditation and prayers for Holy Week
Organ: Richard Moore, Sub Organist
With address by The Revd Dr Zachary GuilianoThis concert is offered as an act of worship, and is therefore free to attend.
-
Maundy Thursday, 17th April
7.15 am
Morning Prayer
7.35 am
Holy Communion
11.05 pm
Diocesan Chrism Eucharist
Sermon by The Rt Revd Mary Gregory, Bishop of ReadingBroadcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggJ9zsCFeHg
5.35 pm
Evening Prayer (said)
7.35 pm
The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday
With sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary GuilianoIf you would like to participate in the washing of feet, please email the Precentor at philippa.white@chch.ox.ac.uk
9 pm - 12.00 am
The Watch
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Good Friday, 18th April
7.15am
Morning Prayer
7.35am
Holy Communion
10.05 am
The Liturgy of Good Friday
3.05 pm
Journey to the Cross (Families' Service)
6.05 pm
Choral Reflection for Good Friday
With sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary Guiliano -
Holy Saturday, 19th April
8.15 am
Morning Prayer
8.35 am
Holy Communion
12.35 pm
Holy Communion
5.35 pm
Evening Prayer
8.35 pm
Easter Vigil with Baptism, and Confirmation and First Eucharist of Easter
-
Easter Day, Sunday 20th April
7.35am
Said Matins according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
8.05am
Holy Communion according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
11.05 pm
The Eucharist of Easter Day
With Sermon by The Rt Revd Stephen Croft, Bishop of Oxford6.05 pm
Festal Evensong of Easter Day
"Surely, God Will Save Us"
This year's interlinked sermons and addresses for Holy Week will be preached by The Reverend Dr Zachary Guiliano. Father Zack's series, 'Surely, God Will Save Us', will explore the message of hope that accompanies the Passion story, and help you to get into the ideas and emotions at the heart of each of the Holy Week liturgies.
We will also be recording Father Zack's sermons and uploading them to watch on our YouTube channel.
Buxtehude's 'Membra Iesu Nostri'
Join us in the beautiful setting of Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesday 15th April at 7.30 pm for a sacred performance of Dietrich Buxtehude’s Passiontide masterpiece, Membra Iesu Nostri.
First published in 1680, this cycle of seven cantatas explores the individual believer’s response to the suffering body of Christ on the cross as they gradually raise their gaze upwards: beginning at His feet, then His knees, hands, side, breast, and heart, before finally meeting His face. Buxtehude sets texts chosen from the bible and the medieval Salve mundi salutare hymn with a mixture of Italian and German styles, combining intense expression with contemplative clarity. The resulting music is one of the masterpieces of the German baroque.
Interspersed between the cantatas are three meditations from our Priest Vicar, The Reverend Dr Zachary Guiliano, guiding us in accessing the emotions and meanings that pour forth from Membra Iesu Nostri.
This performance is offered as an act of worship, and admission is therefore free. Whoever you are and whatever you believe, you are warmly welcome to come along and experience Holy Week and the Passion story through Buxtehude's beautiful music.
Passion on Paper
From April 7th until June 16th, a new exhibition at Christ Church Picture gallery brings together drawings of the Passion from the Renaissance and the Baroque from the gallery’s collection, exploring how artists depicted the complex themes of love, betrayal and pain found in these stories. Drawings include: Federico Zuccaro’s The Last Supper, Ludovico Carracci’s Christ shown to the People, Toussaint Dubreuil’s The carrying of the Cross, Jacopo Pontormo’s Lamentation and many more. Entry to the Picture Gallery is via Canterbury Gate, and costs £6 (£3 concessions).
