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
7.35 am
Said Matins according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
8.05 am
Holy Communion according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
11.05 am
Choral Eucharist of Palm Sunday, with Palm Sunday Procession led by a donkey
Lassus Passion according to St Luke
Weelkes Hosanna to the Son of David
Vaughan Williams Mass in G Minor
Vaughan Williams O taste and see
J S Bach Valet will ich dir geben (BWV 736)
Please gather for this service in the Memorial Garden, located at the St Aldates entrance to Christ Church Meadows
The 2024 Palm Sunday Procession
6.05 pm
Choral Evensong
With sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary GuilianoByrd Responses
Leighton Second Service
Byrd Ne irascaris, Domine
Bach Herzlich tut mich verlangen (BWV 727) -
Monday 14th April
7.15 am
Morning Prayer
7.35 am
Holy Communion
6.05 pm
Choral Evensong
Sung by the trebles of Frideswide Voices
With Holy Week sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary Guiliano
Plainsong Responses
Woodside Fauxbordons Service
Humfrey A hymne to God the Father
Additional Closures
Chapter House: 10 am - 5 pm
Cathedral: 1 pm - 4:30 pm -
Tuesday 15th April
7.15 am
Morning Prayer
7.35 am
Holy Communion
5.35 pm
Evening Prayer
7.30 pm
Dietrich Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri
Christ Church Cathedral Choir and The Wolsey Consort, directed by Peter Holder
With Holy Week meditation by The Revd Dr Zachary GuilianoThis sung meditation 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
7.15 am
Morning Prayer
7.35 am
Holy Communion
1.05 pm
Holy Communion (1662 Book of Common Prayer)
6.05 pm
Philip Moore's Via Crucis: An organ meditation for Holy Week
Richard Moore, Sub Organist
With Holy Week sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary GuilianoThis performance is offered as a Cathedral service - it is therefore free to attend and no tickets are required.
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Maundy Thursday, 17th April
7.15 am
Morning Prayer
7.35 am
Holy Communion
11.05 am
Diocesan Chrism Eucharist
With Sermon by The Rt Revd Mary Gregory, Bishop of ReadingRheinberger Mass for Double Choir in E Flat 'Cantus Missae' Op.109
Elgar Give unto the LordBroadcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggJ9zsCFeHg
If you are a Minister and would like to robe and join the procession, or sing in the scratch choir, please sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/blessing-of-oils-and-renewal-of-ministerial-commitment-2025-tickets-1130707288939?aff=oddtdtcreator
5.35 pm
Evening Prayer (said)
7.35 pm
The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday
With Holy Week sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary Guiliano
Byrd Mass for Four Voices
Duruflé Ubi Caritas
Palestrina Dextera DominiIf 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
7.15 am
Morning Prayer
7.35 am
Holy Communion
10.05 am
The Liturgy of Good Friday
Victoria Passion according to St John
Guerrero O Domine Jesu Christe
Poulenc Vinea mea electa3.05 pm
Journey to the Cross (Families' Service)
6.05 pm
Choral Meditation for Good Friday
With sermon by The Revd Dr Zachary Guiliano
Bairstow The Lamentation
Gibbons Drop, drop, slow tears
Bruckner Christis Factus Est -
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 the First Eucharist of Easter
Dove Missa Brevis
Martin Vidi aquam
Byrd Cibavit eos
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Easter Day, Sunday 20th April
7.35 am
Said Matins according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
8.05 am
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 OxfordMozart Spatzenmesse (K.220)
Bassano Dic Nobis Maria
Widor Toccata (Cinquiéme Symphonie)6.05 pm
Festal Evensong of Easter Day
Smith Responses
Stanford in A
Vaughan Williams Easter
Vaughan Williams Te Deum in G
Demessieux Te Deum (Op. 11)
"God's Blood"
How can it be that the Son of God has died for us? This year's interlinked sermons and addresses for Holy Week will be preached by The Reverend Dr Zachary Guiliano, starting on Palm Sunday and concluding on Good Friday. Father Zack's series explores how the passion of Christ fulfils God's promise to remember each of us in the depth of our need and hurt, writing our names 'on the palms of his hands' (Isa 49:16). We will also be uploading each of his addresses to our YouTube channel, which you can visit through the link below.
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).
