Holy Week 2026
Forty days of Lent once again led us into the heart of Holy Week—and what a busy week it was.
Our journey began as Frodo the “donkey” once again led a joyful procession from the Old Palace to St Andrew’s, echoing the path taken by Jesus and his disciples into Jerusalem nearly two thousand years ago. It was a wonderful to see so many people turn out, carrying palms large and small, to join in a procession of faith and celebration.
A small group from our congregation traveled over to Chichester on Holy Wednesday to attend that, while less widely known, holds deep significance within the Church’s life. The Chrism Mass, held at Chichester Cathedral, and many other Cathedrals around the country, is a special annual service. Bishops, priests, and deacons all gather to renew the vows first made at their ordination. It is also the occasion when the Bishop blesses the holy oils for the coming year: the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Infirm, and the Holy Chrism, which are then distributed to the various parishes within the Diocese.
This year’s Chrism Mass carried particular poignancy, as it was the final one presided over by Bishop Martin before his retirement later this year. Addressing a full Cathedral, he expressed heartfelt gratitude for fourteen years of faithful ministry across the Diocese. In his reflection, he spoke of the importance of nurturing a faith deeply rooted in Scripture and the creeds, drawing on the words of St Augustine of Hippo: “For you I am a bishop, with you I am a Christian.” His message was both a reminder and an encouragement—that we are, together, a household of faith, called to serve one another and our wider community.
Good Friday brought with it a range of services, each inviting us into the solemn mystery of the day. Among them was a simple yet powerful act of witness. Fr Steven, accompanied by a small group of parishioners, walked from St Richard’s to St Andrew’s carrying a wooden cross. This “walk of witness” offered a tangible connection to the arduous journey Jesus undertook in the hours before his crucifixion. It was an opportunity not only to remember his suffering, but to reflect more deeply on the meaning of that sacrifice in our own lives.
As we move now into the joy and hope of Easter, we are invited to let the resurrection of Christ shape and renew us. It is not only a truth to be celebrated, but a reality to be lived—transforming how we see the world, and how we live within it. As C. S. Lewis so memorably wrote: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
May the light of the risen Christ continue to guide us, inspire us, and draw us ever deeper into faith, hope, and love.