The three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday form part of ’the paschal triduum’. Taken from a Latin word which means ’three days’, this period begins with the liturgy on the evening of Maundy Thursday, with the Eucharist of the Last Supper, followed by the Watch and the account of Jesus’ arrest, before our Good Friday services invite us to recall the passion, crucifixion and death of Jesus, and as we prepare for the climax of the whole Christian year on Easter Day when we celebrate the good news of the resurrection. In the early church, this was the day on which people would come forward to receive the sacrament of baptism, and at St Mary’s this year we will have a number of baptisms at our main celebration on Easter Day.

As we enter more deeply into the story of Christ’s passion, we give thanks for our own baptism and for the faith we profess. In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we celebrate the gift of new life. The old order of death and sin is overcome. On Easter Day, we bless the paschal candle as a sign that no darkness can ever overcome the life and the light which come from God. As we prepare for the Paschal Triduum, with services at which the Very Revd Dr Jeffrey John will preach, we pray that our celebration of Easter will give us a renewed confidence in the hope which lies at the heart of the resurrection.

Therefore, Heavenly Father, in this our Easter joy

accept our sacrifice of praise, your Church’s solemn offering,

this wax, the work of bees and the hands of your ministers.

As we gaze upon the splendour of this flame fed by melting wax conceived by mother bee,

grant that this Easter Candle may make our darkness light.

For Christ the morning star has risen in glory;

Christ is risen from the dead and his flame of love still burns within us!

- from The Exsultet: The Easter Song of Praise