Today we were at the Parvis (the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre) before 8am, ready for a Greek Orthodox liturgy for Maundy Thursday with footwashing that was going to take place at 9am. There were not many people there when we arrived, but the Parvis gradually filled up until it was totally packed.
The ceremony began with a procession of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch and twelve of his priests to a dais in the Parvis. 
The liturgy was mostly sung and was very impressive. It took around 2 and a half hours, and all the while we were packed into the Parvis like sardines. I was probably the most squashed for a sustained amount of time that I have ever been! This is all a normal part of being a pilgrim in Jerusalem for the great services of Holy Week and Easter.
It was moving when the Patriarch allowed himself to be stripped of his outer garment and his crown, and had towels wound around him and washed his disciples feet. Without his cope and crown he seemed much smaller and more vulnerable.
Another moving moment (hard to photograph) was when he came down from the dais and acted out the praying in Gethsemane "Lord, let this cup pass from me". Three times he came back to the disciples and found them sleeping. But someone let him back to prayer twice - apparently indicating that he was prompted by the Holy Spirit or an angel to keep on praying.
By the time the service finished at 11.30am, we had been standing for around three and a half hours in a very confined space. I was glad to go to lunch at the Lutheran hospice. Along the way we slipped into a Maronite (Eastern rite Roman Catholic church) that had a beautiful clean and clear feel about it.
After dinner, a foot washing liturgy was performed at St George's Cathedral, led by Bp Suheil Dawani, and then we had a silent procession following the processional cross (draped in dark cloth) through the streets of East Jerusalem, down into the Kidron Valley and up again to Gethsemane.
This was a very special time of identification with Jesus. I was wearing my father's old jacket as the temperature was not very warm, and felt a strong connection with him too - as if we were going on this pilgrimage together.
When we got to Gethsemane we went to a quiet place and had the reading of the events of Maundy Thursday from Mark's Gospel (Mark 14:12-72). At the end, Bishop Suheil prayed and gave a blessing, and we stayed on there for a while to pray on our own before returning to the College.
1 comment:
What a significant and very special experience to wear your father's jacket, and feel such a connection with him, as you make this pilgrimage.
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