Viewing all items in Resource Category: Holy Days

Murky crimes committed by various church leaders, local shops in trouble, roads needing repair, and hospitals in a sorry state…. wanting to retire, but the law said no… it seems that Hugh of Grenoble was dealing with 21st century problems in the 11th century. Born at Chateauneuf in 1052 as the son of a knight,...

Ever wonder where the prayer … ‘May I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day’ comes from?  Richard of Chichester, a bishop in the 13th century, wrote it. He began life as Richard de Wych of Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer.  But Richard was...

Leaving England to live in Spain was popular long before the TV show ‘Location Location Location’ became popular.  Back in 1350 Vincent Ferrer’s parents had left England to settle in Valencia, where their son Vincent was born and grew up.   In 1367, when he was 17, Vincent felt called by God to become a monk,...

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, when the Church remembers how Jesus arrived at the gates of Jerusalem just a few days before the Passover was due to be held.  He was the Messiah come to his own people in their capital city, and yet he came in humility, riding on a young donkey, not...

The events of Easter took place over a week, traditionally called Passion Week. It began on Palm Sunday. After all his teaching and healing, Jesus had built a following. On the Sunday before he was to die, Jesus and his followers arrived at Jerusalem. The city was crowded. Jewish people were arriving from to celebrate...

Maundy Thursday is famous for two things.  The first is one of the final acts that Jesus did before his death: the washing of his own disciples’ feet.  (see John 13)  Jesus washed his disciples’ feet for a purpose:  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you...

Good Friday is the day on which Jesus died on the cross. He was crucified at 9am in the morning, and died six hours later, at 3pm.  It is the most solemn day in the Christian year, and is widely marked by the removal of all decorations from churches.  In Lutheran churches, the day was...

Luke’s account of the crucifixion (Luke 23:32-43) emphasises the mocking of the crowd, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself’ (35,37,39). In their view a Messiah does not hang on a cross and suffer. In considering the two men who was crucified with Jesus, we are also confronted with the issue of...

As the traditional Easter story is rehearsed again this month, you may notice that there is one name that frequently occurs. It is that of the ‘other’ Mary – not the mother of Jesus, but Mary of Magdalene, who stood by her at the cross and became the first human being actually to meet the...

Easter is the most joyful day of the year for Christians.  Christ has died for our sins. We are forgiven.   Christ has risen!  We are redeemed!   We can look forward to an eternity in His joy! Hallelujah! The Good News of Jesus Christ is a message so simple that you can explain it to someone...

Three years after the Russian Revolution of 1917, a great anti-God rally was arranged in Kiev.  The powerful orator Bukharin was sent from Moscow, and for an hour he demolished the Christian faith with argument, abuse and ridicule.  At the end there was silence. Then a man rose and asked to speak.  He was a...

The following list of witnesses may help you put all those references in order…. Mary Magdalene                                Mark 16:9-11; John 20:10-18 Other women at the tomb                Matthew 28:8-10 Peter in Jerusalem                             Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5 The two travellers on the road        Mark 16:12,13 10 disciples behind closed doors     Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25 11...