Sung Eucharist Online

7pm: Sung Eucharist Online
Ash Wednesday

Welcome to our online service for Ash Wednesday, as we begin our observance of Lent. The Church’s season of self-examination, penitence, self-denial, and study, in which we both recall Jesus’ forty-days in the wilderness and prepare to celebrate Easter, will have a particular resonance this year, as we approach the anniversary of the first lockdown of the pandemic.

Ashes are an ancient sign of penitence; from the Middle Ages it became the custom to begin Lent by being marked by ash with the sign of the cross, reminded of our creaturely nature. As we continue to worship from our homes, we are not able in this service to share in this acknowledgement of mortality – at once humbling and yet hopeful – in the usual way. However, you are invited, if you wish, to make ash at home using Palm Sunday palms that you may have at home, and to sign yourself with them at the appropriate point in the service. Instructions are below are in the order of service below.

The President of the Eucharist is The Very Revd Nicola Sullivan, Dean of Southwell.
The Preacher is The Revd Prof. Alison Milbank, Canon Theologian.
The Lay Clerks of the Cathedral Choir are directed by Paul Provost, Rector Chori.
The organ is played by Jonathan Allsopp, Assistant Director of Music.

The setting for the Eucharist is Mass for Five Voices by William Byrd (c.1539-1623).

Please do join in at home as you are comfortably able: you may wish to stand, sit and kneel as you normally would in church (we have included instructions for posture in this booklet for this reason), and/or to speak along with the congregational elements of the service.