Easter in Oxford

I spent Easter here in Oxford, as usual, and with the usual pattern of liturgical events.

On Maundy Thursday I went to Tenebrae at Blackfriars, though not on Good Friday or Holy Saturday. On those days I said the Office in the Traditional form using my iPhone

In the evening I attended the Mass of Lord's Supper and I have copied these pictures from the Oratory website, and added a few additional comments


The Washing of Feet:

The Procession to the Altar of Repose:

 

 

Br Benedict has been very busy recently in the Oratory Guild Room making the canopy for the Altar of Repose, a great enhancement of the Sacred Heart Chapel and much more striking than the previous arrangement - impressive as it was - with draped cloth.

The Stripping of the Altars:

Keeping Watch with Our Lord in His Agony:

I rather feel I shall miss the canopy and hangings when they come down as they really enhance the chapel. 

I, along with a considerable number of others, stayed until Compline at 11.45 before making my way home.

On Good Friday I had the happy circumstance of being able to meet up in the middle of the day with an old friend from Oriel. He is an Italian academic from Sardinia and was here for a conference.

As usual the Oratory was packed for the Solemn Liturgy at 3, and there was a good attendance for Stations of the Cross and the Veneration of the Relic of the Holy Cross at 7.

Holy Saturday I helped out as porter in the bookshop before attending the Solemn Easter Vigil and the First Mass of Easter - always the highlight of the liturgical year.

Easter Day I was back for the 11 Solemn Mass, and after lunch with a friend, back for Solemn Vespers and Benediction.

This year's Paschal Candle, beautifully painted by Mrs Freddie Quartley, and the photographs also show the Sanctuary in its full Easter splendour:

This reproduces the painting by Piero della Francesca of the Resurrection I posted about on Easter Day - great minds obviously think alike.

Images: Oxford Oratory website