Holy Week

Alleluia, Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!

By Thursday afternoon, Maundy Thursday, we had a full house of guests with us.

Holy week folks. From top left, clockwise: Br. Bernard with Associate Cheryl Kuchler, of Blackwood, NJ; Bros. Bernard and Robert James with Mary Chilton Callaway and the Rev. Jamie Callaway, of Manhattan; Br. Josép prepares popcorn for his bros in anticipation of Sunday night movie (two pictures); Br. Francis prepares hive boxes to receive two colonies of bees this coming week (two picutres); Br. John collects the trash and recycling in the enclosure to take to their respective dumpsters;

On Maundy Thursday, we started the Triduum with the Mandatum (a.k.a. the washing of the feet) in the late afternoon. Brothers in leadership washed the feet of brothers and guests who desired it. We did it in St Augustine's church. It was nice to have it be its own liturgy separately from the eucharist which we had after supper.

The Mandatum. From top left, clockwise: basins, hot water and towels ready for the washing of the feet in St Augustine's church (two pictures); from the Maundy Thursday eurcharist to the Easter Vigil, the tower bell is not rung and a wooden clacker is used instead to call the faithful to church (a knot in the bell rope reminds the distracted not to ring the bell - two pictures); Bros. Robert James (Superior), Rober Leo (Assistant Superior) and Ephrem (Guesthouse Director) were the three Brothers in leadership who washed feet of brothers and guests (three pictures).

The Easter Triduum takes place from the evening of Maundy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season, and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil which we had this Sunday morning. 

After the Good Friday mass, the sacristy team uncovered icons and sculptures in the church and decorated it with spring flowers.

The blooming of the church. Blooms included magnolia, daffodils and forsythia from our gardens.

On Easter morning, we all assembled in front of the Guesthouse to light the holy fire. We then proceeded to the refectory to hear the history of salvation and sing hymns. From there we processed to the chapter room in the monastic enclosure (a.k.a. as the chapel of the Holy Spirit) singing the great litany. In the chapter room we renewed our baptismal vows. Finally, we reached the church to celebrate the Eucharist.

The Easter Vigil. From top left, clockwise: the lighting of the holy fire (two pictures); the night before, the refectory was prepared for the vigil; hearing the history of salvation in the refectory as the sun rises over the Hudson valley (two pictures).

Procession from the refectory to the chapter room. From top left, clockwise: Br. Luc carries the thurible in which incense burns, our claustral aspirant, the Rev. Samuel Kennedy carries the paschal candle, followed by Br. Randy, our presider, and Br. Josép chanting the great litany (four pictures); the faithful walking through the ambulatory that goes behind the church; the assembly going through the statio (with the monks' cowls hanging from their hooks on the wall); Br. Bede joining in a hymn and shaking a noisemaker; the Rev. Martin Smith offering the sermon; the altar party administering communion.

After the Easter vigil we had a restorative and festive cooked breakfast in the refectory.

And at midday, we reassembled there for the Easter feast. Our chefs worked from the wee hours of the morning to the mid-afternoon to make it all possible from the temporary kitchen parked in our sacristy lot. 

The Easter dinner. Monks and guests assembled to enjoy a delicious feast together. Br. Laurence joined us for the occasion and of course, brought us origami butterflies (one for everyone) to celebrate the resurrection. The middle picture is a panoramic view of our stripped down guesthouse kitchen ready for its renovation work.

Happy Easter!