The next day, the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—
the King of Israel!”

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:
“Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done.

– John 12:12-16 (NRSV)

In the Gregorian calendar, this last Sunday was Palm Sunday – the day on which we celebrate Christ’s entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, hailed as king. The day is also known as Passion Sunday as this is the last time Christ entered Jerusalem, having entered to walk to his death. Thus, this week is known as Holy Week: the week in which we walk with Christ in his last days, culminating in the Last Supper, washing of the disciples’ feet, and Christ’s arrest on Maundy Thursday, and his death on the cross on Good Friday. Finally, there is the joy of Easter Sunday on 4 April, as we find the tomb empty and, along with Christ’s disciples and the angels, give shouts of “Christ is risen!”

As this is our last newsletter for the term, I should like to take this opportunity to wish all, a blessed Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. For those in our community who are members of the Eastern Orthodox church and who therefore follow the Julian calendar, Palm Sunday takes place on 25 April, and Easter Sunday on 2 May.

We wish those in our community who are followers of the Jewish faith who will be celebrating Pesach, chag Pesach sameach. Pesach, or the Passover, began on the eve of Saturday 27 March and draws to a close on Sunday 4 April. After Term I comes to an end, on Tuesday 13 April the month of Ramadan commences for followers of the Islamic faith, and comes to an end on the evening of Wednesday 12 May. Ramadan kareem, therefore, to the members of our community who are Muslim.

REVD CLAUDIA COUSTAS

CHAPLAIN