Maundy Thursday recalls the events of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest and the night before he died. At the end of the Maundy Thursday service liturgy, the consecrated elements of bread and wine are placed on the altar in the Nativity Chapel as a way of symbolizing Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before his arrest. An ancient tradition of the church is to keep a prayer vigil with the sacrament as a way of watching and praying with Jesus as he faces the final hours of his life.

It is an ancient practice to “sit and wait with Jesus” during the night and early morning hours on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. This year, we will again be keeping vigil with Jesus beginning immediately after the Maundy Thursday service concludes (about 8:00pm) until 12:00 midnight. This year, we are also adding early morning ours to “wait with Jesus” from 6:00am until Morning Prayer begins at 8:30am. All of this will take place in the Nativity Chapel. You are invited to sign up for half hour shifts on Thursday night and Friday morning (or both!). We would like to have at least one person praying in the chapel each of these half hours. To sign up, please contact Br. James at jdowd@episcopal-ne.org.