A procession led by donkeys has marked the start Holy Week for three churches.
The congregation of Southwell Minster, members of the Roman Catholic community from Our Lady of Victories, and the congregation of Southwell Methodist Church came together on Sunday (March 24) to mark the start of Holy Week to share the Liturgy of Palm Sunday.
The celebrations began at Our Lady of Victories where their priest, Father Michael O’Donoghue, blessed the palm leaves.
They then processed through the town to the Minster, led by the Cathedral Choir and two donkeys from Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences at Brackenhurst.
A joint communion service was held in the Minster.
It was led by the Dean of Southwell, the Very Reverend Nicola Sullivan, assisted by the Deacon, Dr Richard Frith, the Sub-Deacon, Erika Kirk, Father Michael O’Donoghue and Keith Salsbury of Southwell Methodist Church, who read the lesson.
The service was also live streamed and can be watched on the Minster’s YouTube channel until Sunday, March 30.
It was only for the Liturgy of Sacrament that the congregations separated, before they joined together again for the Communion hymn.
The Cathedral Choir was directed by the Rector Chori, Paul Provost, and the organ was played by the assistant director of music, Jonathan Allsopp.
