Categories
Eucharist

Festival Eucharist – Easter Sunday – 20th April 2025 – 11:15

God has been worshipped in this place through the prayers and praises of countless generations. Worship lies at the heart of our life as Christians and we express our theology and belief through our liturgy. It is through these liturgical patterns of words and actions that we are formed and transformed.

Should you wish to translate this order of service into another language, please choose your language in the bottom right. There is a guest wireless network available within the Cathedral for those without a mobile data connection.

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You are invited to say the text in bold in English.

Please stand as the Minister, at the West End of the Cathedral, sings

Let us pray. 

Please remain standing whilst the Choir and Clergy enter the stalls

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

1. Light’s glittering morn bedecks the sky;

    Heaven thunders forth its victor-cry:

    Alleluia!

    The glad earth shouts her triumph high,

    And groaning hell makes wild reply:

    Alleluia!

2. While he, the King, the mighty King,

    Despoiling death of all its sting,

    Alleluia!

    And trampling down the powers of night,

    Brings forth his ransomed saints to light.

    Alleluia!

3. His tomb of late the threefold guard

    Of watch and stone and seal had barred;

    Alleluia!

    But now, in pomp and triumph high,

    He comes from death to victory.

    Alleluia!

4. The pains of hell are loosed at last,

    The days of mourning now are past;

    Alleluia!

    An angel robed in light hath said,

    ‘The Lord is risen from the dead’.

    Alleluia!

5. O Lord of all, with us abide

    In this our joyful Eastertide;

    Alleluia!

    From every weapon death can wield

    Thine own redeemed for ever shield.

   Alleluia!

6. All praise be thine, O risen Lord,

    From death to endless life restored;

    Alleluia!

    All praise to God the Father be

    And Holy Ghost eternally.

    Alleluia!

Latin, tr. John Neale (1818–66); Arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

The Celebrant says

The Acclamation

Alleluia! Christ is risen!  

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The Celebrant says while lighting

The Paschal Candle

Alleluia! Blessed are you, Lord Jesus Christ, Conqueror of death.  

You are the Light of the world. Alleluia!

Please remain standing for

The Collect for Purity

Almighty God  to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name: through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Prayers of Penitence

Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed for us. Let us therefore rejoice by putting away all malice and evil and confessing our sins with a sincere and true heart.

A time of silence is kept for self examination

Like Mary at the empty tomb, we fail to grasp the wonder of your presence.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Like the disciples behind locked doors, we are afraid to be seen as your followers.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Like Thomas in the upper room, we are slow to believe.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

The Celebrant pronounces

The Absolution

Please remain standing whilst the Choir sings

Gloria in excelsis

Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones

The Collect of the Day

Almighty God, through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ you have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that, as by your grace going before us you put into our minds good desires, so by your continual help we may bring them to good effect; through Jesus Christ our risen Lord who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Please sit for the

1 Corinthians 15: 19–26

At the end of the reading

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Please sit whilst the Choir sings

The Gradual

Joy is come, Eastertide, sing we all loud and wide, he has come glorified, see the stone rolled aside; Christ our Lord is risen, bursting from his prison. Let the sound sing around. Joy is come, Easter Day, join the dance, homage pay, Christ the Lord lights our way, from the tomb now breaking, Satan’s power shaking. Let the song echo long: shout it loud, sing it strong, Christ the Lord is risen. Joy is come, Easter morn with your Lord greet the dawn, he endured crown and thorn and the bitter nailing, faithful and unfailing. Tidings tell, chant it well, risen Christ in us dwell, o’er the cross prevailing. Easter joy may we bring, welcome, Lord, heaven’s King; winter turns into spring, darkness overtaking and our spirits waking. Praises flow, voices grow, sounding far, ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo!’

Mediæval English melody, arr. John Rutter (b.1945)

Please stand for the

John 20: 1–18

The Minister and Choir sing

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to Saint X, in the Y chapter, beginning at the Z verse.

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Please sit to listen to

The Sermon

The Very Reverend W. W. Morton, B.Th., M.A., Ph.D., M.Mus., D.Litt., Dean and Ordinary

Please stand to say

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Prayers of the People

Let us pray.

Please kneel or sit, according to your custom

Each petition ends

Lord, in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

At the end

Merciful Father, accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Please stand for

The Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing to sing

The Offertory Hymn

During this hymn, a collection of money is made. Should you wish to donate online, please tap the button below to give securely by card.

1. Glorious things of thee are spoken
    Sion, city of our God;
    He whose word cannot be broken
    Form’d thee for his own abode:
    On the Rock of Ages founded,
    What can shake thy sure repose?
    With salvation’s walls surrounded,
    Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

2. See, the streams of living waters,
    Springing from eternal love,
    Well supply thy sons and daughters,
    And all fear of want remove:
    Who can faint, while such a river
    Ever flows their thirst to assuage?
    Grace, which like the Lord the giver,
    Never fails from age to age.

3. Saviour, if of Sion’s city
    I through grace a member am,
    Let the world deride or pity,
    I will glory in thy name:
    Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
    All his boasted pomp and show;
    Solid joys and lasting treasure
    None but Sion’s children know.

John Newton (1725–1807); Cyril Taylor (1907–91)

Please remain standing as the Celebrant and Choir sing

Sursum Corda

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

The Celebrant intones the Preface, concluding

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:

Sanctus & Benedictus

Please remain standing as the Eucharistic Prayer continues, concluding

. . . through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom and in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of never-ending praise:

Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.

Please kneel or be seated for

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father,  who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Celebrant breaks the bread and says

The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

The Celebrant invites the people to receive communion.

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a member Church of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Communion. We welcome members of all Christian Church denominations to receive Holy Communion here. Please follow the stewards’ directions.

Whilst the people receive communion, the Choir sings

Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

(Lamb of God who takes away  the sins of the world, have mercy on us.)

Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

(Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, give us peace.)

The Motet

O sacrum convivium, in quo Christus sumitur; recolitur memoria passionis eius; mens impletur gratia; et futurae gloriæ nobis pignus datur. Alleluia.

(O sacred feast, wherein Christ is received; the memorial of his passion is renewed; the soul is filled with grace; and a pledge of future glory is given to us.)

Eoghan Desmond (2016)

When all have received, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

A seasonal post-communion prayer is said, followed by

Almighty God,  we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

Please stand to sing the

Hymn

All

1. Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
Endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay:

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
Endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.

Choir only

2. Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
Let the Church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting:

All    

3. No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of Life;
Life is nought without thee: aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors through thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above:

Edmond Budry (1854–1932); G. F. Handel (1685–1759)

Please remain standing whilst the Choir sings

The Celebrant says

The Blessing

The Minister and Choir sing

The Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.

Please stand as the Choir and Clergy depart.

Please remain at your seat for the duration of the

Organ Voluntary

Developed by Clark Brydon (Education & Safeguarding Officer).

n.b.: Translations are provided automatically by Google Translate. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is not responsible for automatically generated content or for content on external websites.

To report a problem or to send feedback and suggestions, please email: education@stpatrickscathedral.ie