Archbishop's Holy Week News & Reflections – Holy Saturday

Nyaki, Karabo (Pabi), Mrs Lungi and ++Thabo Makgoba

Dear Parishioners, Clergy and Bishops

“Dad, have you been ‘zooming’ again today?” There you go, a new verb born out of lockdown.

For me Holy Saturday is typically much quieter than today was, a time when I am still full of the emotions and animation of Good Friday and its message. Usually we are laid back as a family and take a siesta from 3 till around 6 pm, then have dinner around 7 in preparation to go to St George’s Cathedral for the 10:30 Easter Vigil.

Archbishop's Holy Week News & Reflections – Good Friday

Dear Parishioners, Clergy and Bishops

The busy-ness of Holy Week took an unexpected turn yesterday, Maundy Thursday. During the week I had prayed with President Cyril Ramaphosa over the phone and crafted special collects for him, reflecting a meeting of our minds. Then, late in the day, it was confirmed that he and Mrs Ramaphosa had accepted an invitation to join us from Gauteng in a virtual Good Friday service with my family and an online congregation.

Archbishop's Holy Week News & Reflections – Maundy Thursday

Dear Parishioners, Clergy and Bishops

Sixty-six clergy from the Diocese of Cape Town, including four retired bishops, joined me in the Bishopscourt Chapel on Zoom video conferencing software for a most moving prayer service at midday today. 

Archbishop's Holy Week News & Reflections – Wednesday April 8

Dear Parishioners, Clergy and Bishops

Around the Province, clergy and lay ministers are adapting their Good Friday and Easter services in many innovative ways, including through Facebook, WhatsApp, Zoom and other platforms. While online media can never replace our gathering together physically to worship our Lord, the coronavirus pandemic is forcing us to catch up with our young people and learn new ways of being church in the modern world.

Archbishop's Holy Week News & Reflections – Tuesday April 7

(Image: Brand SA)

Dear Parishioners, Clergy and Bishops

We may be confined to our homes on lockdown, but in a time of pandemic the lives and ministries of the clergy seem to be busier than ever, whether we are calling our parishioners to check in on how they are – particularly those who are elderly or who live on their own – or addressing unforeseen difficulties in our communities.

Archbishop's Holy Week News & Reflections – Monday April 6

Dear Parishioners, Clergy and Bishops

At noon today 21 Bishops of the Province began Holy Week by sharing in a Litany for the Coronavirus Pandemic on a video conference call. It was, as a number of Bishops said afterwards, a very special gathering, a precious and touching moment of being united in prayer amidst crisis and uncertainty, as well as an invitation to deep theological reflection on the time we are living through.