Easter Triduum: Good Friday 

Join us in prayer this Good Friday. 

Celebrant: The Very Rev. Christopher A. Pappas

Preacher: The Right Rev. John Stephens

Deacon: The Rev. Alisdair Smith 

Reader: Hope Sealy 

ASL Interpreter: Lisz Keallen

Music: Lucy Smith, Margaret Ferguson, Kilan Benson, Jake Gramit, under the direction of Rupert Lang.

A Pdf version of the bulletin is available here. 

Continue scrolling down to follow along with a a text version of the bulletin. 

Ministry of the Word

Procession of the Presence Candle from the Altar of Repose

Presider All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to our own way.
All And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Presider Christ the Lord became obedient unto death,
All Even death on a cross.

Silence

Presider Almighty God,
All we have sinned in thought and word and deed;
we have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
We pray you of your mercy, forgive us all that is past,
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

Presider The Lord be with you.
All And also with you.
Presider Let us pray.

Silence

Collect of the Day
Presider O Holy and Immortal One,
All we veil our faces before your glory,
and bow before the cross of your wounded Christ.
With angels and archangels we praise you, our Mercy,
and we bless you, our Compassion,
for in our brokenness you have not abandoned us. Amen.

Proclamation of the Word

First Reading Isaiah 52:13—53:12

The Psalm Psalm 22  Setting: Peter Hallock

Antiphon: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress?
O my God, I cry in the daytime but you do not answer;
by night as well, but I find no rest. Antiphon.

All who see me laugh me to scorn;
They curl their lips and wag their heads saying,
“He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, if he delights in him.” Antiphon.

I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint;
my heart within my breast is melting wax.
My mouth is dried out like a potsherd;
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
and you have laid me in the dust of the grave. Antiphon.

Packs of dogs close me in, and gangs of evildoers circle around me;
They pierce my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them;
they cast lots for my clothing. Antiphon.

Be not far away O Lord; you are my strength; hasten to help me.
Save me from the sword, my life from the power of the dog. Antiphon.

Save me from the lion’s mouth,
my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls.
I will declare your Name to my brethren:
In the midst of the congregation I will praise you. Antiphon.

Second Reading Hebrews 10:16-25

Hymn     There Is a Green Hill Far Away (CP 202)

              Text: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818 –1895); Music William Horsley (1774 –1858); Horsley

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

The congregation is encouraged to take their parts with boldness.

Narrator Hear the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley
to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.
Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples.
So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees,
and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them,

Jesus Whom are you looking for?
Narrator They answered,
Congregation Jesus of Nazareth.
Narrator Jesus replied,
Jesus I am he.
Narrator Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them,

Jesus Whom are you looking for?
Narrator And they said,
Congregation Jesus of Nazareth.
Narrator Jesus answered,
Jesus I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.

Narrator This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken,
“I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.”
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear.
The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter,

Jesus Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?

Narrator So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him.
First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
Caiaphas was the one who had advised that it was better to have one person die for the people.
Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest,
he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate.
So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out,
spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter,

Reader You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?
Narrator Peter said,
Reader I am not.
Narrator Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold,
and they were standing around it and warming themselves.
Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.
Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered,
Jesus I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple,
where all the people come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me?
Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.

Narrator When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying,
Reader Is that how you answer the high priest?
Narrator Jesus answered,
Jesus If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?
Narrator Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him,

Congregation You are not also one of his disciples, are you?
Narrator He denied it and said,
Reader I am not.
Narrator One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked,
Reader Did I not see you in the garden with him?
Narrator Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.
Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning.
They themselves did not enter the headquarters,
so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover.
So Pilate went out to them and said,
Reader What accusation do you bring against this man?
Narrator They answered,
Congregation If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.
Narrator Pilate said to them,
Reader Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.
Narrator The people replied,
Congregation We are not permitted to put anyone to death.

Narrator (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him,

Reader Are you the King of the Jews?
Narrator Jesus answered,
Jesus Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?
Narrator Pilate replied,
Reader I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?
Narrator Jesus answered,
Jesus My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world,
my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the people.
But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.

Narrator Pilate asked him,
Reader So you are a king?
Narrator Jesus answered,
Jesus You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.

Narrator Pilate asked him,
Reader What is truth?
Narrator After he had said this, he went out to the people again and told them,
Reader I find no case against him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?

Narrator They shouted in reply,
Congregation Not this man, but Barabbas!
Narrator Now Barabbas was a bandit. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe.
They kept coming up to him, saying,

Congregation Hail, King of the Jews!
Narrator and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them,
Reader Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.
Narrator So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them,
Reader Here is the man!
Narrator When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted,
Congregation Crucify him! Crucify him!
Narrator Pilate said to them,
Reader Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.
Narrator The people answered him,
Congregation We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.
Narrator Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus,
Reader Where are you from?
Narrator But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him,
Reader Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?

Narrator Jesus answered him,
Jesus You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above;
therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.
Narrator From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the people cried out,
Congregation If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor.
Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.
Narrator When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside
and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha.
Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the people,

Reader Here is your King!
Narrator They cried out,
Congregation Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!
Narrator Pilate asked them,
Reader Shall I crucify your King?
Narrator The chief priests answered,
Congregation We have no king but the emperor.
Narrator Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.
There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them.
Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
Many of the people read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city;
and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the people said to Pilate,

Congregation Do not write, “The King of the Jews,” but, “This man said, I am King of the Jews.”
Narrator Pilate answered,
Reader What I have written I have written.
Narrator When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another,

Congregation Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.
Narrator This was to fulfill what the scripture says, “They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” And that is what the soldiers did.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister,
Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother,

Jesus Woman, here is your son.
Narrator Then he said to the disciple,
Jesus Here is your mother.
Narrator And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture),

Jesus I am thirsty.
Narrator A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said,

Jesus It is finished.

Narrator Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Since it was the day of Preparation, the religious leaders did not want the bodies left on the cross
during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity.
So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed.
Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.
(He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe.
His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.)
These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, “None of his bones shall be broken.”
And again another passage of scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.”
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one
because of his fear of the religious leaders, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus.
Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body.
Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came,
bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.
They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths,
according to the burial custom of the Jews.
Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified,
and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid.
And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Homily The Right Reverend John Stephens

Silence for reflection

The Solemn Intercession

Meditation on the Cross of Jesus
A wooden cross is brought into the Cathedral

Presider This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the Saviour of the world.
All Come let us worship.

Hymn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (CP 386)

Text: Isaac Watts (1674–1748); Music: Melody Psalmody in Miniature, 2nd Supplement, 1780?;
harm. Edward Miller (1731 –1807); desc. David R. Riley (1947–); Rockingham

1. When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
save in the cross of Christ, my God:
all the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

3. See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down;
did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?

4. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

The Lord’s Prayer

Presider As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
All Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Closing Prayer
Presider Send down your abundant blessing, Lord,
upon your people who have devoutly recalled the death of your Son
in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection.
Grant them pardon; bring them comfort.
May their faith grow stronger and their eternal salvation be assured.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All Amen.

Closing Hymn Were You There?
Traditional Spiritual; arr. Rupert Lang

1. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
were you there when they crucified my Lord?
2. Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
3. Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
were you there when they pierced him in the side?
4. Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
were you there when the sun refused to shine?
5. Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
6. Were you there when he burst the bonds of death?
Were you there when he burst the bonds of death?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
were you there when he burst the bonds of death?

Those participating in the liturgy, leave in silence.

You are invited to make a financial offering to further God’s mission through the work of the church
by texting “Give” to 639.739.0843 and following the instructions; or by clicking on this link thecathedral.ca/give.Tax receipts are issued annually for gifts totalling $20 or more.
Your financial gifts matter and together with the bread and wine they are presented in spirit at the Altar
as a sign of thanksgiving to God from whom all blessings flow.