As evening falls on Good Friday...

...it was a quietly memorable London day.  Starting at the Anglican Cathedral alongside the Thames, we went on a united  Walk of Witness, the leaders taking turns in carrying a large wooden Cross, and all of us following in silence, stopping at various places to pray...the Stations of the Cross brought to London's riverside. The tide was out, and the wide beaches of the Thames were revealed. The Borough Market and all the Thameside restaurants were crowded and noisy, teeming with talk and shopping and street-theatre and music. At a Greek restaurant, some one was clipping the olive trees fronting the terrace, their grey-green leaves scattering alongside us as we walked.  Back through the Borough: one of the Stations was in a beautiful garden, once the chancel of a church. The church was damaged by bombs in WWII but one small section of it remains in occasional use: the garden is lovingly tended. We finished at Precious Blood Church.  There, after final prayers, we had Hot Cross Buns and coffee...

No point in going home before the 3pm Liturgy, so I went back to the riverside: the tide had now rolled  in, the great grey river surging along...I asked the Greek restaurant if I could have some sprigs from the olive trees, and brought some back to church with tiny olives on them, to put at  the Garden Altar from where, in due course, the Blessed Sacrament would be brought for Communion.

The solemn Good Friday liturgy, and the Rector carrying a great wooden Cross up the central aisle, later, after veneration, to be hauled into permanent position up behind the High Altar  (earlier, much work had been done with block-and-tackle, ropes, and heavy brackets, etc  to make this happen). . Beside me, a small child who had  been brought into church with - regrettably - a crumbly biscuit to munch, sat transfixed as, moment by moment, the heavy cross was hauled upwards into position. Her hand, plus biscuit, remained in mid-air, her mouth open not to receive it but in wordless amazement.

And after Communion we departed in silence...here at home I am packing things and preparing for an Easter family gathering, with chocolate eggs and bottles of wine...