Good Friday

Never have I remembered Jesus' death on the cross as well as today. We were here last year, but fairly uninvolved. First, there was a service at 3pm, with the whole account of his death from the gospel of John, plus much more.

Then, at 9:30pm, a procession, carrying his dead body on a bier through the cold, dark town, crowded with silent mourners (extra). The moon is full, but obscured by clouds, the streets are cobbled, the balconies wrought iron, people hanging over them, candles on the windowsills, more people standing in dimly lit doorways. At each stopping place, a woman intones a dirge in Latin; three other women, veiled in black lace, respond. A wooden rattle sounds, the brass band starts up, we move off silently, elderly folk with sticks, small children hushed, eventually even the drums fall silent, and it's just the sound of feet on cobbles. Until the next stop.

And, one of the six men in black cloaks carrying the canopy over the bier, Mike! As we were waiting for the procession to start, the Padre barked, "Mike, help them!" So that was that, off he went (extra).

Over an hour later, we get back to the church. Jesus' body lifted by the Padre and a helper, an acolyte swinging incense - three times, and then laid in a black coffin, and the lid slammed shut, with awful finality. Though we know Sunday is coming...

And then, drinks (not coffee and tea; liqueurs and brandies) and cakes, and home sometime after midnight. And, this has been celebrated exactly like this, for hundreds of years. No need for rehearsals, everyone knows just what to do.

And today, Saturday, another service up at the main church, beginning again at 9:30pm, and at midnight, candles are lit everywhere, and Jesus' resurrection is celebrated... that Blip will also be a day late. Lent is over, comments back on, but no time to do them as yet...