The Great Vigil and the First Eucharist of Easter in the City of London

Saturday 4th April 2026 – 7.00pm-8.15pm
The Great Vigil and the First Eucharist of Easter
From darkness to light: the lighting of the Easter fire, blessing of the Paschal Candle, renewal of baptismal vows, and the first Eucharist of Easter, with ancient prayers sung to chant. Followed by festive refreshments.
Holy Week & Easter at St Olave Hart Street, City of London
Join us this Holy Week and Easter for beautiful liturgy, thoughtful preaching and sublime choral music in the surroundings of our ancient medieval church, where all are always welcome.
Founded in 1050, St Olave Hart Street is dedicated to a Viking warrior who became King of Norway and a saint remembered for healing miracles. The church survived the Great Fire but was destroyed during the Blitz and lovingly restored — the building as well as its people are a sign of resurrection and new life.
Our striking east window shows Christ both in his Passion, suffering on the cross, and in glory, the cross shining behind him — holding together the holy tension at the heart of Easter: that through Christ’s death comes the promise of resurrection and new life for the whole world. We hope you will join us this Easter as we celebrate that hope: light shining in the darkness and life rising where once there was death.
Sunday 29th March 2026 – 11.00am-12.15pm – Palm Sunday Holy Communion & Procession
With blessing of palms, procession and the singing of the Passion Gospel by our professional choir. Followed by tea, coffee and hot cross buns.
Tuesday 31st March 2026 – 5.30pm for 6.00pm (rehearsal), 7.30pm (performance) – Come & Sing Stainer’s “Crucifixion”
Singers of all vocal parts are welcome to register to ‘Come & Sing’ with The Hanover Choir and the choirs of St Olave Hart Street to sing Sir John Stainer’s ‘The Crucifixion’ a moving and dramatic setting of the passion narrative. Whether you are singing or not please do come along to the performance and bring your friends. The performance will be free to attend. Singers – please register at this link so that we can prepare the appropriate number of scores.
Thursday 2nd April 2026 – 6.30pm-7.45pm – The Maundy Thursday Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper with stripping of the altar and watch
Join us as we recall the Last Supper that Jesus shared with his disciples before his arrest and trial and his commandment to them to love one another. The service will be followed by the stripping of the altars and silent prayer in our ‘garden of the watch’ in our medieval Crypt Chapel until 9.30pm.
Friday 3rd April 2026 – 2.00pm-3.00pm – Good Friday Liturgy
A solemn liturgy with reflections on Jesus’s journey to the cross.
Saturday 4th April 2026 – 7.00pm-8.15pm – The Great Vigil and the First Eucharist of Easter
From darkness to light: the lighting of the Easter fire, blessing of the Paschal Candle, renewal of baptismal vows, and the first Eucharist of Easter, with ancient prayers sung to chant. Followed by festive refreshments.
Sunday 5th April 2026 – 11.00am-12.15pm – Festal Holy Communion for Easter Day
Celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ with joyful worship and glorious choral music from our professional choir, followed by Easter refreshments.

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