The ceremonies for Holy Week at Pluscarden were enhanced this year by the presence of 5 youthful seminarians from the Pontifical North Amerian College in Rome. They were here on retreat, but happily offered their services for whatever liturgical serving was required. Of course much was required! and all of it was accomplished with both competence and prayerful dignity. As instituted Lectors, these seminarians also read in our liturgies, and one of them took a part in the singing of the Passion on Good Friday.
Other guests as usual helped in many other ways. This year we employed 7 of them to read the 7 Scripture readings before the Gospel at the Paschal Vigil.
To mention one quite remarkable guest we had this year: Pilgrim Ann Sieben. She walked here, arriving on Holy Saturday afternoon. With the blessing and consecration of her Bishop, she has been walking on Pilgrimage for the past 19 years, and has covered the equivalent distance of two and a half times around the world. She was among those who took a reading at our Vigil. Then after one day's rest she set off again, of course on foot, early on Easter Monday. Her current pilgrim quest is all the holy places associated with the ancient Saints of Scotland. Of whom there were many!
https://www.societyofservantpilgrims.com/notes-from-ann
Strong and cold winds ruled out our usual outdoor procession on Palm Sunday, and this year too heavy rain made impossible our usual outdoor fire for the Paschal Vigil. So we had our Easter Fire in the Transepts, under the tower. That actually worked very well, although with fire hazards in mind our brazier contained glowing coals, rather than the blazing flames one would usually hope for!
On Easter Day itself, just as Mass was about to start, the sun briefly but brilliantly shone. Seizing the chance, we had our usual outdoor procession, singing the wonderful "Salve festa dies!" of Venantius Fortunatus. Once all were safely inside the Church again (singing the sublime chant "Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum, alleluia"), again the cold rain descended heavily, mixed with sleet, and sometimes snow.
By Easter Monday, warm Spring sunshine had reasserted itself. Bird song, flowering daffodils, early blossom, ploughed fields, budding trees and bright sunshine are all a most conducive background for the thrilling Easter proclamation. Our bells joyfully pealing most wonderfully underline the message that Christ is risen indeed, Alleluia!
