Local churches will celebrate Holy Week and Easter next week with a wide array of services.

Holy Week commemorates the Passion of Christ and begins tomorrow, Palm Sunday and includes Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and ends on Holy Saturday.

Palm Sunday celebrates the triumphant entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, when palm branches were placed in his path. Holy Thursday remembers his arrest and Good Friday remembers his crucifixion.

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate Christ’s resurrection.

“It’s clearly the holiest week as Christians remember Christ’s last week,” said St. Mary’s the Rev. Cindy Howard. “That he submitted to being human and being placed on a cross. I always think of Good Friday as the world’s way of saying ‘no’ to God’s way, but Sunday is God saying, ‘yes.’”

Locally, churches will celebrate the week with services throughout.

Sun., April 1

• Harmony Baptist Church will hold an Easter family fun day at 10:30 a.m.

• Greentree Christian Fellowship will hold a children’s choir cantata at 10:30 a.m.

• Christ the King Catholic Church will hold a Palm Sunday service at 11:15 a.m.

• St. Mary’s Episcopal Church will hold a Palm Sunday service at 9:15 a.m.

• Andalusia First Presbyterian will hold a Palm Sunday service at 11 a.m.

• First Baptist Church, First Baptist Church Whatley Street and Southside Baptist will hold a joint service at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church on East Three Notch Street.

 

Wed., April 4

• St. Mary’s will hold Stations of the Cross.

 

Thurs., April 5

• Christ the King will hold Holy Thursday service at 6 p.m. with the Mass of the Lord’s supper and a feet washing service.

• St. Mary’s will hold a Maundy Thursday service at 6 p.m. with a Eucharist and foot washing ceremony. A prayer vigil will follow from 7 p.m. until midnight.

• Andalusia First Presbyterian will hold a Maundy Thursday service at 6:30 p.m.

• A unity prayer meeting will be held from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on the court square.

 

Fri., April 6

• St. Mary’s will hold at Good Friday service at noon.

• Christ the King will hold Stations of the Cross at 3 p.m. and a celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 6 p.m.

 

Sat., April 7

• Christ the King will hold a Holy Saturday Easter vigil mass at 7:30 p.m.

• St. Mary’s will hold a Holy Saturday quiet service at 9 a.m.

 

Sun., April 8

• Christ the King will hold an Easter Day mass at 11:15 a.m.

• Easter Sunrise Service will be held at Frank Jackson State Park at 7 a.m., at Buck Creek at 6 a.m., Andalusia Memorial Cemetery at 6:25 a.m., Dozier Cemetery at 6:30 a.m., and Bethany Baptist at 6:45 a.m.

• Bethany Baptist Church will hold an adult choir Easter Cantata at 10:30 a.m.

• St. Mary’s will hold Easter Day Eucharist at 9:15 a.m., followed by potluck lunch and an Easter egg hunt.

• Andalusia First Presbyterian will hold Easter Services at 11 a.m.