Festal Evensong

Thursday, March 24, 2011
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Óscar Romero and the Martyrs of El Salvador
The Eve of the Feast of the Annunciation

Óscar Romero and the Martyrs of El Salvador

Almighty God, you called your servant Óscar Romero to be a voice for the voiceless poor, and to give his life as a seed of freedom and a sign of hope: Grant that we, inspired by his sacrifice and the example of the martyrs of El Salvador, may without fear or favor witness to your Word who abides, your Word who is Life, even Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be praise and glory now and for ever. Amen.


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5:30 p.m.

Above: The Annunciation, Arcangelo Di Jacopo del Sellaio, oil on copper, The Hermitage, St. Petersburg

The Eve of the Annunciation

From Fr Mead’s sermon on the Eve of the Annunciation in 2001:

At Saint Thomas we have great respect for the holy season of Lent. We do not interrupt the Lenten observances of each day or the use of Lenten colors lightly. Only two feasts suffice to break the pattern. The feast of Saint Joseph on March 19 is one. The feast of the Annunciation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Blessed Virgin Mary… is the other.

The Annunciation is very important, because it is the actual beginning of our Lord Jesus Christ’s life in the flesh. The Church calendar places the Annunciation exactly nine months before the date of Christ’s birth, from March 25 to December 25, so we see that the Annunciation is the moment of Jesus Christ’s conception as a human being in the womb of his mother Mary.

Read the rest of Fr Mead’s 2001 sermon here.

‚ñ∫John Scott discusses the music of Tavener and¬†G√≥recki heard in today’s Festal Evensong in his weekly music notes.

‚ñ∫In 2011, the clergy of Saint Thomas are making their way through the Apostles’ Creed at Sunday evensongs. You may read or listen to Fr Austin’s sermon on the line “who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,” here.

‚ñ∫Following Festal Evensong, Fr Fletcher gives a talk on Our Lady of Walsingham for the St Thomas Ward of the Society of Mary. Read more here.

‚ñ∫In May, the Saint Thomas Choir of Men & Boys under the direction of John Scott gives a concert In Praise of Mary. Read more and purchase tickets here.