Good Friday at St Hilda's, Prestwich.

Sub Deacon processes to the High Altar with the veiled Cross.

Behold the wood of the Cross on which hung the salvation of the world.

Unveiling of the Cross.

Canon McEvitt venerating the Cross.

Procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the High Altar from the Altar of Repose.

The liturgy ends.

The box containing the beautiful morse below that was made to be worn with the cope we have at St Hilda's from St Benedict's, Ardwick, finally reunited. The morse was stored in Manchester Cathedrals vault until this morning.

The beautiful morse with St Benedict.

He learned to obey through suffering and became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation

Good Friday is such a powerful day; we venerate the sign which is central to our faith, the cross, on which the Prince of Glory died. Jesus experienced the fullest emptying of himself, the fullest sharing in what it is to be human, to enter the darkness of death. It is the ultimate ‘submission’ by which the suffering servant “is made perfect”. By this death, our high priest feels “our weaknesses with us”, and leads each of us by the hand through our own death to the liberation we shall celebrate tomorrow. The cross is thus triumphant, a victory-sign.

Of your charity, please pray for the soul of Deacon Stephen Gillham. Easter will always remind me of him.