Easter traditions in full swing at Palm Beach churches

A busy Easter week kicked off in Palm Beach with packed Palm Sunday services at the island’s three churches, the Royal Poinciana Chapel, St. Edward Catholic Church and The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea.

Easter is the most important day in the Christian faith, marking the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by the Romans and his resurrection three days later. The week includes church commemorations and celebrations symbolic of Jesus’ death and new life.

Services continue with solemn Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday commemorations, marking the day Jesus had his last meal with his 12 disciples, when The Bible says Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him to the Romans.

This year, a notable event returns to the island: The Royal Poinciana Chapel’s live reenactment of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” at 7:15 p.m. Thursday.

In the living reenactment, the disciples speak to themselves after Jesus’ pronouncement.

Royal Poinciana began the reenactment about 12 years ago when church member Kimberly Zimmerman brought the idea to church leaders. “It’s a visual dramatic reenactment of that moment that Leonardo da Vinci captured in his painting,” said the Rev. Robert Norris of Royal Poinciana Chapel.

The last performance was in 2018, with the idea that it would be done every other year, Norris said. The next reenactment would have been in 2020, but it was tabled when services moved online for Easter because of the pandemic.

“It just kind of fell out of space,” Norris said, “but we decided it’s a good time to bring it back.”

The tableau includes some of the original cast, plus some new faces. Also new this year: Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Theater Department is partnering with the church, with professor Amy Hamel as director, Norris said.

At Bethesda-by-the-Sea, the Rev. Tim Schenck is marking his first Holy Week as the church’s rector after taking the helm in November. His previous post was as rector of the Episcopal Parish of St. John the Evangelist on Boston’s South Shore, where temperatures dipped into the 40s on Palm Sunday.

“I was so anticipating Palm Sunday in Palm Beach,” Schenck said. “It did not disappoint. The Flower Guild here did such an amazing job with all of the decorations.”

He noted that the fronds used to decorate the church this past weekend came from parishioners’ yards. “That’s not how we did things when I was in Massachusetts,” he said, laughing.

The church’s services this week honor Jesus’ journey “from the upper room to the Garden of Gethsemane to the cross at Calvary, and finally to the empty tomb on Easter,” Schenck said.

Bethesda’s Easter vigil that begins at 7 p.m. Saturday is Schenck’s favorite service of the year. It begins in darkness, and Schenck will build a large fire. “Because priests playing in the dark with fire, what could go wrong?” he joked. “So, that service we literally move from darkness to light, from Lent to Easter, to death to life. It is a very dramatic and compelling liturgy.”

Schenck plans to bring one of his own favorite traditions to Bethesda following the service: a Champagne and jelly bean reception. “We use the good jelly beans,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

There will be four Easter morning services at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, with the Flower Guild decking out the sanctuary with bright colors representing “resurrection joy,” Schenck said.

“I’m looking forward to my first Easter at Bethesda, and I know it will be very, very special,” he said.

This year marks the second Holy Week for the Rev. Glen Pothier as pastor of St. Edward Catholic Church. Over the past year since he became pastor last April, Pothier has worked to expand the church’s music program.

The expected thousands who attend St. Edward’s Easter Sunday services — there are four, and the 762-seat sanctuary fills to overflowing — will be able to enjoy a larger choir, the addition of timpani and the benefit of an updated sound system, Pothier said.

“Nothing is complete, and nothing will be complete, but it’s something to keep growing over time,” he said of the music program.

Palm Sunday was bustling at St. Edward, with the Easter bunny in the Parish Hall following Mass, an egg hunt and a pancake breakfast. “It was wonderful,” Pothier said. “We have lots and lots of children and families here.”

When he took the reins of St. Edward, Pothier said one of his goals was to expand the parish. He marks a moment of membership growth this coming weekend as the Catholic Church will welcome five new members during the Holy Saturday service, he said.

As with Schenck, Pothier also said he looks forward to the Saturday night service, which is steeped in symbolism for the church. Last year, Pothier moved the service to a later time “when it’s supposed to be,” he said, with the service beginning at 7:30 p.m.

“Here we are talking about light conquering darkness,” he said. “So the service begins almost in the dark, with the symbol of the candle and the blessing of the new fire.

“We’re making progress just in terms of getting things to be the way they’re supposed to be, with nice solemnity for a holy feast day,” he added.

After COVID-19 pandemic-era cancellations and online-only services, Pothier said it is a blessing to see the church filled to capacity for Holy Week. “It’s nice to be able to get back to something like that, that’s alive and solemn and holy,” he said of the Saturday night service.

Each of the island’s three churches has a full slate of Holy Week services.

St. Edward Catholic Church

Address: 144 N. County Road, Palm Beach

Information: www.stedwardpb.com, 561-832-0400

Holy Thursday: Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 7 p.m.

Good Friday: Stations of the Cross, noon; solemn celebration of the Passion of the Lord, 1:30 p.m.

Saturday: Blessing of the Easter baskets, noon; Easter vigil, 7:30 p.m.

Easter Sunday: Easter Mass, 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and noon

Royal Poinciana Chapel

Address: 60 Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach

Information: www.royalpoincianachapel.org, 561-655-4212

Maundy Thursday: Visual reenactment of DaVinci’s “The Last Supper” by men and friends of the congregation in character, with harp and chorale soloists and communion, 7:15 p.m.

Good Friday: “Seven Last Words of Christ,” by Théodore Dubois, performed by chorale and chamber musicians, noon

Easter Sunday: Worship service, 9 and 11 a.m., with livestream and Sunday school at 11 a.m. only; Children’s Egg Extravaganza on the Great Lawn, after 11 a.m. service

Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea

Address: 141 S. County Road, Palm Beach

Information: www.bbts.org, 561-655-4554

Maundy Thursday: Holy Eucharist and stripping of altars, 7 p.m.; all-night watch begins, 10 p.m.

Good Friday: Watch ends, Good Friday liturgy with communion, 8 a.m.; Good Friday liturgy with communion and music by the Bethesda Choir, noon; Stations of the Cross, 4 p.m.

Holy Saturday: Liturgy of the day, 10 a.m.; Great Vigil of Easter with Lighting of the New Fire, Holy Baptism and First Eucharist of Easter and music by the Bethesda Choir, 7 p.m.

Easter Sunday: Sunrise Eucharist in Garden Chapel, 6 a.m.; Holy Eucharist with hymns, 7:30 a.m.; Festal Eucharist with brass and music by the Bethesda Choir, 9 and 11 a.m. There will be incense at the 11 a.m. service.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Easter traditions in full swing at Palm Beach churches