On Easter Sunday, the Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm, as they have done on Sundays throughout the year of the coronavirus pandemic.
Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears in English and Gaelic below, will also light candles.
In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:
“The day of Resurrection begins ‘while it was still dark’ and takes us to the place where the Lord has been buried and sealed away. The journey through the week past began with ‘Hosanna!’ and ended in ‘Crucify!’ In the darkness of that morning, it is Mary Magdalene who first senses that the journey, seemingly ended on the Cross, has yet further to unfold. Mary remains at the tomb, consumed by sorrow and tears, until she finds herself in the company of a person whom she does not recognise.
“Into the depth of her sorrow, a voice speaks and calls her by her name: ‘Mary!’ It is as if the voice speaks into the very depths of her heart and her eyes are opened. In that moment there is the recognition that she stands in the presence of the risen Lord and in time Mary will bear witness: ‘I have seen the Lord’. (John 20: 1-18)
“On this day of Resurrection, the risen Lord speaks to all who have journeyed in dark places and who have known sorrow and tears. He speaks into the depths of our heart and calls us by our name. In response, we join with the people of God and proclaim: ‘Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!’”
We pray:
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
In your great mercy
You give us new birth into a living hope
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
On this day, receive our praise and our thanks forever!
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
In your great mercy
You have journeyed with us through the darkness
And you bring us now to the day of light.
Lead us through the darkness and into the abiding light of your presence.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
In your great mercy
You journey with those who have known sorrow and tears.
In your compassion, journey with them still
And bring to them healing and the hope of the life everlasting.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
In your great mercy
You speak into the depths of our hearts
And you call us by our name.
Call us by our name that we might proclaim: Christ is risen. Alleluia!
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
In your great mercy
You give us new birth into a living hope
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
On this day, receive our praise and our thanks forever!
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt. Rev. Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
Rev. John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
Rev. Donnie G. MacDonald, Moderator, Free Church of Scotland
Rev. Paul Whittle, Moderator, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
Rev. May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Rev. Claire Fender, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene
Pastor Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God
Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)
Gairm gu ùrnaigh: Latha na Sàbaid, 1d dhen Ghiblean Latha na Càisge, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Thòisich Madainn na h-Aiseirighe “fhad ’s a bha i fhathast dorcha” anns an àite far an robh an Tighearna air a thìodhlachadh san uaigh. Aig toiseach na seachdainne bha an sluagh ag èigheach “Hosanna”, aig a deireadh b’ e “Ceus e!” a ghlaoidh iad. Ann an dorchadas na maidne ud, b’ e Màiri Magdalen, air toiseach air càch, a thuig nach tàinig an sgeul gu crìoch air a’ chrann-ceusaidh. Dh’fhàn Màiri aig an uaigh, fo mhulad is fo bhròn, gus an do mhothaich i gun robh cuideigin nach b’ aithne dhi am fagas. Labhair guth don tè a bha fo bhròn, agus ghairm e i air a h-ainm, “A Mhàiri!” Anns a’ bhad, dh’aithnich i gun robh i na seasamh ann an làthaireachd Tighearna na h-aiserighe, agus chaidh i gus innse dha na deisciobail, “Chunnaic mi an Tighearna.” (Eòin 20: 1 – 18).
An-diugh, air Latha na Càisge, tha an Tighearna beò a’ bruidhinn ris an fheadhainn a’ siubhal eadhon trìd ghlinn dorcha sgàile a’ bhàis, a tha fo mhulad is fo bhròn. Tha e a’ bruidhinn rinne, air ar n-ainm. Agus mar sin, tha sinn, maille ri poball Dhè air feadh an t-saoghail, a’ seinn “Tha Crìosd air èirigh. Tha e air èirigh gu dearbh. Alleluia!”
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Na do thròcair mhòir,
tha thu a’ toirt dhuinn dòchais bheò,
tro aiseirigh Ìosa Crìosd.
An-diugh, gabh ri ar moladh agus ar taingealachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Na do thròcair mhòir,
tha thu air siùbhal maille rinn tron oidhche
agus a-nis tha thu gar treòrachadh do sholas an latha.
Stiùir sinn tron dorchadas a-chum solas sìorraidh do làthaireachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Na do thròcair mhòir,
tha thu a’ siubhal maille riuthasan a tha fo mhulad is fo bhròn.
Nad thruas, bi maille riutha fhathast,
agus deònaich dhaibh slànachadh agus dòchas na beatha sìorraidh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Na do thròcair mhòir,
Tha thu a’ bruidhinn rinn aig an ìre as doimhne,
gar gairm air ar n-ainm.
Gairm sinn thugad gus an cuir sinn an cèill: Tha Crìosd air èirigh! Alleluia!
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Na do thròcair mhòir,
tha thu a’ toirt dhuinn dòchais bheò,
tro aiseirigh Ìosa Crìosd.
An-diugh, gabh ri ar moladh agus ar taingealachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
Soidhnichte:
Am Fìor Urramach Marcus Strange, Primus as leth Colaiste nan Easbaigean, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba
An Ceart Urramach Màrtainn Fair, Moderàtor Àrd-Sheanadh Eaglais na h-Alba
Am Fìor Urramach Leo Cushley, Àrd-Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn agus Dùn Èideann
An t-Urramach Iain Fulton, Moderàtor, Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Pòl Whittle, Moderàtor, Eaglais Ath-Leasaichte Aonaichte (Alba)
An t-Urramach Dòmhnall G. Dòmhnallach, Moderàtor, an Eaglais Shaor
An t-Urramach Màrtainn Hodson, Àrd-Stiùiriche, Aonadh Baisteach na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Marcus Slaney, Cathraiche Roinn-Dùthcha, Eaglais nam Methodach (Alba)
An t-Urramach May-Kane Logan, Cathraiche, Caidreachas Co-thionalach ann an Alba
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Rùnaire na h-Alba, Feachd na Slàinte
Adwao Bittle, Comann nan Caraidean (Cuagairean)
An t-Urramach Claire Fender, Àrd-Neach-Stiùiridh Roinn-Dùthcha, Eileanan Bhreatainn, Eaglais an Nàsaraich
Aoghaire Chris Gbenle, Aoghaire Roinn-Dùthcha, Mòr-Roinn na h-Alba, Eaglais Chrìosdal air Saoradh le Dia
Easbaig Francis Alao, Eaglais Dhè (Alba)/ Eaglaisean nam mìon-shluagh còmhla ann an Alba (MECTIS)
An t-Urramach Fred Drummond, Stiùiriche, Caidreachas Soisgeulach (Alba)
