New Experimental Rite for Ash Wednesday

New Experimental Rite for Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

The Paschal mystery – the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ – is central to our Christian faith, and therefore to the liturgical year.

For this reason the Liturgy Committee was asked to produce new rites for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter, which would work more naturally with the Scottish Liturgy 1982 than the current authorised provision, Services and Ceremonies for Ash Wednesday and Holy Week 1967. After scrutiny by the Faith and Order Board, the College of Bishops has now approved a new set of rites for the beginning of Lent (Ash Wednesday), Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Vigil of Easter. These rites have been authorised for use by all churches in the province for an experimental period until they are submitted to the General Synod for the formal canonical process of permanent authorisation.