St Mary's Church in Saffron Walden has a packed programme of services to mark Easter and Holy Week.

Holy Week marks the transition from Lent to celebrating Easter Day, which this year takes place on March 31.

A family service will take place at 10.30am on Palm Sunday (March 24), and the day continues with choral evensong at 4pm.

The evensong will feature the anthem 'Ave Verum' by William Byrd, and a reading of the gospel account of the week leading up to Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday.

During Holy Week a range of services will take place between Monday, March 25 and Wednesday, March 27.

A communion service will be held at 9.30am on the Monday and Wednesday, and at 9am on Tuesday, March 26.

At 7.30pm from Monday to Wednesday there will be a biblical reflection followed by the short ancient evening service of Compline - or Night Prayer. 

On Maundy Thursday (March 28), there will be another communion service at 9.30am and choral eucharist at 7.30pm.

The eucharist will include the motet - a style of vocal musical composition - 'Christus factus est' by Anerio.

Good Friday, on March 29, will be marked by the Churches Together in Saffron Walden united procession of witness at 10.30am.

The procession will travel from Abbey Lane United Reformed Church car park to St Mary's, for a short service followed by hot cross buns.

From 2pm to 3pm there will be a series of meditations entitled 'An Hour at the Cross', and the day ends with a choral devotional offering at 7.30pm, including Faure's 'Requiem'.

The Easter Sunday celebrations will begin with a sunrise holy communion service at 6am, which will be held outside the church, weather permitting.

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There will be a traditional prayer book communion service at 8am and a family communion service, in modern language, at 10.30am.

The St Mary's Church Brass Group will be joining in the worship, and the choir and congregation will sing Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus'.

At 6.30pm the celebrations will draw to a close with a choral evensong, including Charles Woods' anthem 'Glorious and Powerful God'.