Sunday 14th April: Palm Sunday
Mass for Palm Sunday (RTÉ One 11:00)
Fr Seamus McEntee celebrates Mass with the Lucan Cascade Choir and a congregation from DCU, marking the start of Holy Week and the end of Trócaire’s Lenten campaign.
An Irish Passover (RTÉ One, 1730-1740)
Passover, or Pesach, is the Jewish festival that celebrates “the Great Escape” – the Israelites’ liberation from Egyptian slavery under Pharaoh. But can that story still speak to and inspire Jews in today’s Ireland, thousands of years and thousands of miles from the events it describes? In this short film, we discover that the themes of Exodus are still remarkably – and all too often sadly – relevant, and not just for Jews.
Thursday 18th April: Holy Thursday
Mass of the Lord’s Supper. (RTÉ One, 1640)
Fr James Eivers commemorates the Last Supper in a Mass with members of the Terenure College Community.
Friday 19th April: Good Friday
Solemn Liturgy for Good Friday (RTÉ One 1500-1615)
The Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord comes from the Chapel of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. The Principal Celebrant is the College Rector, the Rev. Fr Thomás Surlis, with music from the Maynooth College Chapel Choir, comprising students and alumni of the National Seminary, St Patrick’s College and the National University. Over two broadcasts on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, they will present a rich array of music from the Christian liturgical tradition, including newly-composed settings by Ó Riada, McDonagh, O’Leary and the choir’s musical director, Dr John O’Keeffe.
Saturday 20th April: Holy Saturday
Easter Vigil Mass (RTÉ One / RTÉ Radio 1 Extra, 2300-0040)
The Easter Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection comes from the College Chapel of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. The Principal Celebrant is the President of the College, the Very Rev Fr Michael Mullaney, with music, once again, from the Maynooth College Chapel Choir, directed by Dr John O’Keeffe.
Sunday 21st April: Easter Sunday
Mass for Easter Sunday (RTÉ One / RTÉ Radio 1 Extra, 0900-1100).
Pope Francis celebrates Mass in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, with commentary and translation by Lydia O’Kane.
Urbi et Orbi (RTÉ One, 1100-1125).
Pope Francis’ Easter Message “to the city and the world” follows directly, again with commentary and translation by Lydia O’Kane.
Service for Easter Sunday (RTÉ One Television, 1125-1215 and RTÉ Radio 1 Extra / Long Wave 252 at 1100-1145am)
The Rev Paul Boyle, Church of Ireland Dean of Trim, leads Easter celebrations in St Patrick’s Cathedral there, with music from the Meath Diocesan Choir.
Countdown to Calvary (RTÉ One, 23.55-00.55)
Actor and Cambridge Theology graduate, Hugh Bonneville, tells the story of the week that changed the world – the last days of Jesus. In a repeat of this multi award-winning RTÉ documentary, told with the narrative energy of a political thriller, Bonneville travels to Jerusalem to examine the events, characters and context of the last week of Jesus’ life: six tumultuous days that gave rise to a faith now followed by nearly a third of the world’s population.
For further information, please contact: Roger Childs (roger.childs@rte.ie ; 01 208 4586 )