Romsey Abbey is preparing for its Easter celebrations, complete with donkey, shoe polish and glorious music!

Easter events begin this Sunday, Palm Sunday, with a procession of palm leaves led by Charlie Brown the donkey, reconstructing Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem in the last week of his life. That evening at 6.30pm, the Abbey also hosts a very special concert to mark the beginning of Holy Week - J S Bach’s St Matthew Passion, performed by The Bishop’s Consort, a group of professional musicians under the banner of David Stancliffe, former Bishop of Salisbury.

Canon Tim Sledge, Vicar of Romsey commented, “This concert will be a really memorable preparation to the start of Holy Week and Easter. We want as many people to come to this event as possible – it is absolutely free with a retiring collection to defray costs. If you love great music, you will love this evening! We look forward to seeing you there.”

On Maundy Thursday, April 1, Mr Sledge will be in the market place for a session of shoe shining, which re-enacts the washing of the disciples’ feet.

On Good Friday, there is an activity morning in the church rooms for children from 10am where they can make lots of Easter treats with a more reflective service in the Abbey at 10am and an Act of Witness in the Cornmarket, involving all the churches in Romsey at 12 noon.

On Easter Day the Abbey will be transformed with hundreds of flowers and a great Easter Day celebration service, followed by an Easter egg hunt. Mr Sledge said: “Easter for Christians is the most important time of the year; it takes us to the great heights of emotions and the depths of human sadness. We hope that over the week there is something for everyone, for all ages and families.”