Last Sunday before Lent - Burning of Palm Crosses

Sunday 19 February, the 7th in Ordinary Time, marked the last Sunday before Lent. After the Parish Mass and refreshments, a few of us gathered outside the Parish Church to burn last year's Palm Crosses to make ash for Ash Wednesday. 
In previous years the crosses were burnt on Shrove Tuesday without much ceremony by the Parish Priest and the Sacristan. However, this year we opted for a public rite, a shared moment of prayer, with parishioners, to highlight the link between the palm crosses and Ash Wednesday, between the Passion of the Lord Jesus and our Lenten journey that is approaching.
The ceremony we followed is a very simple rite adapted from material produced by the Scottish Episcopal Church (available online).

Father Richard Brown, Parish Priest of Holy Cross Marsh Farm, joined us for Mass.

Photo ​Copyright: All Saints' PCC Houghton Regis

Service Booklet (pdf) for
Burning of Palm Crosses on the Last Sunday before Lent