CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM The story of Jesus walking to his death, carrying his cross and interacting with people was told yesterday in mime by the eighth-grade students of St. Patrick's School in Kaimuki. Joshua Ching, left, Shane Leong, Bryan Do and John Figuera carried out the body of Christ. Another performance of "The Stations of the Cross" will take place Friday at 7 p.m.

Rites of spring

Tomorrow begins a week of special
religious events leading to the
March 27 celebration of Easter,
Christianity’s greatest holiday

Palm Sunday

» The traditional Palama parade will come complete with a donkey as it sets out from Aala Park at 7:45 a.m. tomorrow with the Royal Hawaiian Band playing seasonal music. It will end at Kaumakapili Church, 766 N. King St., for a joint service with the congregations of St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church and Aldersgate United Methodist Church.

» In Palolo, celebrants will wave their palm branches from a trolley as they proceed to an 8 a.m. service at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, 1801 10th Ave., then go down the road to Epiphany Episcopal Church, 1041 10th Ave., for a combined service at 9 a.m.

» The Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1730 Punahou St., will present a concert of seasonal music in its 7:30 p.m. Palm Sunday Vespers. The church choir and the Bach Chamber Orchestra will perform Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata 182 and other works. Organist Katherine Crosier will perform Bach's "Aus Tiefer Not." Donations will benefit the Heifer Ark project.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Several girls sat yesterday in St. Patrick's Church watching "The Stations of the Cross" as told in mime. Several events Friday will commemorate the day Jesus was sentenced to death and crucified.

Good Friday

» Participants will take turns to "Carry the Cross for Christ" in a Good Friday procession that sets out at 11:30 a.m. from Thomas Square along Beretania Street. The walk ends at Central Union Church.

» Members of eight religious organizations will participate in the annual ecumenical Good Friday service at Central Union Church Parish Hall, 1660 S. Beretania St. It will begin at 12:30 p.m. A multimedia show on Jesus' Passion and death will accompany a reading of the Passion from the Gospel of John. There's a bring-your-own-boiled-eggs Easter egg-coloring event for children at 1:30 p.m. in the choir room.

» The Windward Coalition of Churches will stage a noontime Friday community service at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 93 N. Kainalu Drive, Kailua. "The Seven Last Words of Christ" will be examined in scriptural readings and reflections by members of 11 congregations.

» People may participate in an event at the Salvation Army Kauluwela Mission Corps, 296 N. Vineyard Blvd., by nailing their prayers onto a cross from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. Friday. A 3 p.m. service will follow.

» A growing Good Friday tradition is a candlelight Taize service of prayers, chanting and scriptural readings around a cross patterned on the practices of the ecumenical Taize community in France. Taize Prayer Around the Cross will begin at 7 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 780 Keolu Drive, Kailua; 7:30 p.m. at Newman Center, 1491 East West Road; and 7:30 p.m. at Church of the Crossroads, 1212 University Ave.

» New Hope Easter Extravaganza: Guests include "America's Tenor" Steve Amerson and Cmdr. Scott Waddle of the USS Greeneville, sharing his inspiring story at the Neal Blaisdell Arena next Saturday at 4 and 7 p.m. and Easter Sunday at 8 and 11 a.m. Parking is free. Amerson also will give a "miniconcert" at a Good Friday service and a "Broadway Concert" on Wednesday. Admission for the Wednesday concert is $5; all proceeds will go to the Tsunami Relief Mission Team. Visit www.eNewhope.org or call 842-4242 for more info.

Easter

» This will be the 104th year for the Easter Sunrise Service at the National Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. The service at 6:15 a.m. will feature music by the Royal Hawaiian Band and the Honolulu Men's Chorus and a message by the Rev. Eddie Kelemeni, senior pastor at First United Methodist Church. TheBus will run special shuttles from Waikiki and from the Alapai Express Lot. Two buses will leave the terminus at Monsarrat and Kalakaua avenues at 5:15 and 5:30 a.m. and the Alapai terminus at 5:35 and 5:50 a.m. Buses also will depart from Alapai at 5:20, 5:40 and 5:55 a.m. Regular fares apply, and transfers and bus passes will be accepted.

» A new "Mountaintop Experience" will be launched at 6 a.m. at Kamehameha Schools. The backdrop for the service outside the campus chapel will be a 14-foot cross, which was crafted from the beams of a 22-foot cross that was raised at Punchbowl sunrise services for many years. The Rev. Kordell Kekoa will speak, and school choirs will sing.

» Magic Island will be the setting for the annual 6 a.m. sunrise service of Calvary Chapel Honolulu. It will include contemporary and Hawaiian music, keiki hula and a message by the Rev. Bill Stonebraker. Baptism in the lagoon area will follow.

» St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 539 Kapahulu Ave., 732-2333. Easter Sunday Masses at 7 and 9 a.m.; take the No. 13 bus from Waikiki.

Holy Week Calendar

Calvary Episcopal Church, 45-435 Aumoku St., Kaneohe. Tomorrow, 7 and 9 a.m.; Wednesday, 7 p.m.; Thursday, 7 p.m. Eucharist and foot-washing; Friday, noon and 7 p.m.; Easter Holy Eucharist, 7 and 9 a.m.

Central Union Church, 1660 S. Beretania St. Thursday, 6 p.m. service followed by showing of Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." Easter services at 6, 7, 8:30, 10 and 11:30 a.m., with egg hunt at 9:45 a.m.

Church of the Crossroads, 1212 University Ave. Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 p.m. Taize prayers; next Saturday, 7:30 p.m. vigil service; Easter, 10:30 a.m. Easter Festival preceded by 8 a.m. breakfast and 9 a.m. egg hunt.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 780 Keolu Drive. Tomorrow, 7:30 and 9 a.m.; Thursday, 7 p.m.; Friday, 7 p.m.; next Saturday, 7 p.m. vigil; Easter, 7:30 and 9:30 a.m., with brunch and egg hunt at 8:30 a.m.

First Christian Church, 1516 Kewalo St. Tomorrow, 10:45 a.m. palm procession; Thursday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 p.m. vigil; Sunday, 10:45 a.m.

First United Methodist Church, 1020 S. Beretania St. Thursday, 7 p.m. combined English and Tongan service; Easter, 8:30 and 10 a.m. English services, 6 a.m. and noon Tongan services.

Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1730 Punahou St. Tomorrow, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. with brass ensemble and choirs.; Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 12:30 p.m.; next Saturday, 7:30 a.m.; Easter, 8 and 10:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. candlelight chant service.

Moanalua Community Church, 20 Bougainville Drive. Thursday, 7 p.m. Lord's Supper and foot-washing; Friday, 7 p.m. "Seven Last Words of Jesus from the Cross"; Easter, 10:30 a.m. combined service with Cup of Freedom Church. Potluck lunch follows.

Olivet Baptist Church, 1775 S. Beretania St. Easter, 11 a.m. combined English and Japanese service.

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Waikiki. Easter, 9:45 a.m. at Queen Kapiolani Hotel, 150 Kapahulu Ave., featuring cathedral choir and string ensemble with trumpet.

St. John Lutheran Church, 1004 Kailua Road. Tomorrow, 8 and 10:30 a.m.; Thursday, 7 p.m.; Friday, 7 p.m.; Easter, 8 and 10:30 a.m., breakfast and egg hunt at 9:15 a.m.

The Salvation Army will hold Easter services at four locations:

» Kauluwela Mission Corps, 296 N. Vineyard Blvd., 6 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
» Salvation Army Waianae, 9 a.m. service at Pokai Bay in Waianae.
» Kaneohe Corps, 45-175 Waikalua Road, 11 a.m.
» Leeward Corps, 98-612 Moanalua Loop, Aiea, 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Wesley United Methodist Church, 1350 Hunakai St. Thursday, 6:30 p.m.; Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 p.m.; Easter, 6:30 and 9:30 a.m., with egg hunt at 10:45 a.m.

Windward United Church of Christ, 38 Kaneohe Bay Drive, Kailua. Thursday, 6:15 p.m. soup supper, 7 p.m. Tenebrae worship service; Easter, 9 a.m. with Chancel Singers and the Rev. Darren Galindo.