Passover Meal at St Pauls
The Haggadah
Parishioners at St Paul’s Lorrimore Square sat down for a special Passover meal to mark Maundy Thursday. We researched and followed as best we could as many of the ancient traditions inspired by the Jewish exodus to the Promised Land.
I’ve never learned so much in one meal in quite some time! Our first course was food for the mind. After the Woman of the House lit the candles and a prayer was said we partook of the four cups of the Fruit of the Vine. The Cup of Sanctification, the Cup of Plagues, the Cup of Redemption and the Cup of Praise. We ritually washed hands and heard the story of the Passover, read to us by the Youth of St Paul’s who were excellent hosts as they poured wine, served dishes and asked questions of the leader of the Seder relating to the story of Exodus.
Finally after the learning part complete, the main meal with lamb shank was served and veritable feast was had by all. To complete the evening the children were invited to search for and find the Afikoman, secreted ceremonially before the meal, its final revelation and distribution intended to symbolise Jesus’s gift of himself to all mankind.
We didn’t quite get that far however as the Afikomen was inadvertently distributed in pieces around the church in the ensuing tug of war between the kids in an effort to prove who found it first! Still I think the powers that be could be reasonably pleased with our efforts in our first attempt at an authentic Passover supper.
We can only get better.. and as they say: “HaBa’ah B’Yerushalyim!” – “Next year in Jerusalem!”