Donkeys to lead Kettering churches' Palm Sunday parade into town

Donkeys will play a key role in a church service for two Kettering congregations this Palm Sunday (April 2) when they join a parade into the town.

The equine addition will join congregations of St Michael’s Church in Garfield Street and St Peter and St Paul Church in Sheep Street leading the procession.

Palm Sunday marks the moment when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, greeted by people waving palm branches.

Rector of both churches Rev David Walsh has arranged the special joint service and would like as many residents as possible to join in.

He said: “I really hope that families will join in. I’ve wanted to hold a procession like this for some time.”

The donkeys will lead St Michael’s worshippers from the tin tabernacle on a route along Garfield Street, Broadway and Headlands to finish at a brief open-air ceremony in Market Place.

Rev Walsh said: “We are encouraging younger members of the church to dress up as if they were accompanying Jesus on his procession through Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.”

The first part of the Palm Sunday service will begin at St Michael’s at 9am lasting about 45 minutes after which the congregation will process – accompanied by donkeys – to St Peter and St Paul’s, Kettering ‘Parish’ church.

Rev Walsh said: “At St Michael’s we will remember the events of Palm Sunday. At St Peter and St Paul we will look forward to the events of Holy Week and enact the Passion narrative. The reading of the Passion is a very powerful and very important. For those able only to be at St Peter and St Paul’s, we will meet the procession as it arrives in the Market Place and bless the palm crosses before moving into the church building for the Passion reading."

The united congregation will take roles to tell the story of the crucifixion of Jesus to which everyone is welcome to attend.

On Saturday, April 8, at 8pm the Easter Eve service takes place at St Peter and St Paul that will see an Easter vigil and the First Eucharist of Easter.