Skip to main
News

Holy Week and Easter at Duke Chapel

Loading...

Join us April 13–20, as we move through the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ with worship services for Holy Week and Easter. 

All services and events listed below are in Duke Chapel unless otherwise noted. Many of the services are live-streamed. Click the link for each service or event for details.

For a schedule of Catholic Masses in Duke Chapel, see the Duke Catholic Center website.

Stations of the Cross Paintings

A painting of the crucifixion of Jesus

Throughout Lent and Holy Week, the Chapel is displaying the paintings of the Stations of the Cross by Margaret Adams Parker. The series of fourteen panels depicts Christ’s journey to the cross with contemporary figures rendered in muted browns. Parker focuses in these paintings on Christ’s strength in the face of suffering and the intimacy of his encounters with others on his Via Dolorosa (“Way of Suffering”).

Palm Sunday Worship Service

Sunday, April 13, at 11:00 a.m.

People stand in the pews of Duke Chapel and wave palm leaves.

This service begins with a procession of the palms to recall the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery, dean of Duke Chapel, preaches. The Chapel Choir and organists lead the music. See details.

Choral Evensong: Vespers for Palm Sunday

Sunday, April 13, at 4:00 p.m.

A group of people wearing white robes are gathered around a font and man raises his hands.

For centuries, the church has marked the transition from daytime to evening with psalms, prayer, and song. Duke Chapel's Choral Evensong follows this historic pattern, using the liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer and featuring choral and organ music from the English cathedral tradition, led by the Chapel's Evensong Singers. This service will include J. S. Bach's cantata Himmelskönig, sei willkommen (BWV 182). See details. 

Holy Monday Noon Service

Monday, April 14, at 12-noon

A man smiles wearing a suit and tie, standing in front of a solid gray background.

The Holy Week noon services include scripture reading, prayer, and a sermon. For this service, the preacher is the Rev. Dr. Adrian Dixon, director of chaplain services and education at Duke Raleigh and Duke Regional Hospitals. See details.

Holy Tuesday Noon Service

Tuesday, April 15, at 12-noon

A man with a beard sits at a table with his hands clasped and smiles.

The preacher is Gabriel Williams, the character coach and chaplain for Duke's football team. See details.

Holy Wednesday Noon Service

Wednesday, April 16, at 12-noon

A woman wearing a white sweater smiles outside with a stone wall in the background.

The preacher is Jeanna McCullers, senior associate of students for policy and governance. See details. 

Holy Thursday Noon Service

Thursday, April 17, at 12-noon

A woman wearing a black jacket and white clerical collars stands outside and smiles.

The preacher is the Rev. Meg Greto, a Divinity School student and intern for worship and student engagement at Duke Chapel. See details.

Maundy Thursday Service

Thursday, April 17, at 7:00 p.m.

A guest preacher delivering a sermon to the congregation.

This service includes stripping of the altar and holy communion. The preacher is Matt Mahla, campus minister for Reformed University Fellowship at Duke. See details.

Good Friday Noon Service

Friday, April 18, at 11:30 a.m., beginning on the Chapel Quad

A group of people stand in front of a wooden cross outside.

This service begins at 11:30 a.m. with a reflection on Christ's last days through readings, prayers, banners, and stylized reenactments. The service continues with a simple, sparse liturgy of scripture and reflective music recalling the crucifixion and death of Jesus. The preacher is the Rev. Dr. Jan Holton, associate professor of the practice of pastoral theology and care at Duke Divinity School. See details.

Good Friday Tenebrae

Friday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m.

A wooden statue with an angel with hands in a prayer position.

This service includes a progressive dimming of the lights within the Chapel until the congregation sits in darkness to remember Jesus’s death. Chapel Dean Luke A. Powery gives the sermon. See details.

Easter Sunrise Service

Sunday, April 20, at 6:30 a.m. in Duke Gardens

A group of people gather on a lawn a dawn.

The preacher is the Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery, dean of Duke Chapel. Note: With the current construction at Duke Gardens, please plan to park in the H Lot at the corner of Anderson and Lewis streets, and then walk to the South Lawn. Use this map for reference:

A map of Duke Gardens.

Easter Day Service with Holy Communion

Sunday, April 20, at 9:00 a.m.

Easter service at Duke Chapel

This service includes Holy Communion. The Rev. Bruce Puckett, assistant dean of the Chapel, preaches, and the Chapel Choir leads the music along with the Amalgam Brass Ensemble and Chapel organists. See details.

Easter Day Service

Sunday, April 20, at 11:00 a.m.

Easter service at Duke Chapel

Chapel Dean Luke A. Powery preaches and the Chapel Choir leads the music along with the Amalgam Brass Ensemble and Chapel organists. See details.

Easter Day Choral Evensong

Sunday, April 20, at 4:00 p.m.

A man holding a black folder opens his mouth to sing with other choir members in the background.

For centuries, the church has marked the transition from daytime to evening with psalms, prayer, and song. Duke Chapel's Choral Evensong follows this historic pattern, using the liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer and featuring choral and organ music from the English cathedral tradition, led by the Chapel's Evensong Singers. See details. 

Related