Garden of Repose & Overnight Vigil 2026
Giovanni di Paolo: Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not
keep that vigil, how they must have wept,
so utterly human, knowing this too
must be part of the story.”
Overnight Vigil - April 2, 8:30 p.m. to April 3, 7 a.m.
It’s “the hour of no return,” as Music Director Ernie Green has eloquently called Maundy Thursday. It is the moment when, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is surrounded by the sleeping disciples and yet totally alone. The walk to Gethsemane was the last walk Jesus took with his disciples, his closest confidants and friends. Once there, they fell away, leaving Jesus to face his Father and his future alone. On Maundy Thursday, you can be an Apostle who stays with Jesus and prays with him in his time of need. After the Maundy Thursday service on April 2, spend some time in the garden with Jesus at our Altar of Repose through the night into Good Friday morning, April 3. In those quiet hours, be close to God and His Son. Pray with Him as he faces God’s unchangeable will and his point of no return.
For your safety, on-site security will be present all night. Please sign up in advance so our security guard will have an idea of who will be coming in throughout the night.
Details, hours, and how to sign up for the vigil are here.