Happy Easter from St. Mary's and Balisha

 The weather cooperated with us for a change. We ladies gathered at St. Mary's early this morning to change our Altar from the stark Altar of Good Friday. There were several there along with some "little helpers." We all know what to do, because most of us have done it for years. Our chairman is a young woman who grew up on a farm and calls herself a "farm girl" She has climbed in hay mows all during her growing up years and isn't leery of heights.....so up the ladder she goes to do anything up high. This time she was up near the ceiling yesterday and today...draping the Crucifix. Yesterday with a red cloth and today a white cloth. We hang on below in case the rickety ladder should fall. We put in a request for a new ladder after she did her work up there yesterday. The Altar cloths were pressed and place in their spot first thing this morning.

 The lilies were delivered early..and stored in a classroom. When I walked in this morning...their fragrance perfumed the air as only a lily can do. These lilies are named for families in remembrance of loved ones.

 We were basically done with the Altar, but the colorful flowers hadn't come. A call was made to the greenhouse and we were told that we were last on the list for morning delivery. There we were all ready for them and we would have to wait 1 1/2hrs. The chairman told us to leave that she could handle the rest of the job herself. None of us would leave her with this very time consuming job. We were members of the committee. and we stayed on...tweeking things, fixing drapes, watering, rearranging. The flowers arrived and a young man carried in many flats of beautiful flowers. Now the fun part....finding just the right spot for each flower. Putting a plastic dish underneath, fussing with the foil, draping shimmery white cloth around some, making everything look special.

 We love this job...we work well together...we each go to our particular passion...either arranging, or draping, or, taking pictures, or putzing with everything till it looks perfect. We did the 4 door arrangements too, but I didn't get pictures.

 The flowers are dwindling and we are about finished putting them around.

 There, the front of the Altar is just as we want it. The stone represents the boulder in front of the cave where Jesus was taken after his Crucifixion. We have several big rocks to move around. Some go out to the base of the wooden cross in the front and a couple to one side of the Altar. We wheel them in the back door and around the Church with a dolly. This is really hard work

We adorn the statue of the Blessed Virgin. This is a favorite place for me.

 We also adorn the painting of  Jesus that was brought into the Church for Easter services.

 Here is the Cross with it's garment draped on it and it is adorned with flowers.

 And finally the whole Altar as it looks right now. Finished for Easter Sunday. It seems that I have been to Church everyday this week. We change colors of Altar cloths for different days during Holy Week. Yesterday everything was removed from the Altar. We experienced a very meaningful Good Friday Mass.

I hope you all enjoyed seeing what goes on behind the scenes at a Catholic Church during Holy Week. I love being a part of it all. Decorating the Altar is a way for me to show my love for God.


Happy Easter everyone...
Balisha