Blessed with bright spring sunshine, today’s annual Palm Sunday procession from Ripon Market Square to the city’s magnificent cathedral, heralded the start of Holy Week.

With Easter Sunday just a week away, people of all denominations congregated on the square for an ecumenical open air service led by the Dean of Ripon the Very Revd. John Dobson (pictured below).

Christ’s triumphant journey to Jerusalem was re-enacted as clergy and choristers carried large palms and followed Lily the donkey attended by 12-year-old Phoebe and her 13-year-old cousin Liza.

The procession went from the city centre and down Kirkgate to the cathedral, where a Sung Eucharist service was held.

Donkey Lily was led by cousins Phoebe (left) and Liza

The walk, with choristers singing and led by the Cathedral’s director of music, Dr Ronny Krippner, took the procession along Market Place East before the turn into Kirkgate and into the ancient church for the 10.30 service.

Phoebe and Liza, pictured before they led the procession with Lily the donkey

Along the route, they passed an array of Easter-themed decorations created by the non-stop knitters of Ripon Community Poppy Project. Two of their eye-catching designs can be seen below.

Crowning glory. The post box on Market Place East wearing its own Easter bonnet

Knitted Easter eggs adorn the trees around Market Square

Main image: Choristers on Kirkgate in Ripon’s annual Palm Sunday procession

Free chicks are once again appearing in Bilton over Holy Week to bring some Easter magic to children.

Members of Bilton Grange United Reformed Church knit the chicks and leave them on the hedge outside the building each morning.

They will be appearing every day this week until Easter Sunday.

Children are welcome to take them for free.

The volunteers have run similar initiatives during other Christian festivals. For instance, they put out angels at Christmas and doves at Whitsun to spread joy.

The chicks are laid on the hedge at the junction of Skipton Road and Woodfield Road every morning until Easter Sunday.

Read more:

• Boroughbridge walking festival to be held this Easter
• Ripon’s non-stop knitters create Easter displays for the city centre
• Kirkgate to close for Easter street party in Ripon

Members of Bilton Grange United Reformed Church pictured giving away the chicks last year.

A new English version of Bach’s St Matthew Passion will be performed during Holy Week at St Peter’s Church in Harrogate.

The oratorio will be sung on Wednesday by the choir of St Peter’s Church, Vocalis chamber choir and the professional Harrogate Bach Players.

John Longstaff, director of music and organist at St Peter’s Church, will direct the performance.

Mr Longstaff and Andrew Greenan, the internationally acclaimed soloist singing the bass arias, have translated the 400-year-old passion into English.

Christine Murphy, of Vocalis, said:

“This is an unmissable opportunity to hear Bach’s St. Matthew Passion complete in Holy Week, in a new English translation, which seeks to communicate the text as clearly as possible while respecting Bach’s natural speech rhythms.”

The other professional soloists are the tenors Joseph Doody and James Micklethwaite, who were both born locally, Philip Wilcox (bass),  Jenny Stafford (soprano, pictured) and Heather Lowe (mezzo-soprano).

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St Matthew Passion was first performed on Good Friday in 1727 and has become an Easter tradition.

Tickets cost £15 and are available by calling 07425 161425, via Eventbrite or on the door, subject to space.