Good Friday Retreat 2025

Devotion to the Five Wounds Of Christ

THE devotion to the Five Wounds is a traditional form of prayer that focuses on the physical sufferings of Christ—his pierced hands, feet, and side. It developed in the Middle Ages as a way of meditating on the Passion, attending to the body of Jesus as it was wounded and offered on the Cross.
This form of prayer invites slow, attentive reflection. It does not aim to explain suffering, but to remain with it—to stay close to Christ in his pain, and to hold before God the woundedness of the world, and of ourselves.
Each section of this meditation includes a passage of Scripture, a short reflection, and further verses for prayer.

These readings and meditations were first delivered at St Michael and All Saints, Edinburgh, on Good Friday 2025 by the Revd Oliver Brewer-Lennon and Faith Sutherland.

Image for Reflection

The painting shown below may be used as a focus for prayer and meditation while engaging with these reflections.

Francisco de Zurbarán, The Crucifixion (1627), oil on canvas, 290.3 × 165.5 cm. Robert A. Waller Memorial Fund, 1954.15. The Art Institute of Chicago.

The Left Hand: Inscribed

A personal note to humankind, inscribed on the palms of God’s hands.

Isaiah 49:16, Luke 23:33

The Right Hand: Exposed

Hands fixed in perpetual surrender

Psalm 22:16, John 20:25

The Left Foot: Counted

What is usually unnoticed becomes unignorable

Psalm 22:17, Isaiah 52:7

The Right Foot: Struck

A wound at the body’s lowest point

Genesis 3:15, Luke 24:40

The Side: Pierced

Unrecoverable harm

John 19:34–37, Zechariah 12:10

Mass Times

Sunday • 10:30 High Mass
A service with choral music, organ, incense, bells, and elaborate ritual Read more →

Wednesday • 11:00 Low Mass (Lady Chapel)

First Saturday of each month • 12:30 Rosary Mass

Celebrate

the Sacred Seasons

ST Michael and All Saints invites you to mark some of the most significant moments of the liturgical year with special services featuring glorious music from one of the finest choirs in the city, vibrant Anglo-Catholic liturgy, and preaching that speaks to the heart. Whether you’re a frequent attendee or joining for a special occasion, these events are sure to inspire.

Ascension Day

Thurs 14 May • 19:30

Forty days after Easter, the Church celebrates the Ascension, when Christ is lifted, body and soul, into heaven. A feast that’s uplifting. A tonic for a weary world.

Corpus Christi

Thurs 4 Jun • 19:30

A festival of splendour and devotion. Christ present among his people, with incense, petals, and a procession out into the street. You don’t see this every day.

Assumption

Sat 15 Aug • 16:30

One of the most widely observed festivals of the Blessed Virgin Mary around the world, kept in this corner of it with opulence and majesty. An enormously high Mass for for an enormously high feast.

St Michael

Tues 29 Sep • 19:30

Celestial music in honour of the commander of the heavenly armies, the patron saint of this church. The reception following this Evensong and Benediction is underwritten by the Choral Evensong Trust.

Advent Carols

Sun 29 Nov • 18:00

Advent begins with candlelight, choral music, and readings that hold the season’s sense of waiting and expectation.

Nine Lessons and Carols

Sun 20 Dec • 18:00

The service people mark well in advance in their diaries. Timeless carols and seasonal favourites gathered into one of the great traditions of Christmas.