Religion and faith: Holy Week, Passover begin

Holy Week begins
with Palm Sunday

Churches around Tucson will celebrate the beginning of Holy Week with a Palm Sunday service, which celebrates Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Other services that week may honor the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday and the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. The week culminates with Easter Sunday celebrations.

Check with individual churches for services times.

St. Mark’s Presbyterian

to study Shakespeare

For five weeks, participants will explore the presentation of justice, mercy and alienation in “The Merchant of Venice,” a Shakespearean play.

Peter Medine, a professor emeritus from the University of Arizona’s English department, will lead the first discussions at 9:45 a.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday. Future sessions will include role-playing and watching film versions of the play in anticipation of a matinee showing of the play May 3 at The Rogue Theatre, 300 E. University Blvd., according to press materials.

The Rogue Theatre’s co-founders, Cynthia Meier and Joseph McGrath, will lead a discussion at 9:45 a.m. April 12. Meier is directing the production and McGrath is playing Shylock.

Discussions will take place at St. Mark’s Calvin Hall, 3809 E. Third St. The lectures are free, but play tickets will cost $27. For more information, call 325-1001.

Episcopal archdeacon
plans Tucson visit

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 3738 N. Old Sabino Canyon Road, will host the archdeacon of St. Alban’s Cathedral in Hertfordshire, England. The cathedral’s website calls it “the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.”

The Venerable Jonathan Smith will hold services at St. Alban’s in Tucson as a guest priest 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday, along with an evening prayer at 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and a choral evensong service at 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to press materials.

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Contact the church at 296-0791.

UA Hillel Foundation plans talk on demons

The free talk at the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation, 1245 E. Second St., will discuss Jewish and Christian beliefs about demons and evil spirits.

Mathias Henze, a professor of the Hebrew Bible and early Judaism at Rice University, will examine origins of these views and how they have impacted both faiths at 4 p.m. Monday, according to press materials.

A part of the Sally and Ralph Duchin Campus Lecture Series, the talk is sponsored by the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies and the UA Hillel Foundation.

Find more information at judaic.arizona.edu or call 626-5758.

Jewish temples plan
Passover Seders

Across Tucson, Jews will hold Passover Seders, eating a symbolic meal that honors the Jewish exodus from Egyptian slavery and into freedom. Celebrations include music and readings from a book called “The Hagaddah.”

Temple Emanu-El, 225 N. Country Club Road, will host three Passover Seders before the holiday ends in the evening of Saturday, April 11. Those are 6 p.m. Saturday at the temple, 6 p.m. April 6, and 6 p.m. April 7 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 7650 N. Paseo del Norte.

For more information about the individual Seders and their costs and to register, go online to templeemanueltucson.org or call 327-4501.

Check with individual congregations for more information about Passover festivities.