If stay-at-home orders prevent people from coming to the Eucharist at Easter, thought the Rev. Matthew Stromberg, why not bring the Eucharist to them?
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The rector of St. George’s, a historic Anglo-Catholic parish in Schenectady, New York’s Stockade neighborhood, decided to follow his Easter Day service with a traditional eucharistic procession, carrying the Sacrament through the quiet streets of the neighborhood in a gold and silver monstrance — a vessel for displaying the elements. He was assisted by the parish’s organist, Brian J. Taylor, and David Kennison served as master of ceremonies.
“I wanted to bless the neighborhood and bring people the Eucharist in an appropriate way during the quarantine,” Stromberg said. “Neighbors really responded. People waited in their doors and on the corners.” One parishioner, he said, had strewn the sidewalk in front of his house with flowers, and brought out icons and candles to be blessed. ‘It was a lovely afternoon,” he added. “Although people could not gather for Mass, they at least adored our Lord’s sacramental presence from a distance.”
— Mark Michael
Kirk Petersen began reporting news for TLC as a freelancer in 2016, and was Associate Editor from 2019 to 2024, focusing especially on matters of governance in the Episcopal Church.
