Hartlepool's Walk of Witness to be done solo and broadcast using Facebook Live as town churches get inventive for Easter

Every Good Friday, parishioners from Catholic and other churches across the town walk through the streets carrying large crucifixes for an open air service at the war memorial in the annual Walk of Witness.

This year’s will take place, but with a big difference. Just one person, Bernadette Malcolmson of the Headland's St Mary’s Church, will perform the walk.

Read more: The priest and his lovable pooch broadcasting services

But she will be stream it live over the internet from 9.30am for others to experience from lockdown in their own homes.

A number of services will also be broadcast on Facebook by Hartlepool churches throughout Easter weekend to allow people take part in mass, prayers and worship.

Bernadette, who has been videoing a number of services since the lockdown caused churches to close, said of this Friday’s Walk of Witness: “I’m going to walk on my own and use it as my exercise for the day.

“I will be stopping at 14 points along the way to read prayers written by parishioners for the Stations of the cross.

“It will all be live on the St Mary’s Facebook page. It will mean it is still a way for people to get involved and for the walk to happen but in a different way under the current climate.”

St Mary’s Facebook page will also be the place to watch Easter services from St Joseph’s Church led by Parish Priest Father Michael Griffiths.

Times are 6.30pm on Holy Thursday, April 9, 3.30pm on Good Friday, 6.30pm for Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 11, and 10am mass on Sunday.

Bernadette added: “We have been broadcasting mass since the lockdown. It is helping people.

“Even though we can’t meet physically, people in isolation can still feel part of the community by meeting in a virtual way.”

A wide range of services, reflections and prayers are also being regularly streamed by the Central Hartlepool Group of Churches on the Facebook pages of St Aidan’s with St Columba’s, St Luke’s and Stranton and Burbank Community Church.

For full details of upcoming broadcasts visit durhamdiocese.org/covid-19/live-streamed-services.

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