A year ago, we were in Germany, having gone at this time specifically to be there during the Easter season. On Maundy Thursday in Loquard, Ostfriesland, we attended the service in Loquard's Lutheran church. We were among a few worshippers sitting in a semi-circle in the Chancel at the foot of the famous wood carving from the early 16th century.
Not being able to understand the German language used in the service, I spent the time gazing up at the carving and identifying the participants in this Holy Week tableau.
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| The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem |
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| Cheif Priests & Scribes |
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| Coming before Herod |
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| Coming down from the cross |
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| Joseph of Arimathea takes Jesus |
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| Women at the foot of the cross |
This was a moving part of the service for me. The words are so simple (even in German) that I understood, “This is my body, broken….This is my blood, shed….” This now became a personal experience in an unfamiliar culture with other Christians -- but also a culture in which my ancestors were raised.
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| Wood carving from 1520 |
After the service I asked the minister about its origins and he said the carving was done by an artist in the year 1526 in Southern Germany and then brought to the Loquard Church. The faces are the carver’s perception of those on the scene at the crucifixion of Jesus.
It is remarkable that throughout all these years, this carving has remained in this church with little damage from time. If you look closely, you will see some cracks and one of the soldiers has an arm missing, but for the most part, it is completely intact.
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