YORK Minster's Holy Week celebrations get under way tomorrow with a Palm Sunday service.

The week, which takes worshippers from Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem to his death and resurrection, will see special services every day with all invited to take part.

As has become the tradition, Easter Saturday will see open air baptisms outside York Minster.

With the Archbishop of York continuing his Pilgrimage of Prayer, Witness and Blessing in Hull, the Bishop of Beverley, the Rt Rev Glyn Webster, will conduct the baptisms from 2.30pm.

Recalling Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, tomorrow's Palm Sunday Procession will depart from Dean’s Park at 10am for the short walk to the Minster.

Palm crosses will be blessed and distributed and carried in procession.

On Monday, The Ebor Singers will perform JS Bach’s Jesu, meine Freude at 7.30pm with readings and prayers, followed by Compline.

At the same time on Tuesday, there will be a reflective reading of the account in Mark’s gospel of the passion and death of Jesus.

This will be followed by a performance of Charpentier’s short oratorio Le Reniement de Saint Pierre (The Denial of St Peter) by The Ebor Singers.

The same group will perform Stainer’s Crucifixion - one of the nation’s most popular choral works - on Wednesday.

On Maundy Thursday, the clergy and lay ministers of the York Diocese will renew their commitment to serve Christ at a Chrism Eucharist at 11am.

That evening will see a watch of prayer vigil until midnight, with the gradual extinguishing of candles symbolising the gathering darkness of Jesus’ passion.

On Good Friday, there will be a Stations of the Cross service for families at 11.30am at Dean’s Park.

From noon until 3pm there will be three hours of devotion, with readings, meditations, organ improvisations, hymns and prayers with periods of silence for reflection.

As well as the outdoor baptisms, Saturday will see a celebration of the Easter Liturgy at 8.30pm.

Easter Sunday will see Sung Eucharist at 10am, followed by Choral Martins at 11.45am.

The Minster’s celebration of Easter Day concludes with Solemn Evensong at 4pm and a procession to the Easter Garden.

In addition, Choral Evensong will be sung each day at 5.15pm (4pm on Easter Day).

York Minster is the only English cathedral which sings Evensong on each day of Holy Week.

For full details of services, visit www.yorkminster.org