Throughout the ages, the Fridays of Lent have been a special time of fasting and reflection—and musicians have created some of the most extraordinary music ever written for the various observances of Lent. This year, as part of the Cathedral of Christ the King’s Lenten Suppers and Stations of the Cross series, the music department will follow the community meal and traditional Stations with five special Lenten musical meditations designed to deepen and enhance the impact and devotions of this season.

The series runs from Friday, March 6, through Friday, April 3, and is open to the public.

The Stations are the centerpieces of these Friday gatherings, and Cathedral clergy will lead the devotions, with meditations by St. Alphonsus Liguori.

The Cathedral’s musical meditations that follow the Stations will offer a striking combination of imposing text with masterful music. Kevin Culver, choirmaster at the Christ the King, noted, “The season of Lent, as reflected in the procession of readings and liturgies from Sunday to Sunday and week to week, has such a dramatic movement and pace, that we hoped to capture some of this spiritual momentum with these special Friday evening presentations. Each evening has a moving blend of word and sound, and each evening discovers a different focus and flavor for this reflective season”.

The first musical program will be offered on Friday, March 6, with the Lenten music of Bach, featuring Cathedral organist Timothy Wissler and members of the Cathedral Choir. They will perform music from some of Bach’s greatest works, including chorales from his monumental St. Matthew Passion.

On Friday, March 13, the meditations will be in the form of Taize prayer, a beautifully simple form of sung prayer combining gentle litanies and profound silences.

The following Friday, March 20, will feature “A Lenten Journey with Paul Tate and Ken Macek,” two distinguished composers of contemporary song.

On March 27, the Cathedral Choir and women’s Schola Nova will present “Out of the Depths,” which pairs the lush romantic music of Felix Mendelssohn’s De Profundis with a selection of American spirituals reflecting the human journey out of the darkness of despair to the light and hope of salvation.

The series concludes April 3 with Mary Rogers’ “Pathway to the Cross,” a musical prayer service focusing on Christ’s Passion and sacrifice. This beautiful and moving service has become a popular annual tradition at the Cathedral.

The Friday evenings begin with the Lenten suppers, served between 5:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. in the Cathedral’s parish hall, followed by the traditional Stations of the Cross from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The musical reflections will then begin at 7:15 p.m. The musical program should generally last no more than an hour.

There will be a minimal charge for the dinners: $8 adults, $3 children, and $25 family maximum. For dinner reservations, e-mail Lentensuppers@ctking.com or call (404) 267-3693.

The Cathedral is located at 2699 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. Ample parking is available.