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Press Releases
Passion and music on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ this Easter
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Update – 7 March 2008: this press release posted on 25ÌýFebruary 2008 has been updated. The drama Florence Nightingale, originally due to be shown on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One at Easter, will now be broadcast at a later date.
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Bold drama, thought-provoking documentaries plus traditional
music and worship are at the heart of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's religious
programming this Easter.
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The Passion is the retelling of the last week of Jesus Christ's
life from three different viewpoints: the religious authorities,
the Romans and Jesus himself.
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Starring Joseph Mawle, James
Nesbitt, Paul Nicholls and Laura Fraser, the drama will be shown on
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One across Holy Week, climaxing on Easter Sunday.
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Shroud Of Turin – Material Evidence is a new documentary for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ
Two.
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Exactly 20 years ago the Shroud was deemed a medieval
forgery by Carbon 14 data. But Rageh Omaar uncovers evidence that
links the Shroud of Turin to two other, and earlier, shrouds of
Christ – the Shroud of Constantinople and the Shroud of
Jerusalem.
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The documentary asks if all three shrouds could be one
and the same and if so what are the implications for the C14
test?
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Also on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two, there will be another chance to see ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Four's
award-winning documentary The Lost Gospels which explores the
extraordinary gospels of Jesus that were left out of the New
Testament.
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Anglican vicar Pete Owen Jones discovers that, aside
from the gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, there were over
70 gospels, acts, letters and apocalypses, all circulating
in the early Church.
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A specially recorded concert of Easter music from medieval plainsong to the glorious works of Palestrina and JS Bach performed by Harry Christophers and his elite choir The Sixteen is broadcast on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Four on Easter Sunday.
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In Miracle On The Estate, the residents of Harpurhey, in North
Manchester, once described as the worst place to live in Britain,
join forces with a poet, a composer and a director to see if they
can produce their very own Medieval Mystery Play, based on the
story of the Flood.
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In so doing they uncover a deep-rooted sense
of community, untapped talent and breathe 21st century life into
an ancient story of sacrifice and salvation. Miracle On The
Estate will be shown on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One on Good Friday.
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As Liverpool enjoys its year as European Capital of Culture, a
series of programmes on Easter Sunday celebrates with the city
as it lives through its own resurrection.
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Risen Today, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One,
is an Easter Sunday celebration of Mass from Liverpool's
Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.
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On ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2,
Easter Glory reflects the Christian traditions of the city; and
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 4's Easter Sunrise Service and Easter Sunday Worship both
come live from Liverpool's majestic Anglican Cathedral.
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Denis Nolan is the commentator on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One for Urbi et orbi, as
Pope Benedict gives his traditional Easter blessing to the "city
and the world".
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In Songs Of Praise (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One), Diane Louise Jordan introduces a celebration
for Easter Day from the stunning setting of Hereford Cathedral,
with music from Alfie Boe and Natasha Marsh.
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Radio 2 marks Good Friday with At The Foot Of The Cross.
Recorded at St Paul's Cathedral, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Concert Orchestra, conducted by St Paul's Director of Music Andrew Carwood, performs
a special Good Friday performance of the Faure Requiem.
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Aled
Jones introduces a meditation on the journey to the cross, using
poetry, prayer and the biblical passion-tide narrative, and Young
Chorister of the Year Joel Whitewood will sing the famous Pie
Jesu.
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In a returning series of Belief on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3 for Holy Week, Joan Bakewell talks to four influential figures about their ideas about life's big questions and how their belief affects their lives.
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Her guests are military strategist and government critic Major General Tim Cross, award-winning novelist A L Kennedy, Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, and Sister Frances Dominica, founder of Helen's House, the world's first children's hospice.
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Radio 3 also has a feast of choral music in the build up to Easter with Handel's Messiah, Brahms's German Requiem and Bach's St John Passion and Choral Evensong is live from Winchester Cathedral on Easter Sunday.
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Radio 4's Good Friday Liturgy is the Daughters Of Jerusalem.
Poet Carol Ann Duffy and composer Sasha Johnson Manning tell the
story of the Crucifixion from the perspective of the women who
witnessed the Passion.
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The story – the second collaboration
between Carol Ann Duffy and Sasha Johnson Manning following their
highly acclaimed Manchester Carols – is narrated by Mary
Magdalene, and gives voice to Veronica, Pilate's wife, and the
other women who lived through Good Friday.
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Speaking about the wide range of programmes, Michael Wakelin,
Head of Studio for Religion and Ethic, says: "Easter is the most important festival for Christians and once
again the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is marking it with an array of impressive
programmes, in a variety of styles, to celebrate and explore the
death and resurrection of Jesus.
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"³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One's Passion is a fresh take on the familiar story and a
powerful representation of the Resurrection scenes whilst
Miracle On The Estate, filmed in
Harpurhay, is a daring and innovative way of reinventing the old
mystery play tradition.
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"As usual our Radio presence is very strong at this time and from
Radio 4's Daughters Of Jerusalem through to Radio 2's Easter
Glory, full appreciation is being given to this important and
exciting festival."
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JP2
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