St. Mark's Episcopal To Host Easter Sunrise Service

From St. Mark’s Episcopal Church: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church will hold four special Easter services, including a Sunrise Service, to mark the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the most celebrated festival of the church year.

The Sunrise Easter service will be held in the Courtyard of the church on Cain Road, off Gunn Highway, beginning at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 21.

“We hold the sunrise service as a sign that Jesus no longer lay in the tomb on Easter morning,” said The Rev. Robert C. Douglas, St. Mark’s Rector, who will officiate at all four services.

He said the service “is timed so the congregation can see the sun rise while the service is going on.” It will include Holy Eucharist outdoors and it will last less than an hour.

However, traditionally the first Easter service will be held at 7 p.m. on Easter Eve, April 20, with the lighting of the Pascal Candle at the The Great Easter Vigil service. During that service the church will go from dark to light as congregants gather in prayer and vigil to remember the holy night when Jesus passed from death to life. Following the service, congregants will hold a 24-hour vigil at the church until Easter morning.

Easter celebrations continue on Sunday morning at both 8 and 10:15 a.m. services with Holy Festival Euchartists featuring special hymns and music at both services. Two Holy Baptisms by water will be administered during the 10:15 a.m. service.

For Christians, the Easter holiday is the most holy of feasts and is at the core of their beliefs. For others, it is commonly used to mark the beginning of springtime.

Easter is not celebrated on the same day as other holidays. The day is calculated to be the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the vernal equinox and is held each year between March 22 and April 25.