Christians Celebrate Easter In Kanpur
KANPUR: A mention of Easter may still conjure up memories of painting Easter eggs in schools or the plays enacted in prayer assemblies of the story behind the festival, that is of the Christ's crucifixion, death of the Christ and his Resurrection.
Thousands of Christian households remembered this story and enacted it before gatherings on the occasion of Easter on Sunday. United Christian's Committee of Kanpur on Sunday organised its 44th United Easter Dawn Service at McRobert Ganj where more than 5,000 members of the Christian community gathered at 4 am and sang carols, offered prayers and celebrated the festival.
According to Noel George of the committee and vice-president of Catholic Association, the celebrations of Easter are bigger than that of Christmas. "We celebrate Christmas to welcome the Christ on Earth. But, on Easter, Jesus came back to life. That means, he won over evil and death and thus it calls for bigger celebrations and the Easter Eggs is a symbol of this new life," said George, who was busy making preparations for the evening feast.
Explaining the series of occasions that starts from Good Friday, another member of the committee Ajeet Anson, said: "The 40 days before the Good Friday is the Lent period that is observed by the Christians and Catholics. Preceding the Easter is the Maundy Thursday (The Last Supper) is observed when Christ summoned his disciples before death."
And then comes Good Friday when the Jesus was crucified in the afternoon. "Before his crucifixion, he was made to carry his Cross to Mount Olive. Good Friday thus commemorates the crucifixion of the Christ and we observe it by praying and fasting," said another Catholic, Binu James.
On Saturday night, the Easter vigil starts. "For the mass, worshippers are asked to bring candles," says Emmanuel. After the mass comes the feast, the bit that most people look forward to.
"The food is the main thing for me," said 22-year-old Shubi Jose and added: "There is so much meat after such a long time." According to George, between 5,000 and 7,000 people come to attend the mass on Easter Dawn Service by lighting candles and some sitting silently in prayer.
Thousands of Christian households remembered this story and enacted it before gatherings on the occasion of Easter on Sunday. United Christian's Committee of Kanpur on Sunday organised its 44th United Easter Dawn Service at McRobert Ganj where more than 5,000 members of the Christian community gathered at 4 am and sang carols, offered prayers and celebrated the festival.
According to Noel George of the committee and vice-president of Catholic Association, the celebrations of Easter are bigger than that of Christmas. "We celebrate Christmas to welcome the Christ on Earth. But, on Easter, Jesus came back to life. That means, he won over evil and death and thus it calls for bigger celebrations and the Easter Eggs is a symbol of this new life," said George, who was busy making preparations for the evening feast.
Explaining the series of occasions that starts from Good Friday, another member of the committee Ajeet Anson, said: "The 40 days before the Good Friday is the Lent period that is observed by the Christians and Catholics. Preceding the Easter is the Maundy Thursday (The Last Supper) is observed when Christ summoned his disciples before death."
And then comes Good Friday when the Jesus was crucified in the afternoon. "Before his crucifixion, he was made to carry his Cross to Mount Olive. Good Friday thus commemorates the crucifixion of the Christ and we observe it by praying and fasting," said another Catholic, Binu James.
On Saturday night, the Easter vigil starts. "For the mass, worshippers are asked to bring candles," says Emmanuel. After the mass comes the feast, the bit that most people look forward to.
"The food is the main thing for me," said 22-year-old Shubi Jose and added: "There is so much meat after such a long time." According to George, between 5,000 and 7,000 people come to attend the mass on Easter Dawn Service by lighting candles and some sitting silently in prayer.
posted by peculiar @ 9:53 PM
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