Easter Sunday is almost here, and area Christians are preparing their hearts and minds with a variety of special events, including musical performances, family friendly egg hunts and interfaith prayers.
Holy Week, or the series of sacred gatherings that commemorate the last days before Jesus' crucifixion, is one of the busiest times of the year for churches. Everyone is called to make room in their schedule to draw closer to one another and closer to God, said the Very Rev. Martin Diaz, pastor of the Cathedral of the Madeleine.
"It’s like getting together with your family on Thanksgiving," he said. During Holy Week, "we celebrate being God’s family, and that God has come into the world and called us to be brothers and sisters."
Melissa Mast worhips as Calvary Chapel Salt Lake holds a non-denominational Easter service at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy Sunday, March 27, 2016.
Easter dinner certainly tastes like a Thanksgiving feast in some homes, with calorific casseroles and elaborate desserts. But the Rev. Diaz's comparison refers to Easter's deeper mission: bringing people together to celebrate what they share in common.
This aspect of the holiday helps explain why the Easter season often inspires inter-congregational gatherings, such as the Stations of the Cross walk in downtown Salt Lake on Friday, which is co-hosted by five faith communities, noted the Very Rev. Ray Waldon, dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Mark.
"Easter is a time for all of us to get together around the one most important common theme we share: our belief in Jesus Christ," he said.
Throughout the season of Lent, which started with Ash Wednesday on March 1 this year, Christians reflect on their spiritual health during the 40 days leading up to Easter by giving up something like a favorite treat or an unwanted habit or taking on additional religious practices like a morning prayer.
The final week of the season, known as Holy Week, begins on Palm Sunday, celebrated this year on April 9, when there's a renewed call for reflection as churches revisit what Jesus went through during his final week on earth. Palm Sunday marks his arrival in Jerusalem, where he was greeted by joyous crowds.
The three days before Easter — Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday — challenge worshippers to do some communal and personal soul-searching. Services include ancient rituals, such as foot or hand washing, as well as a few modern twists, all of which are designed to help participants understand the sacrifice Jesus made when he died and then rose again, Dean Waldon added.
"Holy Week is a journey with Jesus on his last days," he said. "We begin with the triumphal entry (into Jerusalem), suffer the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, go to the cross and then celebrate the glory of the resurrection."
Dean Waldon, the Rev. Diaz and other area faith leaders say they welcome newcomers to take this journey with them, and they shared a few key events on their Holy Week schedules with the Deseret News.
Here's an overview of the festivities and further exploration of the spiritual significance of Holy Week:
Maundy Thursday, April 13
Maundy Thursday focuses on Jesus' final meal with his disciples. At this Last Supper, he shocked his followers by washing their feet, a task that would normally be reserved for a lowly servant.
Services on this holy day include reflections on the confusion his behavior caused, as well as calls to be generous in caring for one another, said Tracy Hackworth, the office administrator at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. Participants often have the opportunity to mimic Jesus' actions by washing the hands or feet of fellow worshippers.
"As Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, we are called to follow his example as we humbly care for one another, especially the poor and the unloved," she said.
— First Congregational Church (2150 S. Foothill Drive): 6 p.m. community feast. "We share a meal of dried fruits, nuts, olives and other items that would be served" at an event like the Last Supper, said the Rev. Marijke Rossi.
— Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (1070 S. Foothill Drive): 7 p.m. worship service with hand washing. "We view the hand washing as a way to follow Jesus' example, Hackworth said.
— The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd (2374 Grant Ave. in Ogden): 7 p.m. worship service with foot washing and a communal redecoration of the church's altar. "At the end of the service, the church is stripped of candles and cloths, as we accompany Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he spent time in anguished prayer before being arrested, said the Rev. Vanessa Cato. "We invite participants to bring flowers to strew in front of the altar."
— Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (8575 S. 700 East in Sandy): 7 p.m. worship service with a re-enactment of the Last Supper and foot washing, as well as performances by the church's choir, bell choir, orchestra and dance ministry team.
— Wasatch Presbyterian Church (1626 S. 1700 East): 7 p.m. worship service, which will include a performance of a musical cantata called "The Seven Last Words of Christ."
Good Friday, April 14
On Good Friday, the motivations behind Jesus' actions on Thursday night become clear, with heartbreaking consequences. In the hours after the Last Supper, Jesus is arrested. Less than 24 hours later, he is hanging on a cross.
"The theme of Good Friday is the death of Jesus," the Rev. Diaz said.
Churches commemorate this day in a variety of ways, but the focus of most events is to help participants understand the sorrow of Jesus' first followers, as well as the extent of Jesus' sacrifice.
Several local faith communities are hosting or participating in a prayer-focused Stations of the Cross event, which generally includes a viewing of 14 different images depicting Jesus on his final day of life. However, some activities with the same name, including the walk in downtown Salt Lake, focus on group meditation and Bible reading, rather than the famous images.
— St. Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church (624 Lennox St.): On Good Friday, this bilingual parish is showcasing events popular in other countries. Its Obra de Passion, or Stations of the Cross walk, will take place in the streets of Midvale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. And the Procession of the Santo Entierro — a traditional devotion in Hispanic countries involving walking around the church carrying an image of Jesus — will start at 8:30 p.m.
— Congregational United Church of Christ (3350 Harrison Blvd. in Ogden): The church's "Spiritual Dimensions of Good Friday" exhibit is open from noon to 7 p.m. "It's a self-guided exploration of denial, judgment, lying, mob mentality, forgiveness, comfort, submission, awareness, grief and preparation," said the Rev. Gage Church.
— First Presbyterian Chuch of Logan (178 W. Center St.): Churches in Logan are joining together for a Stations of the Cross event. The walk starts at noon at First Presbyterian Church.
— Cathedral of the Madeleine (331 E. South Temple): The singers of the Madeleine Choir School will perform "Stabat Mater," a meditation on how Mary, the mother of Jesus, felt to see her son on the cross, at 3 p.m.
— "The Procession of the Cross": Like the faith communities in Logan, churches in downtown Salt Lake are joining together for a Stations of the Cross walk. "At each of the stations, the pastors or leaders of the host church welcome everyone, then participants sing a verse of the hymn 'Were You There?' and read a passage about the death of Jesus and, finally, we sing another hymn," said the Rev. Mike Imperiale of First Presbyterian Church. The walk starts at the Cathedral of the Madeleine and then goes from First Presbyterian Church to Crossroads Urban Center and First United Methodist Church before ending at the Cathedral Church of St. Mark.
— Holladay United Church of Christ (2631 E. Murray Holladay Rd.): 7:30 p.m. worship service featuring Taizé-style chants, music, candles and a reading of the story of Jesus' suffering and crucifixion.
— Easter Concert on Temple Square: 7:30 p.m. concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. The performance will include Beethoven's "Christ on the Mount of Olives," the famous composer's first major religious piece. There will be a second concert at the same time on Saturday, April 15.
Members of the Orchestra at Temple Square perform with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at a special Easter performance in the Tabernacle.
Holy Saturday, April 15
Many Christian churches go without a worship service on the day before Easter, choosing to take the day off or host a family-focused event for the neighborhood.
However, in the Catholic and Episcopal traditions, Holy Saturday is rich in tradition. For centuries, it's been a time to welcome new church members.
"The point of the Easter vigil is the baptism, confirmation and first communion of those who are unbaptized," the Rev. Diaz said.
For people who already belong to the church, these Saturday night services are a reminder of the life they've been promised by Jesus Christ.
— Christ United Methodist Church (2375 E. 3300 South): 10 a.m. Easter egg hunt and family brunch. Children in the sixth grade or below and toddlers at least age 1 are welcome to hunt eggs on the church grounds. Participants should bring their own baskets, and their parents should bring a dish to share at the potluck that will follow the hunt.
— The Cathedral Church of St. Mark (231 E. 100 South): 8 p.m. Easter vigil.
— The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd: 8 p.m. Easter vigil.
— Cathedral of the Madeleine: 9 p.m. Easter vigil mass.
Easter Sunday, April 16
Easter is the culmination of the Holy Week journey. Joyous worship services, often featuring brass instruments and bright colors, celebrate Jesus' resurrection and victory over death.
Some congregations are holding sunrise services outside, recognizing the link between Jesus rising again and new growth that appears in the spring season.
— Good Shepherd Lutheran Church: Worship services at 8, 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. Music and dance performances will create a festive mood.
— Cathedral of the Madeleine: English Masses at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon, as well as a 3 p.m. Spanish Mass.
— Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church: Worship services at 8:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. There will be an Easter brunch in between with proceeds benefiting the church's youth group.
— Congregational United Church of Christ: 9 a.m. outdoor service at Beus Pond Park in Ogden (1576 Country Hills Drive) and an 11 a.m. worship service at the church. The later gathering will include a children's pageant and be followed by an Easter egg hunt, pie and fellowship.
— The Cathedral Church of St. Mark: 10:30 a.m. worship service with brass instruments and timpani accompanying the music.
— Holladay United Church of Christ: 7 a.m. sunrise service in the church's memorial garden with breakfast provided after it concludes. There will also be a more formal worship service at 10 a.m.
Email: kdallas@deseretnews.com Twitter: @kelsey_dallas