Sunrise service, egg giveaway among events commemorating Easter Sunday in Chicago
Christians around the Chicago area welcomed Easter Sunday with a variety of services and events, including a sunrise service in Daley Plaza.
The interdenominational service celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus included music, praise, and prayer.
A 19-foot-high wooden cross has stood in Daley Plaza for several days in preparation for the service.
At Holy Name Cathedral, Blase Cardinal Cupich celebrated Easter Sunday mass for Chicago's Roman Catholics. He reminded the faithful to keep fresh in their minds Christ's Resurrection as they go through their everyday lives.
In an Easter letter to parishes last week, the cardinal asked that faith grow stronger, and he urged people to bring hope and promise to the world.
In a relatively rare occurrence this year, Easter fell on the same day in the Greek and Eastern Orthodox Church as in the Catholic and Protestant churches.
At Greek Orthodox churches around the Chicago area, the faithful gathered for midnight services, holding candles outside and saying, "Christos Anesti (Χριστός Ανέστη)," or "Christ is risen." The faithful filled the parking lot at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Des Plaines, and Sheffield Avenue outside St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lincoln Park.
Meanwhile, New Life Covenant Southeast Church in the South Side's Grand Crossing neighborhood handed out more than 40,000 eggs on Sunday after services. Organizers said they wanted to bring joy and relief to families who may be struggling with high food prices.
"We know that there's been some hardships lately, and this has been a really big opportunity for us to bless the community," said Jessica Nash of New Life Covenant Church, "so we just want to say happy Easter. We're really thankful for this day in particular. It's a true representation of our faith."
The egg giveaway was inspired by a pastor and longtime friend of the church who held a similar event recently.
