Vijayawada: Members of the Christian community in AP celebrated Easter festival on Sunday with religious fervour and traditional gaiety. The day commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Roman Catholics celebrated the Easter festival during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, while Protestants did it in the wee hours of Sunday. Easter is also called the Resurrection Sunday.
A huge turnout of devotees was seen at the churches of various congregations and denominations across the city including the St Pauls Cathedral, Patamata, the Mary Matha Shrine, Gunadala, the St Peter's Cathedral, One-Town, the St Paul's Basilica, Suryaraopet and the All Saints Church besides the Montosori school and other churches.
Many Christians were adorned with mini banners bearing biblical scriptures and messages proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Several churches held pre-dawn Easter services while others commemorated the occasion during their regular service hours.
The Holy Communion is a sacrament commemorating the Last Supper, wherein Christians eat a small portion of the consecrated bread, likening it to the body of Christ, and sip a little wine, likening it to the blood of Christ, in remembrance of his supreme sacrifice.
Rev T Joseph Raja Rao, Bishop of the Vijayawada Catholic Diocese, said Easter is the day when Jesus Christ died on the Cross on Good Friday (Friday) and resurrected on the third day of Holy Sunday. Bishop Joseph Raja Rao and Monsignor Father Muvvala Prasad solemnly inaugurated the Easter celebrations at the St. Paul's Cathedral near Benz Circle.
Bishop Raja Rao in his Easter message said Jesus Christ carried the Cross and shed his blood to cleanse this world for the salvation of sinners. Christ's death on the Cross is a symbol of sacrifice, he said.
He explained that Christ lived in this world for 33 and a half years and performed many miracles and miracles. Bishop Raja Rao said that on this auspicious day of Easter, devotees should get a change of heart and follow Jesus Christ.
People took part in the annual ‘Run for Jesus’ held in the city. The Roman Catholic Vijayawada diocese bishop Rev T Joseph Raja Rao along with the Church of South India, Krishna-Godavari diocese bishop T George Cornelius flagged off the run at the St Paul’s Cathedral. The run ended at St Paul’s Basilica via Pinnamaneni Polyclinic Road, Mother Teresa junction and Sikhamani Centre. The run was organised by the AP Federation of Telugu Churches in collaboration with the churches of the city.
