Easter, celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, will be observed this year on March 31. Christians gather to mark the resurrection of Jesus, and many participate in sunrise services. Sunrise services hold biblical symbolism as they recognize the women followers of Jesus who discovered the empty tomb at dawn. The Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina holds one of the oldest Easter sunrise services in the U.S., dating back to 1732 in Herrnhut, Germany. The tradition has spread beyond the Moravian Church and is observed by various Christian denominations worldwide.
The Moravian Easter sunrise service involves hymn singing in a graveyard known as “God’s Acre,” representing the belief in resurrection among the dead. Moravian congregations are known for their trombone choirs, and the sunrise service usually features approximately 300 musicians playing Moravian hymns. Many of these musicians play all night, creating a cascade of sound throughout the community to alert people to wake up. Other locations besides church graveyards host sunrise services, including Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, and Newport Beach in California.
Easter services hold significant religious meaning for Christian faith groups, with some observing an Easter vigil between sunset Saturday and sunrise Sunday. This vigil can include a renewal of baptismal vows and is sometimes combined with an Easter sunrise service. The Episcopal Church views the Easter vigil as a time for prayer and scripture reading to anticipate Easter baptisms and Eucharist. Early Christians linked the meanings of Christ’s death and resurrection with baptism, with Easter being a primary baptismal occasion for the early church.
Easter is not a fixed date and falls between March 22 and April 25 each year based on a calculation involving the moon. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops explains that Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. Easter services hold biblical significance, with the resurrection story varying in the New Testament’s Gospels but all emphasizing the empty tomb at dawn discovered by Jesus’ women followers. Christians worldwide observe Easter with sunrise services that symbolize the belief in Jesus’ resurrection.
The Moravian Church has a rich history of holding sunrise services, with the first recorded service dating back to 1732 in Germany. The Easter sunrise service tradition has spread to various locations, with Winston-Salem, North Carolina hosting one of the oldest services in the U.S. dating back to 1772. The service, organized by the Salem Congregation representing 13 Moravian churches, includes hymn singing, a silent procession to the graveyard, and a conclusion among the graves. Other traditions surrounding Easter services include music from trombone choirs, renewal of baptismal vows, and the Great Vigil observed by the Episcopal Church as a service of prayer and scripture reading. Easter services continue to be an important observance for Christians worldwide in celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.
