Easter Sunrise

 This morning Trish and I participated in the Easter Sunrise Service at the Home Moravian Church in Old Salem in Winston-Salem.  Events actually started last night with the Easter Evening service of preparation in the church.

Then at 6:15 this morning we gathered, along with hundreds of others, in Salem Square.  Following opening prayers and liturgy, we processed, led by the first of a total of six brass bands to the God’s Acre Cemetery.

The bands are positioned in six locations around the perimeter of the cemetery.  After everyone is silently gathered, they play antiphonally, alternating even phrases of hymns and chorales and gradually move closer and closer together around the site.

In the Moravian tradition, all of the grave markers are identical and people are buried in the order of their passing, not as family units.  This symbolizes the equality of all God’s people in death and resurrection.

Finally all of the bands are joined, more than two hundred musicians, just before sunrise.  There is then the liturgy of the sunrise and affirmation of resurrection as the combined band plays for hymns to be sung.

After closing prayers, we walked back as the sun painted the cemetery with gold on a beautifully crisp and  perfect day. The birds say to us all the way back!

What a way to celebrate this day!