Kazo Parish ChurchHappy Easter!
I have just spent about 15 hours in mass this weekend! Here we really celebrate Holy Week and Easter, with three hour long masses and all night long praer vigils. On Thursday, we began with mass and ended in a prayer vigil remembering the Agony in the Garden. Our new community hall, cement floors just installed, was covered with grass and bedecked with tree branches, etc. to be a real garden. There people took turns praying and weeping through the night. On Sunday, we walked along our town's main (only?) road, stopping to kneel (and hoping to avoid the mud filled potholes) as we did a public Way of the Cross. On Saturday, we had candles, lit from the main candle, as we passed to each other the light. The symbolism was inescapable as my candle was lit by another person then I lit many other candles. At midnight, we celebrated resurrection. The drums and dancing came to life and remained lively throughout Easter mass.
To some, this may seem like torture. Especially since none of it was in English (save a few words now and then from the compassionate priest). I can tell you, however, that it was wonderful. It was really moving through the Passion and Resurrection experientially, with people who walked miles to be there. It is now night, and the girls are still drumming and singing. He is Risen indeed!
I have just spent about 15 hours in mass this weekend! Here we really celebrate Holy Week and Easter, with three hour long masses and all night long praer vigils. On Thursday, we began with mass and ended in a prayer vigil remembering the Agony in the Garden. Our new community hall, cement floors just installed, was covered with grass and bedecked with tree branches, etc. to be a real garden. There people took turns praying and weeping through the night. On Sunday, we walked along our town's main (only?) road, stopping to kneel (and hoping to avoid the mud filled potholes) as we did a public Way of the Cross. On Saturday, we had candles, lit from the main candle, as we passed to each other the light. The symbolism was inescapable as my candle was lit by another person then I lit many other candles. At midnight, we celebrated resurrection. The drums and dancing came to life and remained lively throughout Easter mass.
To some, this may seem like torture. Especially since none of it was in English (save a few words now and then from the compassionate priest). I can tell you, however, that it was wonderful. It was really moving through the Passion and Resurrection experientially, with people who walked miles to be there. It is now night, and the girls are still drumming and singing. He is Risen indeed!
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