Sunrise service

A sunrise service is a special worship service held on Easter Sunday by some Christian groups, including the Moravian Church. These services celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They often begin at dawn to show the new day and new life that Easter represents.

The service can be inside a church or outside in a park. When it is outside, people may sit on chairs or benches, or they might stand the whole time. Many Methodist, Reformed, and United Protestant congregations also hold sunrise services.

In other traditions, such as the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican churches, the celebration usually happens during the Easter Vigil. The Easter Vigil can start late on Holy Saturday or early on Easter Sunday morning. It marks the move from the darkness of Good Friday to the light of Easter.

History

The first Easter Sunrise Service happened in 1732 in the Moravian community at Herrnhut in the Upper Lusatian hills of Saxony. After a night of prayer, people went to the town graveyard, called God's Acre, to sing songs about the Risen Saviour. The next year, everyone joined in. From there, the tradition of the Sunrise Service spread around the world with Moravian missionaries. The service often has a walk to the graveyard with music from brass choirs.

In the United States

Many churches in the American South hold sunrise services in cemeteries to celebrate that Jesus is no longer in the tomb on Easter morning. These services start early so people can watch the sun rise. They often have music like hymns or a praise band, and a special message about Easter. Sometimes, breakfast is served after the service.

A famous sunrise service happens in Winston-Salem, NC and has been held every year since 1772. Many people gather before dawn to celebrate, then walk to a historic graveyard. Brass choirs from different churches play beautiful hymns during the walk. In Washington D.C., many people attend the “Sunrise Celebration” Easter service at the Lincoln Memorial, a tradition for over thirty years. Another long service began in 1944 atop Stone Mountain near Atlanta, where the park opens early for worshipers to gather.