Christians prepare to celebrate Easter

Tinomuda Chakanyuka Sunday News Reporter
EASTER is arguably one of the most important and oldest Christian festivals, as Christians from across the world and various denominations celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after his crucifixion. Biblically, Christ’s death and resurrection should be celebrated concurrently with the Jewish Passover. However, this has not been the case, as Easter is now celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

This method of determining the date of Easter often results in Easter being before Passover and or displaced far from Passover. Easter can thus now be potentially observed anywhere between 22 March and 25 April.

Christians in Zimbabwe will join the rest of the World in celebrating Easter, starting on Friday this week until Monday next week.
Many churches line up different programmes and activities to mark the death and resurrection of their saviour, which according to the Christian doctrine signifies the ultimate sacrifice and deliverance of mankind from sin.

Below are some of the activities that some churches in Bulawayo have lined up for this year’s Easter celebrations.
Yesterday a group of 20 Pentecostal churches from Tshabalala, Sizinda, and Nkulumane high density suburbs had an early start to their Easter celebrations when they held a prayer walk across the three suburbs.

Church members, clad in white to signify purity marched across the three suburbs praying for their residential areas.
“There are a lot of evil things happening in the three suburbs and we have organised this prayer walk so we can pray for our area and cleanse it of any evil spirits. We are praying for prosperity of all residents from this area,” said Apostle Philip Chisale of the Dominion Life Church.

Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ), an ecumenical board for Apostolic and Zion churches in the country, will today hold an ordination ceremony and super Sunday at the Large City Hall where 43 bishops from various churches will be ordained.

ACCZ secretary general Reverend Mathias Tsine, said Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko would be the guest of honour at the function.
After the ordination ceremony, ACCZ leadership will visit various churches across the country throughout the Easter holidays holding prayers.
The council will begin its tour on Friday in Masvingo, then proceed to Chivhu on Saturday before rounding off in Rusape on Saturday.

Various circuits of the Methodist Church across Bulawayo will undertake different programmes in marking the Easter Holidays.
The Aldersgate circuit starts the celebrations with a Holy Week which starts tomorrow at Bulawayo Central Methodist Church. The Holy Week, which will see various programmes lined up throughout the week, will culminate into a Holy communion on Thursday.

An all-night prayer will be held on Saturday, representative of a vigil for Christ’s resurrection. A regular church service will be held on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Hillside circuit will hold a crusade from Thursday to Sunday at Tohwe Secondary School, in Matopo district , under the theme “God’s Agents of Transformation”.

The Anglican church diocese of Matabeleland led by retired Reverend Bishop Cleopas Lunga start their Easter celebrations on Thursday with a special Thursday service.

Church services will be held at all the Anglican parishes across the diocese from Thursday until Sunday as the church joins the rest of the Christian community to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ.

The Holy week for the Roman Catholic Church starts today with a Palm Sunday to remember Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem. On Tuesday the church will hold a Chrism Mass to bless holy oils used in church.

A Holy Thursday will be marked to commemorate the washing of Jesus’ feet by his disciples as well as the establishment of Eucharist.
On Good Friday, all Catholic parishes across the country will hold a procession carrying “Christ’s cross” reminiscent of their saviour carrying his crucifix on his way to be crucified. In Bulawayo the procession will start from Bulawayo Polytechnic college along 9th Avenue up to the Cathedral.

On Saturday parishes will hold an Easter vigil into Sunday morning to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Bulawayo, Alex Thomas confirmed the programme.