Christians across suburbs usher in solemn, yet hopeful Easter season
Church leaders across the suburbs have been emphasizing messages of hope and peace, recognizing that Christians worldwide are ushering a solemn Easter season this year amid global crises and personal strife.
"It's probably the most emotional Easter in everybody's life, (for) every member of the Ukrainian community," said the Rev. Yaroslav Mendyuk, a pastor at Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church of Palatine.
Members of his congregation have been processing the pain of Russia's ongoing war with their homeland and its rising toll, he said.
"We are kind of sharing the passion of Christ," Mendyuk said. "Every day we are praying for the wounded and emotionally wounded people in Ukraine. It is a very humbling period for our nation."
The Holy Week period, culminating with Easter Sunday, is about reflection and remembering the passion, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
"It is calling us to more prayer, to more reflection on world suffering," Mendyuk said. "Easter itself is celebrating the triumph of life over death, light over darkness, and truth over lies. It is impossible to destroy light. You can kill the body, but you cannot kill the spirit; ... you cannot kill the freedom. This Lenten period before Easter is teaching us ... we will win that war over the terror with God's help."
Mendyuk said people from various suburban faith communities have supported his church and Ukrainians abroad in their hour of need.
"It was just overwhelming how much people feel the pain of each other," he said. "We have donations from all kinds of communities - Muslim, Jewish, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Baptist."
A similar message of hope was conveyed Friday by the Rev. Esequiel Sanchez as thousands of worshippers returned to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines for the ritual observance of Living Stations of the Cross as part of Holy Week traditions.
After a two-year pandemic hiatus, nearly 5,000 people were expected at the outdoor celebration that kicked off at noon in the revered Catholic shrine's plaza.
Stations of the Cross and other Holy Week liturgical services were canceled during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for safety reasons, but this year all activities have resumed, said Sanchez, the shrine's rector.
Typically, throngs of visitors make the pilgrimage to the shrine year round. Last weekend, roughly 12,000 people attended Palm Sunday services.
Sanchez's sermons have been mirroring the homilies of Pope Francis.
"We are going to pray for peace around the world," Sanchez said. "As much as Ukraine is highlighted, our community experiences the devastating (effects) of local wars - gang violence, narco traffickers - so that's why we are inviting people to bring their pain.
"We invited everyone carrying their own crosses (to) build a cross so you are not a spectator. This kind of helps with the grieving process. It teaches you to transform your pain. We are trying to help people just deal with the insecurity of life today, however it manifests."
The shrine will offer multiple Easter weekend services in English and Spanish.
"More than anything we anticipate large numbers of people being able to join us for these liturgical experiences," Sanchez said. "Our biggest challenge at the shrine is we do our best to accommodate people. It's a good problem to have."