Easter Masses and services will be celebrated Sunday at churches throughout Los Angeles County while sunrise services will be held aboard the battleship Iowa, near the Manhattan Beach Pier and in Palisades Park in Santa Monica.
Easter will also be marked by an Easter/Passover Brunch at The Midnight Mission for homeless and near-homeless individuals and the ninth annual EasterFest at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles where children will hunt for approximately 15,000 Easter eggs.
A nondenominational service on the fantail of the battleship Iowa, docked at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, will begin at 6 a.m. Guests can board beginning at 5:30 a.m. Those planning on attending the service are reminded to dress warmly and wear appropriate footwear for being on the battleship.
A sunrise service will be held north of the Manhattan Beach Pier beginning at 6:30 a.m., conducted by the Manhattan Beach Community Church, which is affiliated with the United Church of Christ.
The sunrise service at Palisades Park will begin at 6:30 a.m. Those attending the service conducted by the First United Methodist Church of Santa Monica are asked to bring blankets, chairs and fresh flowers for the cross.
The Easter Sunday Mass, the Mass of the Resurrection of Our Lord, will be celebrated at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. and in Spanish at 1 p.m. A bilingual Mass will be celebrated at 3 p.m.
Those unable to attend could view a livestream on the church's Facebook page.
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During the Mass, after all the faithful have renewed their baptismal promises, they will receive a blessing with Easter holy water as a reminder that in and through Christ, they have died and been born again through the waters of baptism.
The feast of the Resurrection of Christ is the oldest and most important Christian celebration. Christians believe that, by rising from the dead, Jesus demonstrated his power over sin and death, manifesting his divinity as the Son of God.
"Easter is a great day filled with hope and joy for us,'' said Archbishop Jose H. Gomez. "Christ is risen and we know we will rise with him.
"Easter tells us that God's love is stronger than death and that Jesus is on our side, that he will lead us through all the dark valleys of our lives, through all our disappointments and sufferings. He will lead us to glory, to the light of his love and peace.''
The Midnight Mission expects to serve 4,500 pounds of chicken legs, 1,000 pounds of sliced ham, 800 pounds of mashed potatoes, 700 pounds of sweet yams and 600 pounds of vegetables for its Easter/Passover Brunch, according to Georgia Berkovich, its director of public affairs.
Entertainer Dick Van Dyke, former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and recently eliminated "Dancing with the Stars'' contestant Mr. T are expected to be among the volunteers serving.
There will also be an Easter Village where homeless and near-homeless children will be able to meet the Easter Bunny and receive baskets full of candy and other treats.
The ninth annual EasterFest at Grand Park will be held from 2-5 p.m. and include Easter Egg hunts, bounce houses, face painting, arts and crafts and games. Admission is $5 per person or $20 per family to a maximum of seven people. Children 2 and under are admitted free.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit ministries on Skid Row helping homeless families and children, according to Kevin K. Haah, the lead pastor of the New City Church of Los Angeles, which is organizing the event.
In his weekly address, President Donald Trump described Easter as "a holy day of reverence and worship. It is a sacred time that fills the spirit of our nation with the faith of our people.''
