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Christians celebrate Easter worldwide
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Nicaraguans renew holiday tradition 100,000 fill St. Peter's Square Other Easter traditions Related stories and sites (CNN) -- Christians around the world gathered Sunday to celebrate Easter, their religion's most sacred holiday, as Pope John Paul II prayed for peace in the world's trouble spots, especially Africa, Albania and the Middle East.
(880 K / 23 sec. The Pope gives his Easter vigil at the Vatican QuickTime movie)
In Jerusalem, pilgrims from across the globe gathered at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the site where Christians believe Jesus was buried, and prayed for peace.
"Many evils are surrounding us. The main one is the absence of peace," Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah said in an Easter message in Jerusalem.
Easter Sunday, considered the most important day in the Christian calendar, is a celebration of Jesus' resurrection after his death by crucifixion.
Nicaraguans renew holiday tradition
In the capital of predominantly Catholic Nicaragua, devotees renewed an old Easter tradition that had fallen by the wayside in the former Communist country: a dramatization of events leading up to the crucifixion.
Young actors re-enacted the Stations of the Cross by taking the roles of Jesus, Mary, the Roman soldiers and others.
In Washington, Christians gathered outside the Lincoln Memorial for a sunrise service to commemorate Christ's resurrection.
And at England's Canterbury Cathedral, Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey -- the head of the 70 million strong worldwide Anglican communion -- said God's peace should begin at local communities.
"Too many people -- especially young people -- feel rejected and undervalued," Carey said
Although most of the world's Christian population celebrates the holiday Sunday, the Eastern Orthodox Church calculates the date differently. The Orthodox Easter can fall one or more weeks after that of the West.
100,000 fill St. Peter's Square
At the Vatican, up to 100,000 people filled St. Peter's Square for the pope's two-hour Easter message.
"Christ is truly risen! In him, today, we can overcome forces of evil," John Paul told the crowd.
The 76-year-old pontiff used the "Urbi et Orbi" -- "To the City and to the World" -- blessing to send a message of hope for the victims of violence in Albania and Africa, among other troubled regions. He delivered Easter greetings in 57 languages.
"Christ is the hope ... of those who see life and the future threatened by war and hatred, especially in the heart of Africa," he said.
He also called for "harmonious living" in the Holy Land, and said his thoughts went out "in a special way" to the hostages who have been held captive by rebels in the Japanese embassy in Lima, Peru, since December.
The pope appeared in relatively good form, if a bit tired, after a long week of celebrations, including a nearly four-hour Easter service at St. Peter's Basilica Saturday night.
In a departure from tradition, the pope spoke Sunday seated in a chair near the outdoor altar rather than from the basilica balcony, which had a banner and curtain set up in preparation for his presence.
Other Easter traditions
Elsewhere, Easter celebrations entailed a light touch.
In France, top chefs made delicate chocolate eggs that more closely resembled works of art than food. Easter eggs are symbols of new life and resurrection.
"The people who buy them range from grandmothers to large companies," says Francois Schmitt, head chef of Le Notre, a French chocolate factory. "It's a present that's like flowers."
Across the United States, the Easter Bunny was hopping about. In Battle Creek, Michigan, the bunny paid a visit to the zoo to have Easter breakfast with other animals and children. Elsewhere, children from New York City to Racine, Wisconsin, to Los Angeles participated in annual Easter egg hunts.
Meanwhile, in Washington, preparations were under way for the annual White House Egg Hunt and Roll scheduled for Monday. About 27,000 were expected to attend the event hosted by President Clinton and the first lady.
Related sites:
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- The Holy See - The Vatican
- The 1997 White House Easter Egg Roll
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