Greek Orthodox Easter is this Sunday, April 16. The weekend prior, fromApril 6 to Easter Sunday on April 9, Catholics in Glenview and Northbrook observed the holiday with solemn observance and Easter Sunday rejoicing during mass.
At Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (OLPH) in Glenview, 1775 Grove Street, members of the church’s youth ministry co-hosted a morning Good Friday Stations of the Cross inside the church.
Children reenacted the events leading to the death of Jesus Christ, proceeding from station to station inside the church.
“I love the Living Stations,” said Zoe Sundstrom of Glenview, the parish’s coordinator of youth ministry. “This is one of my all time favorite events that we do here at OLPH.
“I remember doing it when my own children, who are now adults, were dressed in these costumes.”
Sundstrom said that historically, “Good Friday happened, it really did happen. We really did put our Savior on a cross.
“Hope is a message of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection,” Sundstrom said, “but the greater message is that of love. God is love.
“Why did Christ go to the cross for us?” Sundstrom asked. “One word … love.”
Rev. Jim Barrett, who presided over the April 7 Stations of the Cross, said, “It’s magnificent.
“When children get involved in liturgical celebration, it makes the church more joyful and hopeful because they’re not the future of the church, they are the church.”
Seamus Montague, 14, an eighth-grader from Glenview, portrayed Jesus Christ, carrying the cross and falling at certain stations, but also getting back up.
“It is a big responsibility,” Seamus said of the role of Jesus. “It’s a very heavy cross although I do feel honored to be able to play this part.”
Eliza Brueck, 11, a sixth-grader from Glenview, portrayed the Virgin Mary, saying, “I am proud of my son that he’s willing to go through all these awful things for all of us, but I’m also like very upset because, I mean, he’s my son and he’s like, supposed to die on the cross.
“It’s a very important role,” Eliza said.
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At the Catholic Community of Northbrook (also referred to as St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook Parish), The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night was a longer evening observance on April 8 that began with a controlled fire outside of the church at 1809 Walters Ave.
The fire was sourced to illuminate a tall candle handled by clergy. People followed the candlelight into a darkened church where handheld candles were then illuminated.
The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night included music, prayer, reflection and baptism.
“This is the highlight of our whole liturgical year,” said Rev. Christopher Gustafson, pastor of St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook Parish.
“It’s our greatest liturgy,” Gustafson said, adding the candlelight serves as, “representing the light of Christ that’s overcome the darkness of sin and death, that’s the victory of Easter for all of us.
“Death is not the end but the beginning of eternal life for us who believe and follow him,” Gustafson said.
For several years, Northbrook Boy Scouts of Troop 64 tended to the fire for the church’s Saturday vigil.
“We’ve done this quite a few number of years, this is a tradition for Troop 64 with St. Norbert,” said parishioner and Scoutmaster Gordon Gehrs.
“This is one of the things that we consider service to others so we’re happy to do it.
“It’s very special to us,” Gehrs said.
Adults and youth held candles in church and many were seen cupping the flames until being instructed to blow the flames out.
Standing in the church vestibule and holding a candle was parishioner Rhoda Gonzalez of Northbrook, parish council volunteer, who tended to the needs of people arriving to church.
“This is the culmination of Lent,” Gonzalez said. “This is a message of hope and love and forgiveness,” during a time of observance when, “Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice for us and for our sins.
“It’s bigger than Christmas for us,” Gonzalez said.
“It’s a celebration of promise.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.