Christians around the world are observing Holy Week, which commemorates what they believe is the final week of Jesus Christ’s life, passion, death and resurrection.
The week is regarded as the most sacred time in Christianity and begins with Palm Sunday, March 29, when Christ is believed to have entered Jerusalem 2,026 years ago and was greeted by crowds with palm branches as their king.
Maundy Thursday, April 2, recognizes Christ’s eating the last supper with his disciples. On Good Friday, April 3, Christians recognize the betrayal of Christ by Judas. Christ is said to have been arrested, tried before Pontius Pilate and King Herod, and is crucified. He is believed by Christians to have died in the afternoon and been buried in a tomb in the evening. Through Holy Saturday, Christ’s body lies dead in the tomb.
Easter Sunday, April 5, is marked by the faith as the day the tomb is found to be opened by Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph. They find, according to the faith, the large stone rolled away and that an angel informs them that Christ has risen from the dead and they will see him in Galilee with the other disciples.
Deacon Pasquale Coccimiglio, from St. Anthony’s Church in Thunder Bay, said society in general has seen a general trend over the past few decades to pull away from Christ.
“Now people are beginning to realize that God is the answer to all our problems, and the closer we can get to him, the more peace we will have,” Coccimiglio said.
“Peace starts in the home with our families, and we bring that peace to everyone else that we encounter. And it’s God that allows us to do that by the teachings of Jesus Christ, to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.”
He added that our neighbours are not just next door, it’s everyone we encounter.
“Nowadays, especially with young people, there’s a realization that faith in Christ is rooted in truth and they’re coming more and more towards that truth,” he said.
Archdeacon Deborah Kraft, with St. Paul’s Anglican Church and chaplain to the Thunder Bay Police Service, called Easter an essential part of being human.
“It can appeal to everyone, and you don’t even have to be a Christian to find significance in Easter,” Kraft said. “It’s about new life, new beginnings, renewal and it’s about hope.”
Kraft said anyone who believes in a creator, believes in God, and it’s about God’s love.
“That’s really the essence of the Easter story, that God is always with us, not just 2,026 years ago at the resurrection, but today in our midst, and we are truly blessed,” she said, adding that the resurrection is a sign of a new creation.
By Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Apr 04, 2026 at 10:20
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