Chennai/Nagapattinam, Religious fervour and traditional gaiety marked Easter Sunday across Tamil Nadu as lakhs of Christians thronged churches to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
From the historic Santhome Basilica in Chennai to the southern tip of Kanyakumari, special midnight masses and dawn services were held to observe the culmination of the 40-day Lenten season.
Lakhs of devotees gathered at the world-renowned Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Vailankanni to celebrate Easter Sunday.
The celebrations commenced with the Paschal Vigil Mass at 11.30 pm on Saturday in the Basilica's auditorium. Thousands of pilgrims, carrying flickering candles, participated in the midnight service. A significant highlight was the lighting of the Paschal candle, symbolising the victory of light over darkness and the resurrection of Christ three days after his crucifixion on Good Friday.
Between midnight and 2 am, special liturgical services and realistic enactments of the resurrection were held, drawing massive crowds from across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states. The atmosphere remained charged with devotion as pilgrims offered prayers for global peace and harmony.
To accommodate the diverse influx of visitors, the Basilica administration is organising special prayer services on Sunday from 6 am to 6 pm. These masses are being conducted in multiple languages, including Tamil, Malayalam, Konkani, Telugu, English, and Hindi, ensuring that the thousands of pilgrims and tourists visiting this coastal holy site can participate in their native tongues.
In the state capital, thousands gathered at the Santhome Basilica and St George's Cathedral for the Easter Vigil. Archbishop George Antonysamy led the midnight service in Chennai, where the "Paschal Fire" a sacred fire lit at the very beginning of the Easter Vigil to symbolise Christ rising from the grave was lit and passed to the faithful, symbolising the victory of life over death. Similar scenes were witnessed at the St Mary's Co-Cathedral in Madurai and the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Thoothukudi, where devotees offered special prayers for world peace and communal harmony.
{{/usCountry}}In the state capital, thousands gathered at the Santhome Basilica and St George's Cathedral for the Easter Vigil. Archbishop George Antonysamy led the midnight service in Chennai, where the "Paschal Fire" a sacred fire lit at the very beginning of the Easter Vigil to symbolise Christ rising from the grave was lit and passed to the faithful, symbolising the victory of life over death. Similar scenes were witnessed at the St Mary's Co-Cathedral in Madurai and the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Thoothukudi, where devotees offered special prayers for world peace and communal harmony.
{{/usCountry}}In the coastal districts of Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli, traditional processions were taken out following the morning mass. At the St Antony's Shrine in Pulicat and various churches in Coimbatore, the services were conducted with "Hallelujah" hymns and floral decorations. In the Nilgiris, despite the morning chill, a large number of local residents and tourists participated in the sunrise services held at the St Stephen's Church.
Following the spiritual services, families gathered for festive feasts, marking the end of the fasting period with traditional Tamil Christian delicacies.
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