On Its 248th Year, An Easter Sunrise Service Unlike Any Other

Winston-Salem is a traditional gathering place to celebrate Easter, with a sunrise service in Old Salem that dates to 1772.

But the coronavirus outbreak has forced changes to observances here and across the country. And this year, the immutable service looked unlike any of the previous Salem sunrises.

The Moravian service ends in a coming-together at the cemetery known as God's Acre. The famous observance can draw thousands of worshippers. But this year, with large crowds strongly discouraged, the birds far outnumbered the dozen or so people here Easter morning. 

Rev. Chaz Snider officiated the indoor livestream of the service. He says in a time of isolation the Easter service still offers a way to stay connected spiritually.  

"Even though we are all very distant from one other physically, we are still watching the same sun come up," he says. "And even though we're going to be in different parts of town, potentially different parts of the world, we're still watching the exact same sunrise."

While people couldn't be together, there are signs of community. Some residents have responded by hanging lighted Moravian stars, usually only put out for Christmas. Wake Forest Baptist has joined that effort, putting their 31-foot Moravian star back on display as a show of civic unity.

Snider, who also led the sunrise service last year, called the effort powerful.

"So many people drive by Baptist Hospital and see that on top, that I think we feel privileged that the symbolism can be a something that binds the city together, that we there's something special to us about that, that the city and our community sees hope," he says.

Churches across the city rang their bells at appointed times Friday and Sunday. It was done at the urging of Mayor Allen Joines as a show of solidarity in the fight against COVID-19.

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