Easter is celebrated in many different ways around the world, shaped by culture, community, and tradition. What remains the same is the shared hope at the center of it all: Christ is risen.
One of our ministry partners in India recently told us her experience of Easter while growing up. Her story offers a glimpse into the beauty of long-held traditions—and a thoughtful reflection on what matters most.
Traditional Celebrations
In Ranchi, India, the tradition of holding a sunrise worship service in the cemetery early on Easter Sunday has been practiced for many years. This is how I experienced it growing up.
The first bell rang at 3:00 AM, the second at 3:30 AM, and then the procession began. The pastor and members of the church walked together, singing hymns, toward an altar set up in the cemetery. At exactly 4:00 AM, the sunrise worship started.
On Easter Sunday, the graveyard no longer felt like a frightening place. It looked clean and beautiful, full of graves decorated with fresh paint, flowers, and white cloths. Many people gathered to sing and celebrate together.
We heard songs about the victory of Jesus over death, the hope of resurrection for those who had fallen asleep in the Lord, and the promise of Christ’s return. The whole atmosphere was filled with peace and joy.
As the sun rose on the horizon, the darkness would slowly disappear. As light spread across the sky, the new morning began.
After the service, believers greeted one another with Easter wishes.
Alongside this celebration, I remember other family traditions. My mother prepared cakes and special dishes for Easter. I also learned at a young age to remember loved ones who had passed away and to hold on to the hope of meeting them again in heaven.
As a family, we spent time cleaning the graves. We removed weeds, shaped the soil, and whitewashed the stones. This work began weeks before Easter so everything would be ready by Good Friday.
We also gathered flowers to make crosses, garlands, and bouquets. On Easter Sunday, after worship, we placed these on the graves of our loved ones.
These traditions still continue in India today.
I believe the sunrise service reflects what we read in John 20. On Easter, the pain of loss is met with the hope of resurrection. When we bury our loved ones, we weep—but on Easter, we celebrate the promise that they will be raised again, and that one day we will be with the Lord together.
As I have grown in my spiritual life, I have also begun to reflect differently on some of the traditional Easter practices I have participated in since childhood.
Gathering for worship and remembering our loved ones is meaningful. But I have come to feel that some of the outward expressions—like spending large amounts of money on flowers or decorations—may not be necessary. Our loved ones do not need these things. It is enough to remember our loved ones in our hearts on this day, giving thanks that one day we will meet again and all sorrow will be gone.
Sometimes, traditions can become burdensome or distracting. What matters most is not what we place on a grave, but the hope we hold on to in Christ.
On Easter Sunday, our focus should be on the resurrection of Jesus and the new life we have in him. Growing spiritually should be our priority.
Questions to Reflect On
Our ministry partner’s story is a reminder of how deeply meaningful traditions can be—and how naturally they grow around moments of grief, love, and hope.
At the same time, her reflection invites each of us to ask a question: Are there things we feel we must do to express our faith that are not actually essential?
Easter points us back to what is most true and most necessary: the empty tomb, the risen Christ, and the living hope we have in him. Everything else, no matter how beautiful, is meant to serve that—not replace it.
