Easter Entertainment

A while ago I started thinking about how to celebrate Easter on this site.

First I pondered on Lent. Maybe I could give up something for 40 days the way I used to give up candy for Lent when I was a kid. But now I don’t really eat that much candy. (And don’t even mention giving up wine. During a pandemic? Never). Next I considered making a cake – an Easter Bunny with floppy ears and whiskers. But the grandkids really prefer hunting for Easter eggs in the back yard, and the adults say they don’t need more desserts.

Then I wondered about dragging Peter to Germany to watch the Passion Play. This is a once-in-a-decade event, sponsored by the people of Oberammergau who, way back in 1633, asked God to save them from the plague in exchange for this play which they promised to present every 10 years, (and have done so for 388 years including 2022). The theatre holds 4500 people and the show runs from May through October. But Peter gets antsy siting through a whole Mirvish Musical. He might not be too keen on sitting through 6 hours of religious suffering.

The Passion Play is the story of Jesus’ life, culminating with his final journey to the crucifixion. The last part of the story, one of violence and suffering with a vision of hope at the end, is often reproduced as “Stations Of the Cross.” Sixteen stations, from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Resurrection, show the last hours of Christ’s life. They are sometimes set up inside churches, for example St. Michael’s in Toronto. There are 16 permanent outdoor stations at Marylake Estates in King City where visitors can walk the pathway, stopping at each station and praying or saying the rosary. The most famous permanent display of Stations Of the Cross is in Jerusalem.

If you don’t want to travel that far, you can make the pilgrimage this year in downtown Toronto. Several arts and religious groups have organized an exhibit of the Stations. Called “Crossings,” 11 of the Stations are on the University of Toronto Campus and 5 more are on church properties at Yonge and St. Clair. The walk can take up to 3 hours, or you can cheat, like Peter and I did, and take the subway part-way.

Each station/exhibit is a piece created by a local artist. Some are paintings, some are bronze sculptures and some mixed media. The one of Christ’s final hours on the cross shows incredible suffering, and a crown of thorns dropping blood hangs nearby. The last piece, “Resurrection,” is a joyful image done in pottery.

No matter how you choose to spend Easter this year, I hope you find time to be thankful for all the blessings we have (including vaccines). And try not to get too much chocolate on your mask.

Sue