Holy Week and Easter

 

I can honestly say that this past week was the most I have ever attended mass. I’m sure in many Catholic communities they celebrate Easter the entire week. It is Holy Week after all. But in my community, it’s limited to Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. But here, it is the whole week baby!

Granted, I didn’t attend mass Monday or Tuesday, even though they were available. I chose to work at the hospital those days. I’m glad I did. I feel like I got to practice my Krio more on those days not only with my coworkers but with patients as well. Am I perfect? No. Do people understand? Again no. But I’m working on it.

Wednesday was a different kind of day all together. That afternoon, I got to see Makeni’s cathedral for the first time. It’s a beautiful white and blue building right next to the Diocese Headquarters. It was there we had the Chrism Mass. I’d never attended one before. For those of you who are non-Catholics (or for those of you who are like me and are a clueless Catholic who is learning new things all the time), the Chrism Mass is where the holy oils used for baptism, anointing of the sick, and catechumens are blessed and consecrated by the bishop. I’d never attended one before. I was entranced through the whole thing. All the priests and other people with holy orders attended, as well as locals. Once again, I didn’t take pictures. This time not because my phone was acting up, but because the thought never crossed my mind. I was too interested in the process. Each of the holy oils were brought in front of the altar in identical glass containers. When it came time for the Bishop to perform the blessing, he had to stand there for a minute trying to remember which oil was which. I didn’t blame him. Again, they were all in identical containers. But it just reminded me of so much of some kind of comedy skit. It took so much out of me not to burst out laughing in the middle of a very serious ceremony.

I was supposed to attend the Holy Thursday mass as well, but no one was available to drive me. Good Friday had so many church services all happening at different times of the day, I was only able to attend one service. For those of you who read my previous blogs and were wondering if I was able to participate in the play depicting Jesus’s trial, I was not. I just couldn’t find a driver to take me to most of the practices. I didn’t even get to see it. But in hindsight, I think it was a good thing I didn’t perform or attended the play because it was held outside, and it has been way too hot for me to stay outside for a long period of time. But I did attend Good Friday mass later that day and it was inside, thank goodness. Sister Peace asked me to sing a familiar song with her for that service. Most of the songs we sing at mass are in Krio or a local dialect or are songs I’ve never heard before. But Sister Peace wanted me to sing the song “Old Rugged Cross” with her and that is a song I grew up singing and I happily agreed. The way I sing it sounds very country gospel. No one really commented on it, but I don’t think most people here are a fan of country gospel style singing. Though the other day I heard a neighbor down the street blasting a Shainia Twain song from the speakers in their house, so you never really know what people like and dislike when it comes to music.

Saturday night, I went to Conforti Church to attend Easter Vigil mass, which was also new for me. Where I come from, we do sunrise service instead of a mass in the middle of the night. I had never attended a mass that began with a bonfire, but that’s how this one started. It also started with a lot of thunder and lightning. It was very dramatic. The whole congregation stood around the bonfire while the priest tried to light a giant candle from the flame. But the approaching storm winds kept blowing it out. So, we all crowded inside to light it. Then we passed around our own smaller candles and lit those. But the church had open windows and doors, so the wind kept blowing out those candles too. Most of us just gave up after a while. I did think to take some pictures of the Conforti Church while I was there, so yay me for thinking of taking pictures this time.

The next morning was Easter Sunday! There’s something so wonderful and special about Easter morning. When I was a child, that feeling came from waking up to find my Easter basket at the foot of my bed. As an adult, whenever I’m home, I still get an Easter basket in the morning. But even being halfway across the country where Easter baskets and egg hunts are not a thing, there’s still something so magical about Easter morning. There was still a feeling of new beginnings and hope that came with the sunrise. As I walked out my front door, everyone greeted each other with “Happy Easter!” and “He is risen!” It made me so happy to find that feeling in a new place among new people.

I attended mass at Holy Spirit Church and got to sing with the choir again. The songs are pretty easy to learn because most of the songs repeat the same phrase over and over and over again. But I really don’t know what most of the songs are saying because they are in another language, or the English is just so accented I can’t understand the words. I learn the songs the way ABBA learned their songs: phonetically. I have no idea what the songs mean, but I can get the notes and sounds down pat. The church had been beautifully decorated by the Sisters and everyone was wearing their Easter Sunday best. Once again, I managed to get some pictures (you’re welcome). Mass lasted about three hours. Listen, I used to attend church services that could last about three hours (anyone from my hometown reading this who remembers Pastor Kunz knows what I’m talking about) and I learned how to last through them at a young age. But in this African heat, that was two hours too long. I went home immediately after and rested in my house. It felt weird not having a giant feast with all my family like we usually do after Easter services, but having some time myself was nice too. Plus, I bought some M&M cookies to have as a treat! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter as well! May God bless you all!