Southern Californians celebrate Easter with church services and egg hunts
Under partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures, Southern California residents will celebrate Easter Sunday at church services and community events throughout the region.
Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez will celebrate Easter Mass in English beginning at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels downtown. Father David Gallardo will celebrate the Mass in Spanish at 1 p.m.
“Easter is a great day filled with hope and joy for us,” Gomez said in a statement. “Christ is risen and we know we will rise with him! Easter tells us that God’s love is stronger than death. And that Jesus is on our side.”
Also at 10 a.m., the Midnight Mission will hold its Easter/Passover Celebration for the homeless on Skid Row. A special Easter Village will be set up for children.
Volunteers will include actors Dick Van Dyke and Mr. T, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Hundreds of people are expected to attend the 10th annual EasterFest in Grand Hope Park downtown.
The family festival is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at the park near L.A. Live and will include an Easter egg hunt, face-painting, games and food.
The event is sponsored by New City Church. Tickets are $5 per person (2 and under free) and $25 for families, organizers said. Most of the proceeds will be donated to organizations on Skid Row helping homeless families.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 60s to the low 70s throughout the day, according to the National Weather Service. Cloudy skies and patchy fog are also forecast for much of the region.
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