Easter Sunrise Mass

Bishop Serratelli celebrates Easter Sunrise Mass at Shrine of St. John Paul II / Holy Rosary Church

PASSAIC  As the sun began to rise on Easter morning, more than 1,200 parishioners came to the Shrine of St. John Paul II/Holy Rosary Church here for Easter Mass, also known as the Resurrection Mass, which began at 6 a.m. April 5. Bishop Serratelli was the main celebrant, with Father Stefan Las, Holy Rosary’s pastor, and Father Kevin Corcoran, the bishop’s priest/secretary as concelebrants. The parish, which serves a mostly Polish-speaking congregation, traditionally hosts this early morning Mass every Easter. The Easter Mass at dawn is a tradition in several parishes in the diocese and in many countries around the world.

The sunrise Mass included the Procession of Resurrection featuring an image of the Resurrected Jesus. Bishop Serratelli participated in the procession by carrying the Blessed Sacrament under a canopy, which was held by ushers from the parish.

At the Mass, many families attended with wearing traditional Polish attire known as Gorale, which is worn for special occasions by many Polish people living in the United States. Gorale comes from Gorals, which identifies a group of indigenous people of southern Poland.