Easter in Pictures

Sun Apr 12, 11:49 am ET

STOCKHOLM (AFP) – While most Christians mark Easter with prayers and song, one Swedish church opened its mass Sunday by unveiling a life-size Lego statue of Jesus Christ, its pastor told AFP.

Churchgoers had donated nearly 30,000 Lego bricks to build the 1.78 metre (5.8 foot) high statue, said Per Wilder, the pastor of the Oensta Gryta Church in Vaesteras, about 110 kilometres (70 miles) west of Stockholm.

"This work began a year and a half ago so we saw that the initiation date was fitting in well (with this year's Easter holiday)," Wilder said.

"It is a fantastic installation and it will be there as long as we think it is in a good spot," he said.

"All those I spoke with were full of praise, saying how fantastic the model looks and how much good work we put into this," Wilder said.

The model was based on Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsens's 19th century work Christus, which depicts the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Wilder said the statue would remain permanently at the church and there were no plans to sell it to raise funds.

And in New York the Armenian church released 12 doves to symbolise the apostles sent out to evangelise the world

In Gaza City, for example, Orthodox worshippers attended a Palm Sunday Mass.

Roman Catholics pray next to a poster of Christ during Easter Mass in Peshawar, Pakistan.

All over the world, people are "celebrating" Easter. From the pictures shown, even in Gaza Peninsula, Pakistan the Christians there still have time for worship though "troubles" is never far away. I pray God will continue to spread His message of Love to those that are oppressed, to deliver them from this "worldly" bondage, to bless (especially) their hearts. May peace be spread across this land of ours, where people learn to respect one another his/her reasons to live.

Comment: SD