Nearly 1,300 worshippers from across the Bay Area congregated at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral on Sunday morning to attend the church's first Easter mass and celebration since the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The historic cathedral had a full house on Easter Sunday, complete with pastel dresses, fancy coats and hats, and a sense of renewal in the air.
"It's a very San Francisco thing to do on Easter morning, I have to say," Mary, a church member and volunteer for nearly 30 years old, told KCBS Radio.
Sunday marked the first time in three years the celebration was held inside the cathedral.
"There's something about a cathedral and there’s something about the music and the ritual and tradition that just draws people," Mary said. "Today’s a special day and I think people were drawn."
Bishop Mark Andrews, one of the deacons greeting worshippers, admitted he was elated to see so many familiar faces in person.
"It's a joy for us all to be together again," he said.
He was thrilled with the turnout, both onsite and online — an option newly implemented during the pandemic. Andrews said the online option brought in new worshippers the last two years and the church plans to keep that choice available even though in-person services have resumed.
"We found that more and more people found our churches during the pandemic than before," he explained. In addition, the online option makes it easier for people who have mobility issues or don’t have cars to attend church services.
After the mass, kids could take pictures with the easter bunny and could participate in an Easter egg hunt on the cathedral's plaza.
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