PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Christians around the world and in the region are celebrating Easter Sunday.
Hundreds filed into the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul for Easter Mass on Sunday morning. Fathers Phillip Bochanski and Gerald Dennis Gill led the services, hoping to offer a moment of solace in the midst of a shaky political climate.
“I think Easter is the intimate new beginning and the redirection of Christ,” said Father Bochanski.
Among the worshippers, 15-year-old Emma and her mother, Maggie, said Mass is an opportunity to reset, as Pope Leo suggested.
“He understands that there’s so much going on in the world, that he’s like take a minute, take an hour to be with god. To be with Jesus,” Maggie said.
“To like block out the noise from everything that’s going on,” Emma added.
After Mass, it’s another Philly tradition for families to head over to Stocks Bakery on Lehigh Avenue for cookies and their famous pound cake. Mia is a regular.
“Stocks, they have people lined up at the door at like 6 in the morning,” she said.
Kristine Stock De Carles is the 4th-generation to run the 102-year-old shop and said, hands down, Easter is one of their busiest holidays.
“It’s 7 o’clock, Mass is going to be letting out, so you can always tell what time the crowd was going to hit,” Stock said. “I can’t even get the door shut.”
Whether it’s Mass or sweet treats, Father Dennis Gill hopes peace can be found in Pope Leo’s recent message.
“Our holy father Pope Leo has preached so well, and he’s invited the whole world to just stop, and I hope those hearing this today can hold on to that for some peace,” he said.
“Happy Easter.”
