An Extra Special Easter

I love Easter - Greek Easter that is. I love the pageantry of the ancient services, the spiritual connection, the community surrounding it.

Every year Easter is special for me. But this year it was just a little extra cool.

First, this was the first year that Gus was old enough to serve at the altar. I'm obnoxiously proud to say he served during Holy Unction, on Holy Thursday AND during the Anesti (Resurrection) and Easter Liturgy services, which started at 11:00 pm and ended at 2:15 am! He also attended Good Friday services with me.

And Good Friday is the second reason this year's Easter celebration was so special. This year, I had some very special guests.

My friend Laurel is host mom this school year to a (soon-to-be) 16-year old girl from Pakistan. Seema is fabulous, as is her best friend, Lamiaa (from Morocco.) Part of their experience in America is to see and do things they won't/can't in their own countries. So, along with their pal Gabriel (who is a Christian from Palestine - Bethlehem, as a matter of fact), they joined Gus and me for Good Friday services.

I cannot express how thrilled and proud I was to have them there. I'm probably the first Orthodox Christian, at least at Prophet Elias, ever to have light for his candle provided from the candle held by a Muslim.

Over the past few months, in the limited interaction I've had with them, these teenagers have opened my eyes to so much. Seema and Lamiaa particularly as proud Muslim women.

As an American Christian and Middle Eastern Muslims, we have different faiths, different beliefs, and different ideas, but they've reminded me we also have much, much more in common as children of God.

This year's Good Friday is one I will never forget. Thanks to two Muslim girls (and a pretty cool Christian dude from Bethlehem.) CHRISTOS ANESTI!


Something else the kids had never done: jump on a trampoline!