For some, Easter is the arrival of spring, bunny rabbits, egg hunts and jelly beans. For others, this season is the most holy of all Christian holidays. It is the celebration of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On Friday afternoon, a throng of faithful from Sharon Baptist Church made their way down South Fifth Street from the church to Woodland Cemetery, some taking turns carrying a large wooden cross. Pastor Steve Harvey said the crosswalk, which the church has done for several years is, “to get everyone focused on Good Friday and Easter.”

Harvey said the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ was “the greatest event ever on the planet, the most powerful thing that ever happened.”

“He is risen, He is risen indeed” will be the theme for Harvey’s sermon today. Harvey said the overarching point of Easter is the power of the resurrection and the hope it brings to mankind.

Following behind the cross were Cora Sands and her brother, Tim Carrico. Sands participates in the cross walk every year but this was Carrico’s first time. He lives in Mount Vernon, Ohio.

Further behind, Linda Bloomfield followed in a car.

“I do this every year,” she said. Why? To celebrate Easter and the life of Jesus Christ.

“It’s our salvation, our future,” she said.

Salvation from sin and the mercy of God behind it will be the theme of the Rev. Mark Purcell’s message to the faithful this Easter weekend at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pine Grove. Purcell pointed out that because of our sins, each of us should have been hung on the cross instead of Jesus and yet he came to take our place.

“God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to be one of us,” Purcell said.

Purcell said he will emphasize that no matter what sins one has committed, there is a God who will forgive them on account of Jesus.

“God’s greatest attribute is his mercy,” Purcell said. “He doesn’t expect us to have a perfect scorecard but what he does expect, according to his commandments, that we try with all our might to live justly.”

Purcell said we might think our sins are too big to be forgiven, but, “Jesus said that’s not true. Get up I’ve paved the way for you.”