April 2026 Happy Easter!

I’ve mentioned it before, but in the diocese of Egypt we celebrate Easter with the Orthodox Church – one week later than in the West.  We don’t, however, have the same hard-core fast during Lent that the Orthodox have.  Not only do the Orthodox fast longer; they give up more (even eggs and fish).  That’s of course because Egypt is the original home of serious monks, but also because Ramadan happens at the same time, and it is a serious fast.  No water during sunlight hours!  That being said, Muslims tend to gain weight due to all the feasting at night.  I have never been able to work up the willpower to do anything comparable.  I console myself with the thought that Reformation spirituality is better suited to the married-with-children state.  While every Egyptian is flying into road rage due to hunger, I’m yelling at my kids slightly less because I’ve got my vitamins and minerals. 

I do wish, though, that Western churches would get back to having some kind of communal practice that didn’t place the burden on the individual to choose his or her yearly sacrifice.  I always find myself figuring out what I’ll give up on Ash Wednesday, and it’s too much pressure.  I need a routine; something that I don’t have to invent out of thin air. 

The added complications around Holy Week this year were rain and sandstorms.  It’s funny, but with the smallest rainfall the Egyptian government will shut down all the schools.  It’s understandable given that there are no drains on the streets here.  Traffic goes crazy.  Sandstorms are worse.  If the average air quality index is 100-150 (not a great number in itself), during a sandstorm that goes up past 2000. 

Holy Week was wonderful this year.  Jenn’s mother was able to come for a visit.  I also like to see the participation of all the different ethnicities.  This year has been heavy for our African and Asian parishioners who are under constant threat of imprisonment and deportation if they don’t have a refugee card or if they can’t pay the high fee for their yearly visa.  We now have a regular team that tackles the problem of bringing food to people in prison and securing flights back to their home countries.  Perhaps it’s because we are an expat parish, but we also attract an unusually high number of people with serious mental health issues.  It’s a real challenge figuring out what to do in a country without obvious services in this area. 

All this being said, our people know how to celebrate.  The worship and song on Easter morning was incredible.  The Lord is risen, and the people here know it.  I hope that in Dallas you know it too!