Sunrise in the Mountains

Easter Sunrise services are held all over the south and in many other parts of the country as well. People gather before sunrise to watch and pray until the sun appears. The rising sun symbolizes the resurrection and ends the forty days of the Lenten season.

Perhaps the most glorius sunrises occur at the beach, where people gather to watch the sun creep over the horizon and in the high mountains where the sun slowly rises over the peaks to bathe the valleys with sunlight.

There are many popular places for Easter Sunrise services in the mountains. One of them is only a few miles from my house. The Symmes Chapel at Pretty Place provides a spectacular view of the rising sun and the mountains. It is a small chapel, so numbers are limited. Because of limited seating and parking, many people arrive at 4:00 or earlier. (No, I did not attend)


Here is a view from Symmes Chapel, taken in January. It looks much the same now, although the trees likely have reddish and green hues as the buds and tiny leaves appear.

I hope that this Sunday is a special day for you regardless of your religious beliefs. Make this day a new beginning, and live each day as if it were your last.