The annual Easter pageant presented in Mesa, Arizona, is undergoing final preparations and will be presented to the public from March 11 through March 22. This year is the pageant’s 70th anniversary.
Titled “Jesus the Christ,” the pageant portrays the life, ministry and mission of Christ through music, dance and drama. It is produced annually with a combined staff and cast of over 700 volunteers, and is recognized as the world’s largest annual outdoor Easter pageant.
Wayne Leavitt, pageant president, says the pageant helps members of the community “to understand how we, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or what many
people refer to as ‘Mormons,’ feel about the Savior Jesus Christ; that we truly are believers and followers of the same Jesus Christ that many of them believe in.”
“Many have said they have felt the spirit of the pageant and that they have come away with a better understanding of Christ. They say, from watching the pageant, they feel they know him better and feel his love,” Leavitt continues.
Whether Mormons believe in Jesus Christ is often misunderstood by the general public, despite the fact that the name of Christ is part of the official name of the Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The Twelve Apostles and First Presidency of the Church have issued a testimony entitled “The Living Christ” in which they affirm, in part:
We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles-that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.
The third Article of Faith of the Church declares, “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.” While Latter-day Saints do believe that we must live good lives and obey the commandments Christ has given us, we also believe that it is only through the Atonement of Christ that we may be saved. No other man can or will be able to save us, and we cannot save ourselves.
The Arizona Easter Pageant is free and each performance is open to the public. It is appropriate for all ages; families are welcome. Hundreds of thousands are expected to attend this year. For additional information on the pageant, including performance times and the location, visit their website at www.easterpageant.org.
