Situated in the foothills west of Denver is the only acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world that was formed by nature: Red Rocks Amphitheatre. A destination must for travelers to Colorado and a bucket list check for concert goers, what few may know is that the venue’s longest running event is the Easter Sunrise Service.

About 300 million years ago, Red Rocks was formed by the land and seas uplift and tilt. Two monoliths were formed that flank the amphitheater: the northern monolith or Creation Rock and the southern monolith or Ship Rock. Both are taller than Niagara Falls.

Between 1935 and 1941, the Morrison Civilian Conservation Corps leveled and graded the seating area between the two monoliths so that each seat would have a great view of the stage. They removed 50,000 cubic feet of dirt and rock to accomplish this. On June 15, 1941, Red Rocks Amphitheatre was officially dedicated with a Native American ceremony, “Home on the Range” sung by the Denver Municipal Chorus, and selections from the operas Orpheus in the Underworld, La Traviata and Carmen.

The Easter Sunrise Service tradition began on Easter Sunday, April 6, 1947, under the auspices of the Denver Council of Churches. An estimated 60,000 people showed up that morning, but only about 16,000 were able to fit in the amphitheater. The service featured the 300-voice Interracial Choir, an enactment of the first Easter by students from the University of Denver School of the Theatre, and the message “The Christian Faith in a Shattered World” presented by Minnesota Congressman Walter H. Judd, a former medical missionary to China. KOA and KLZ broadcasted the service on the radio.

Today, the event is hosted by the Colorado Council of Churches (CCC), a statewide organization that represents 13 Christian denominations and more than 800 churches. “Probably the most memorable recent service was in 2015,” reminisced Adrian Miller, the executive director of the CCC. “We partnered with a group that brought contemporary Christian music group Citizen Way. They performed a brief concert afterwards. We had over 12,000 attend!”

This year, the Easter Sunrise Service will be Sunday, April 20, and will be a hybrid event, with both in-person worship and online livestreaming. Pre-worship service music will begin at 5:30 a.m. and the worship service will begin at 6:00 a.m. The gates at Red Rocks will open at 4:45 a.m. and admission and parking are on a first-come basis and at no charge to the visitor. Reserved seating and parking are available with the purchase of a sponsorship.

Note that this is an outdoor service, so monitor the weather and dress appropriately. Dressing in layers is a wise choice. Comfortable walking shoes are also necessary, as you might have to hike from your parking lot along lengthy, uphill routes.

For more information about Red Rocks, visit redrocksonline.com. For more information about the Easter service, visit cochurches.org/event/easter-sunrise-service/.

 

By Susan Helton; courtesy photos