Bald Knob Cross hosts 87th Annual Easter Sunrise Service

ALTO PASS, Ill. (KBSI) – Kudzai Musumhi, who led Sunday’s Easter Sunrise Service at Bald Knob Cross, said the cross’s location is one of its hallmarks. 

“Southern Illinois is just beautiful,” he said. “It’s just a beautiful area, and where the cross is located, absolutely fantastic, and so seeing the sunrise coming up, it’s absolutely incredible.” 

Musumhi attended Southern Illinois University after growing up in Zimbabwe.

During his sermon, he spoke of a troubled childhood riddled with poor decisions: “I was so lost in my pursuits, empty, broken on the inside.” 

But then, he heard a calling. 

“I really believe that if Jesus Christ had not intervened in my life, I would be dead today,” he said. “So, I owe my whole life to Jesus Christ, and I thank him for His mercy and His grace upon me.” 

Over the last several decades, the cross has attracted visitors from all over the world, and Executive Director Jena Guined said, at its roots, the cross has the power to uplift those who visit it. 

“It’s just been built on a foundation of faith and encouragement, and I think that that just gives people some solitude and peace in the midst of everything,” she said.

She also said the sunrise service can have a humbling effect on those who attend… 

“When that sun peaks over the hills and the horizon and just starts to warm the Earth, it’s just like the presence of God,” she said. “It just brings that warmth onto you, and it’s a really amazing experience, just humbling.” 

Guined estimated that about 2,000 people attended Sunday’s service, one of the largest crowds in its history.

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