Thousands gathered for 78th Stone Mountain Park Easter sunrise service

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Thousands gathered for an Easter sunrise service at Stone Mountain Park on Sunday. 

This was the park's 78th annual service, and officials said it was one of the largest Easter sunrise gatherings in years, according to a release. Thousands gathered to hear special guests Bryant Wright and Crawford Loritts deliver a message at the top of the mountain -- with a simulcast at the bottom. 

Wright is the Founder and Chairman of Right From The Heart Ministries, an international media ministry, which he began in 1992. He is also the President of the international relief organization Send Relief. In 2019, he retired as the founding Senior Pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. 

Loritts is the President and Founder of  Beyond Our Generation. He has been a church planter, served for 27 years on the Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) staff and served for 15 years as Senior Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell.

This annual tradition began in 1944 when Lucille Lanford with South Mountain First United Methodist Church suggested that the church's youth group climb to the top of Stone Mountain on Easter morning to watch the sunrise. 

Check out the pictures below of this year's service: 

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