Niantic ― For more than 50 years parishioners have been bundling up and gathering just before sunrise on the hill of McCook Point Park on Easter morning.

“It’s just the most beautiful tradition,” said the Rev. Jill Harvey, pastor of the Niantic Baptist Church, who has organized the service for the last few years. A number of different area congregations including the Baptist Church, Niantic Community Church and the Harvest Christian Fellowship, come together for the early morning service.

This year more than 100 people gathered for the event, where they sang “Christ Arose” and “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” along with Scripture readings, prayers and remarks from area pastors.