A VICAR fears the Easter holidays are being sidelined as a religious event.

The Rev Raymond Dent says many people see the festival, which commemorates Jesus' death on the Cross and, Christians believe, His resurrection, as an 'excuse for a day off'.

And he pointed out the Chinese New Year appears to get greater prominence in the media than Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian fast of Lent.

Mr Dent, vicar of Christchurch in Willaston, expresses his thoughts and fears in the parish magazine.

He told of an 'an interesting and surprising conversation' with a young man who, despite successfully completing the education system, wasn't aware of one of the major religious days in the Christian calendar.

Mr Dent asks: 'Does it not speak volumes about our modern society that a person can come through the whole of education without hearing about Ash Wednesday?' He added: 'I believe there is an assumption that Christian festivals and seasons are of no importance unless they give an excuse for a bank holiday.

'And even then, one can almost hear 'let's forget about the religious significance'.'

At Christchurch there will be communion at 7.45pm on Maundy Thursday, tomorrow.

On Good Friday, there will be matins and a sermon at 10.30am. The church will be open from noon to 3pm.

On Easter Sunday there will be communion at 8am, family communion at 10.30am and evensong with the laying on of hands at 6pm.

There will be a Good Friday service at Willaston Methodist Church at 10.45am, led by Sister Gwen. Family sacrament on Easter Sunday will be led by the Rev Peter Levitt.