WILMER JOEL
Gospel Day, one of the Marshall Islands’ most important holidays, was celebrated in the streets with a parade earlier this month. It honors the introduction of Christianity with the arrival of Congregational missionaries aboard the Morning Star vessel in 1857 on Ebon.
Throughout the day, a large number of participants from well-known Christian churches paraded around Majuro, throwing candy and honking their horns. They emerged with cars decked out with posters and Christmas decorations. Parades went from Rita to Laura.
The Journal was informed by a protestant church leader that the United Church of Christ held its parade in the morning, while Salvation Army, Full Gospel, and Assembly of God churches paraded in the afternoon and evening.
The residents of Ebeye also put on their own gospel parade during the night, which included some diesels decked out in Christmas decorations and lights, as well as a ladder that was used to support a man-made star.