The Mesa Easter Pageant Celebrates the ‘Greater Love’ of Jesus Christ

For the 87th year, the world’s largest outdoor Easter pageant is taking place in Mesa, Arizona.

On the north lawn of the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 9 through April 19 (except Sunday and Monday), nearly 10,000 people are gathering nightly to watch the latest iteration of a storied musical that tells the story of the life and love of Jesus Christ.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” Jesus teaches in the Bible.

Downloadable B-roll

The “Jesus the Christ" Mesa Easter Pageant is one of many ways the Church of Jesus Christ is celebrating the “greater love” of the Savior of the world.

The pageant, a gift to the community from the Church, depicts important moments of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection as found in the New Testament.

“Nearly every scene in the pageant shows the Savior lifting, healing, serving, rescuing, and loving,” said director Jenee Prince, who is in her 21st year with the pageant. “It was intentionally written that way. We want everyone who comes to see the pageant to feel God’s love, to feel His peace, to have more hope.”

The engine of the pageant is the nearly 700 cast and crew. The show features music, dance, drama, live animals, and special effects. The soundtrack, “Jesus the Christ: The Mesa Easter Pageant,” was composed and produced by Rob Gardner and recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra and Spire Chorus. The soundtrack is available on audio streaming services.

“I think that this is a beautiful way to come together with hundreds of cast members and testify and believe in Christ and celebrate Easter,” Prince said. “The cast walks out on stage, and you can just immediately feel the light and the love and the hope and the joy and the peace. And they just love each other. They take such good care of each other backstage and on stage. And they take good care of us. It’s such a blessing to be here.”

Prince said the performance is powerful because the scenes talk about Christ through the eyes of other people who knew Him and loved Him.

“The woman of faith, the woman who loved much, even Simon, to watch his heart change, and even Pilate,” Prince said. “There are just so many elements in this where you just really feel for these characters, and you feel for these people.”

If you plan to attend this year, here are some things to know.

• Each show begins at 8 p.m. and is free. No tickets or reservations are required.
• Come early to find a seat.
• Parking is limited. Please observe signs posted in the surrounding neighborhood. Attendees are encouraged to use Valley Metro Light Rail, which has a stop at Mesa Drive/Main Street, within a short walking distance of the venue.
• For Spanish-language interpretation, 400 headsets are available at each performance.
• ASL is offered during the first week of performances in the front north seating area.
• A person must be present to save seats and should not save more than four seats. Seats may not be saved after 7:30 p.m.

“I have seen the pageant hundreds of times, but I never tire of watching it,” Prince said. “The truth never gets old. At the Easter pageant, the teachings and life of Jesus Christ come alive, and we can come to know our Savior better because of what we see on stage and feel in our hearts. That is the desire we have for all who attend — to hear the truth He speaks, to lift and serve others, and to feel His great love.”

Visit MesaEasterPageant.org for more information.

Additional Resources

• Jesus Christ Is ‘Deserving of Greater Attention,’ Says President Oaks at Mesa Easter Pageant Devotional (2024)