Photo: Mayor Bernard Wagner and Sinach
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 6, 2023
New initiatives organized by Mayor Bernard Wagner and the Belize City Council revitalized this year’s Holy Week in Belize City. In addition to the first Hot Cross Bun Fest held in the Memorial Park on Palm Sunday, the council hosted a two-day Holy Week Revival Concert on April 4 and 5, 2023 which drew large crowds of Belize City residents and excursions coming from different parts of the country. Belize City welcomed excursions coming from Belmopan, San Ignacio, Punta Gorda and Dangriga, to name a few.
Hosted on stage by pastor and media personality Louis Wade, Jr., the two-day event featured a diverse and multi-lingual lineup of local and international gospel groups that filled this event with the spirit. Local praise teams included King’s Park Church of the Nazarene, Dunamis Ministries, Heavenly Orchestra, Centro Vision Misionero, Gospel Collective Band, Wabagari Dance Group, Reformation Team Belize and Mervin Budram Music and Ministry.
On the international front, the Belize City Council secured Sinach, a multi-award-winning international gospel vocalist, songwriter and senior worship minister, to headline the event with a live band. Sinach sang gospel hits such as “I Know Who I Am,” “Way Maker,” and “Great You Are Lord” during a performance lasting over an hour. With over 30 years of experience, it is no surprise that the two-day event ending with her ministry seemed to leave a significant impact on those Belizeans who attended the event physically and virtually. Attendees took to social media to express gratitude for this first-time Holy Week Revival initiative and to describe the experience of praising the higher power while being surrounded by thousands of other Belizeans.
According to Mayor Bernard Wagner, he has had this initiative in mind for quite some time. After the devastation caused by Covid-19 and Hurricane Lisa, he was determined to give something back to Belize City, something that would inspire hope. In choosing Sinach, Mayor Wagner explained that he wanted to engage an artist and worship leader whom Belizeans would connect with. “I honestly believe our Holy Week activities achieved its objectives of recognizing the importance of ensuring we play a role in changing societal behaviors. Our children and youths are yearning for activities that are wholesome and that promote families, community inclusiveness and togetherness. We were able to give back an Easter gift to all the residents of the country,” said Mayor Wagner.
In respect to the cost of the two-day event, Mayor Bernard Wagner said, “The positive returns that the city and country on a whole have received following the revival concert far outweighs the cost of the concert. The returns are priceless in my view. As I said prior to the revival, we can never put a price tag on giving back to God. He paid the ultimate price on the cross for all of us over 2000 years ago. We can never repay Him.”
And while some residents are still reminiscing about the first two-day Holy Week Revival Concert, others are discussing which gospel groups and artists should participate in Belize City’s second annual revival concert in 2024.