Return to ‘Kingdom Halls’ coincides with global commemoration of Jesus’ death on April 15

Starting this month of April, Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world including in the Philippines, are resuming in person meetings for the first time since the CoVID-19 pandemic was declared two years ago.

The return to in-person meetings comes as they invite the public to the most important event of the year for Jehovah’s Witnesses— the annual observance of Jesus Christ’s death. Also called the Memorial of Jesus’ death, the event will be held at the Kingdom Halls all over the world with the option to participate online on the evening of Friday, Apr. 15.

For last year’s virtual event of the Memorial of Jesus’s death, the total global attendance was 21,367,603 which was a 19.7% increase from 2020.

Prior to the observance of the Memorial, Witnesses are also inviting the public to a special Bible lecture which will be delivered in all their 119,297 congregations around the world. The 30-minute lecture with theme “Where Can You Find Real Hope?” will be held on Sunday, April 10, to tackle concrete reasons for confidence in the hope promised in the Bible.

“The Bible describes a future without pain, without suffering — even without death, right here on earth,” said James Morales, Philippines spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Many people are surprised to find out that God’s original purpose is for perfect people living in a paradise on earth. His purpose has never changed. There’s sound reason to have faith in this promise.”

Admission to both the Memorial and the special Bible lecture is free, and may be attended by interested individuals at the local Kingdom Hall or via videoconferencing in the language that they prefer.  

“In times like these, we need hope more than ever,” said Morales. “Hope helps a person look ahead with courage and confidence to the fulfillment of God’s beautiful promises. That’s why attending one of these special programs can be life-changing.”

Information on attending these events locally is available on jw.org. All in person meetings will adhere to local health standards.

Since the pandemic was declared in 2020, Jehovah’s Witnesses have moved their public meetings to virtual and streaming platforms. Meanwhile, alternative ways of preaching the message of the Bible such as writing letters, telephone witnessing and conducting Bible studies virtually will continue.