Thiruvananthapuram:Thousands of Christians in Kerala Sunday joined their brethren the world over to celebrate Easter, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ after crucifixion.

The faithful, including women and children, took out processions and thronged churches to attend the midnight mass.

In several places, bishops and senior priests led the Easter mass and shared the message of spiritual revival with devotees.

Marking the completion of the 40-day season of Lent, when believers shun worldly pleasures, traditional feasts were arranged in most Christian homes.

Easter also marked the culmination of the Holy Week of prayers and penitence, recalling the final phase of Christs life from his arrest and crucifixion,followed by resurrection.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan extended his Easter greetings to the people of Kerala through his Twitter handle.

"May the blessed celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ fill our hearts with compassion and inspire us to serve the weak and the downtrodden in a spirit of love and oneness," Governor P Sathasivam wrote on his Twitter handle.