The Diocese of Arlington expects to add 1,100 new Catholics to its ranks this Easter season. That number includes 400 people seeking baptism and 700 candidates for full communion in the Church.
Easter is traditionally a busy time for baptisms and initiations in the Catholic church. Thousands of conversions take place around the beginning of spring, a symbolic sign of Easter blessings, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
There are 428,417 registered Catholics in the Arlington diocese, which encompasses 21 northern Virginia counties.
Pool photo by brianmka.