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A Memorial of Joy

THE evening of Monday, March 31, 1980, after sundown, will mark the biggest event of the year on the Christian calendar. It is the Memorial of Jesus’ death, celebrated in obedience to his command: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (1 Cor. 11:24) For some 24 hours, as the sun sets progressively around our earth, Jehovah’s Witnesses will express their unity, their joy and their appreciation of Jesus’ great sacrifice, as they assemble in more than 42,000 congregations in some 205 countries. Some impression of the joy that Jehovah’s people experience on this occasion may be gathered from the reports below made following last year’s Memorial:

Chile: In spite of the difficulties in obtaining larger halls, we had an excellent attendance of 46,604.

Madagascar: A highlight of the year. 4,336 people attended, and we have a new peak of 946 publishers.

Brazil: An all-time peak of 299,453 persons attended. More than 9,000 desirous of getting out of Babylon the Great have been baptized this year.

Sri Lanka: The new peak attendance of 1,813 was over 10 percent more than last year. Buddhists and Hindus are responding to the truth.

Rwanda: We had 518 at Memorial, with 145 publishers for the first time and 37 baptized this year. Many walk over 10 miles each way to attend meetings.

Luxembourg: We had a Memorial attendance of 2,005, also a new peak of 885 publishers, 3-percent increase. Jehovah’s spirit is very active.​—Gal. 5:22.

Guatemala: Memorial attendance this year was the highest ever, 16,810​—three for every reporting Kingdom publishers.

All 5,323,766 persons who were present at this important observance last year, along with all other interested ones, are cordially invited to be in attendance. Contact your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses for exact time of this meeting, after sundown, March 31. May you derive great joy from being present.