Di 2026 Easter message from Jerusalem Church leaders don carry serious weight. Dem yarn say war for Middle East don cause “devastating” wahala, and di whole Holy Land dey inside deep darkness. Dem talk say before Easter reach, violence just dey increase, pipo dey die, and suffering don spread from Jerusalem and Gaza reach Lebanon and even pass am. Di whole region dey inside hardship and economic wahala.
But di church leaders no gree give up. Dem hold strong to di hope wey Christ resurrection bring. Dem talk say Easter dey announce say death don lose power and believers get “living hope” through di risen Lord. “For just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life,” dem quote from Romans 6:4b. Dem beg Christians everywhere to hold dis hope tight for dis kain cataclysmic times.
Dem no only ask for prayer. Dem also ask pipo to speak out for “an immediate end to the bloodshed and for justice and peace to finally prevail” for di region wey war don tear. Dis appeal follow wetin Pope Leo XIV talk for Palm Sunday Mass for St Peter's Square. Di Pope yarn say Jesus na “King of Peace” wey reject violence, no support am. Pope Leo talk say Christ “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” E warn say no use Jesus name justify bloodshed.
Di Pope quote Prophet Isaiah wey talk say God dey turn away from prayers from pipo wey “hands are full of blood.” E beg di world wey war don wound, say Christ still dey cry from di cross for all pipo wey war don crush. “God is love! Have mercy! Lay down your weapons! Remember that you are brothers and sisters!” na im di Pope talk.
War don spread reach Iran and Lebanon, and dis one don scatter Easter plans for Holy Land. Traditional events cancel, Church of the Holy Sepulchre lock. For dis kain background, Jerusalem church leaders talk say Easter no be just comforting tradition. Dem use St Paul words for 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 beg Christians to bear witness to di risen Christ inside grief and wahala. Dem talk make pipo use prayer, endurance, and hope dey find peace for di region. Dem end dia message with di ancient Easter greeting: “Christ is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia!”
For other places, Easter celebration still hold. For Mumbai, Christians gather for churches like St Michael’s Church for Mahim and Mount Mary Church for Bandra. Dem come early morning offer prayers and attend special Mass. Pictures from St. Pius Church for Mulund show pipo for midnight Mass. Maharastra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, and Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde all send Easter wishes.
For Kuching, Malaysia, massive number of Christian congregants gather for cathedrals. For St Joseph’s Cathedral, Catholic faithful begin arrive as early as 5.45am. Rev Fr Paul Ling preside over di 7am mass and tell di congregation say “The Lord has truly risen! Alleluia!” Dem hold services for English, Mandarin, and Bahasa Malaysia. For St Thomas’ Cathedral, Anglicans also gather for English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, and Iban services. Smaller churches across Kuching join di celebration.
Easter Sunday na di peak of Holy Week for Christians worldwide. Na di day dem dey commemorate Jesus Christ resurrection three days after dem crucify am. For believers, na victory over sin and death, and na di most sacred day for di liturgical calendar. Di atmosphere for di cathedrals dey mix reverence with quiet joy as families and individuals mark di occasion with prayer, hymn-singing and communal worship.
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