Churches across Wales and the UK remain empty, as Easter celebrations take place at home under lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Archbishop of Wales, John Davies, has released at Easter message that talks of ‘love and light’ amidst the worry and suffering of the on-going plight of coronavirus.
The message comes at a time when worldwide deaths of coronavirus tops 100,000, with many countries facing life under lockdown for the foreseeable future. As coronavirus sweeps across the world and frontline services reach breaking point, Abp John Davies’ message will bring hope to many.
Local congregations won’t be missing out though, as many churches like others are having to adapt, turning to digital video streaming to keep in touch with communities. Fr John Connell at St Augustine’s in Cardiff for example, has live streamed Mass of Easter Morning on Facebook.
Rhiwbina resident, Cynthia Osborne, wasn’t letting the lockdown stop her showing her community spirit with an Easter table display, which she would normally exhibit in her local church.
Abp John Davies Easter statement:
“Most, if not all, of us might wish to live in world where everything is certain, everything is predictable and everything is controllable. We’d know where we are. Of course, as recent events make crystal clear, it’s wishful thinking rather than reality to expect such things.
“Just when we thought, whatever our political views, that the result of the General Election in December 2019 would mean that the seemingly endless political writhing and posturing around the Brexit event would soon be over, came both the warning and then the reality of devastating storms which wrecked lives, homes, livelihoods and hopes. And then, and still now and for a good deal of the foreseeable future it seems, Coronavirus sweeps much of the world, leaving it, in many places, in lockdown, a pattern of life imposed upon us, for our good and the good of others, the like of which few have ever before experienced. A cloud of sickness and distress hangs over many nations, communities and families; precious lives have been lost, healthcare and other services are reaching breaking point, and an entire way of life, thought to be unassailable is in tatters. Fears for the future, personal, economic and national abound., and loneliness, isolation and anxiety are characteristics of the lives of millions across the world and in our local communities.
“But there, in the very heart of it, amidst all the mess and worry and suffering and inconvenience and darkness, are love and light; love and light which nothing can extinguish; love and light shown willingly, gladly, and sacrificially in countless acts of goodness, kindness, gentleness and generosity, shown by millions of people unwilling to see their fellow human beings, their brothers and sisters, suffer a moment’s more pain and sorrow if they can help it. They demonstrate the things of the Kingdom of God, things which lie at the very heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and which echo the Old Testament prophets’ call for justice and peace.”
The full Easter message can be read here.
