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Chandigarh churches send out prayers for Ukraine on Easter
Most Chandigarh churches, celebrating Easter in full-swing for the first time in two years, with only restricted celebrations taking place in 2020 and 2021, organised a prayers for the war-torn Ukraine
As city churches celebrate Easter in full-swing for the first time in two years, with only restricted celebrations taking place in 2020 and 2021, the war in Ukraine found a special mention as most churches organised a prayer for the war-torn country.
Tricity Churches Association president Lawrence Malik said, “Tricity churches have been praying for Ukraine and a special service was organised by almost all of them to stop the war. It was also moving to see so many people come to the church after a long gap as they had been praying from home owing to the Covid restrictions earlier.”
Speaking about the same, Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas of the Roman Catholic Church, Simla and Chandigarh Diocese, said, “I have been offering a prayer for those suffering in Ukraine every day for the past two months. I offered a special prayer on Easter and on Good Friday as well. The war has now turned into a face-off between Russia and the USA and it is the people who are suffering.”
“Our 11 o’clock service saw over a 1,000 people turn up on the day that is considered the turning point for the Christian faith. I spoke about how Jesus overcame darkness and prejudices and he brought hope and love to all,’ he added.
At the Christ the King Cathedral, Sector 19, services started from 9.30 pm on Saturday and continued beyond midnight. Mascarenhas also cautioned people against divisiveness and encouraged them to promote peaceful living.
No arrangements were made for lunch at the Sector 19 church as they remained unsure about the number of attendees but cake, coffee and eggs were offered to everyone in the congregation.
The English Church was especially jam-packed and some people had to attend service from sitting outside the church as well.
At the Christ Church CNI, Sector 18, a proper lunch was organised for the congregation. “The congregation was able to celebrate properly for the first time since Covid started and around 1,500-1,600 people had visited the church,” church secretary Ramesh Kumar said.
The congregation in Sector 18 was addressed by reverend Mukesh Sahai and reverend Meena Robinson.
