EASTER 2011
– Faith, fire, baptism and a scuba-diving bunny –
Christians celebrate Easter 2011,
April 22 to 25
The world’s Christians – Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian and Protestant – were celebrating Easter according to their varying traditions from April 22 to 25, with the ritual of the “Holy Fire” in Jerusalem providing one of the most colourful moments.On April 23, Easter Saturday, the fire made its customary appearance at the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, swiftly passed from hand to hand among the Eastern Orthodox faithful and with high-ranking clerical delegations – including one from Bulgaria – ready to transport the flame to their home countries.Bulgarian National Television said that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church delegation, this year headed by Plovdiv Metropolitan Nikolai, was due to arrive at 8pm local time, with a government aircraft being used to carry the fire to Sofia and then Plovdiv.In Sofia, an Easter service, presided over by Bulgarian Orthodox Church head Patriarch Maxim, was scheduled to start at 11.30pm at Alexander Nevsky cathedral. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=116626Traditionally, Bulgarian Orthodox Christians greet midnight with “Христос Воскресе”, to which their co-faithful respond, “Воистина Воскресе” (“Christ is risen”, “truly He is risen.”) According to Bulgarian Orthodox Christian belief, the Holy Fire descends only once a year on the eve of Easter. The Descent of the Holy Fire is a phenomenon which cannot be rationally explained, nor can any scientific explanation be provided for its occurrence,” Bulgarian National Radio said on April 23. All Bulgarian churches were due to hold services, with an innovation this year being an Easter mass at the Tsarevets fortress in Veliko Turnovo.
Elsewhere in the world, the celebration of Christianity’s holiest days saw mixed fortunes for followers of the faith.
Leaders of an independent Chinese evangelical church had vowed to defy communist authorities and hold outdoor public services on Easter Sunday, the Voice of America reported on April 23.… even our Children in China can feel and pray to the Spirit of Christ, under threat of arrest.The defiant stance of the Shouwang Church – one of Beijing’s biggest unofficial Christian groups – comes amid a severe crackdown on government critics. http://www.christianmessenger.in/china-church-issues-bold-easter-service-call/Some church members have already been placed under house arrest.
The president of the non-governmental organisation ChinaAid, Bob Fu, said that hundreds of supporters of the church were planning to turn out across the country. The former independent church pastor said that at least 24 house churches had made an open declaration to show their solidarity with the Shouwang members.China’s atheist communist government allows Christian worship only in state-sanctioned churches, which are heavily regulated and staffed by approved leaders, VOA said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/easter/5136530/Archbishop-of-York-Dr-John-Sentamu-The-message-of-Easter-is-Hope.htmlIn the UK, the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, marked Easter Saturday with an open-air baptism, while elsewhere, Orthodox Christians prepared for the traditional Sunday meal of lamb and red wine, in Bulgaria people had bought up kozunak – a sweet bread – while in the West, hot cross buns were on the Easter menu, along with eggs – chocolate or painted, in some households provided by that secular symbol, the Easter Bunny.The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope, Benedict XVI made history as the first pontiff to take part in a televised question-and-answer session, the BBC said. The pre-recorded programme was broadcast on the Italian Rai channel on Good Friday afternoon. Seven questions were chosen from thousands submitted for the Pope to answer during the 80-minute programme. Most of the questions, from people across the world, dealt with the struggle with suffering, the BBC said. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/22/pope-benedict-stumped-japanese-sufferingOn Easter Sunday, Benedict was due to preside at a service in St Mark’s Square, giving his “Urbi et Orbi” blessing.On Good Friday, thousands of Christian pilgrims packed the narrow, cobblestone alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old City for the traditional Good Friday procession, the Voice of America reported.
They retraced the footsteps of Jesus on the Via Dolorosa, or Way of Sorrows, to the 14 Stations of the Cross. Some rare spring showers did not dampen the spirits of the faithful, who came from all over the world.
Mark Billings, from Chicago in the United States, was quoted by VOA as saying: “To be here, to know that Christ was here, that this is the place where He ministered and taught many, it really is very meaningful for me“.Maaza Las Yohannes, from the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, said that Jerusalem on Good Friday was an experience of a lifetime.“It’s so awesome; you see everything was in the Word of God, we read it, but now we practice it,” said Yohannes.
“We have seen it in our eyes; so it is so wonderful, I have no words to tell you.”
The Old City was also packed with Israelis from around the country, marking the Feast of Passover. Alan Tabak said visiting Jerusalem on Passover is a biblical tradition.“You could say it’s a pilgrimage. You know, we have a duty to be here as Jews,” Tabrak said. “And that’s what we’re doing, you know, just elevating a prayer and wishing for the best, and peace and hope, and coming here in good faith.”Back on the Via Dolorosa, Israeli police and soldiers guarded the route as pilgrims made their way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion.On April 23, the BBC said that police in Northern Ireland had warned the public to be vigilant over the Easter weekend because of the “severe threat posed by terrorists“.Security checkpoints and patrols were being stepped up as a result.On April 23, detectives investigating dissident republican activity said that they had found a “substantial” amount of guns and ammunition in south Armagh, the BBC said. Three men were arrested in connection with the discovery on Friday near Keady. http://www.policeoracle.com/news/Celtic-FC-Parcel-Bomber-May-Strike-Again_33016.html .
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Easter 2011 – World Christians are Taking Action!
April 23, 2011 by
