At a time where we should rejoice as we celebrate Easter, this year’s holidays bring us exceptional circumstances, the Via Dolorosa is empty, the chants for the Holy Fire celebrations are silent, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is closed, due to the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, this hidden enemy that paralyzed all walks of life.
Palestine lives double the pain, where the Israeli occupation continues to abuse our people, violate our sanctities and restricts our freedom of worship by storming Al-Aqsa Mosque and by trying to impose its control on the ecclesiastical properties in Jerusalem and the rest of the Palestinian lands.
It is difficult and painful for us these days to see Mosques and Churches with closed doors and empty of its worshipers, only religious leaders being able to visit them to revive the religious rites, in which the pandemic deprived our children from participating and living the joy of the feast, But we realize that all these procedures are just a passing cloud for us to preserve the human life, which the Messenger of Peace called us to preserve, as it is our most valuable asset. We believe that humanity will triumph over this pandemic and a new dawn will come, just as Jesus Christ triumphed over death by his resurrection for the salvation of humanity, where life triumphed over death.
On this occasion, The Higher Presidential Committee Of Churches Affairs represented by its President, His Excellency Minister Dr. Ramzi Khoury with its members and staff, greet you and pray to the Almighty, to lift this pandemic and protect our steadfast Palestinian people from all harm, to give us unity to work together and face all challenges by our support, solidarity, and devotion to our wise leadership that has harnessed all its capabilities from the first moment to face this pandemic.
With our unity and solidarity, we will overcome all challenges and God willing, we will celebrate the coming year in Jerusalem, free from the Israeli occupation, with believers filling the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We will walk the path of the cross and our children will carry palm branches cheering and singing, where we will celebrate the liberation of Palestine and the triumph of justice and peace.
Happy Holidays
Christ has risen….. He has risen indeed.
