Press Release No: 20/09 issued jointly with the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union
8 April 2020
Brussels

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As people, families and communities continue to be affected by the COVID-19 crisis in Europe and in the rest of the world, Rev. Christian Krieger and H. Em. Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, respectively presidents of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) share the following Easter message:

Christians are preparing to commemorate the passion and death of Christ, to celebrate his resurrection in glory in a completely new way. This Easter believers will be unable to come together to pray and sing together, gather to be silent before God, listen to his word, meet together to share the bread and the cup.

This year we celebrate the victory in Christ over death, at a time when the world is struggling with the COVID 19 pandemic, that is ravaging the world causing mourning and suffering among all peoples. Confined to our homes or in voluntary self-isolation, this year believers will celebrate the victory of life hoping to fight death.

More than ever, current events remind us how much hope is a dimension of faith. “For in hope we were saved,” affirms Apostle Paul in the epistle to the Romans, before continuing, “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”(Romans 8. 24-25).

May the Easter Gospel stir this breath of hope in the hearts and thoughts of Christians, may the breath of God animate our steadfast expectation so that the Church and each and every one of us become bearers of hope and light in our world ravaged by much suffering.

May God, thrice holy, He who is, who was and who is to come, bless His humanity and keep it.

Christ is risen, He is truly risen!

Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, Archbishop of Luxembourg
COMECE President

Rev. Christian Krieger
CEC President

……..

CEC resources on COVID-19

For more information or an interview, please contact:

Naveen Qayyum
Communication Officer
Conference of European Churches
Rue Joseph II, 174 B-1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 2 234 68 42
E-mail: naveen@cec-kek.be
Website: www.ceceurope.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ceceurope
Twitter: @ceceurope