Nagaland governor RN Ravi on Saturday appealed to the people of the state to celebrate Easter Sunday at home.
“Let us celebrate this pious and joyous occasion at home with our family. Let us do things little different this year by making it a one of a kind celebration with just family. There are plenty of ways to make it special,” Ravi said while extending Easter greetings.
He said this year Easter is being celebrated under the shadow of global pandemic COVID-19, which has compelled a countrywide lockdown.
Ravi said Easter is celebrated around the world in memory of the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ.
“Let us remember that it symbolises hope, a hope for a new beginning following a sacrifice made out of pure love,” he said.
Ravi added Jesus demonstrates the pure love for all mankind with selfless sacrifice and that his resurrection demonstrates the victory of love over hate.
“On this occasion let us keep our people, our countrymen and humanity in our prayers. We are in no doubt that the spirit of Easter shall prevail. The Covid-19 shall be defeated,” Ravi said.
The Bishop of Kohima, Most Rev James Thoppil, called upon all the people to develop solidarity among one another.
In his Easter message, Thoppil said: “With hope let us proclaim Christ is risen.”
The Bishop said the Covid-19 pandemic “challenges our faith and our hope” and added that the most painful reality has been that churches are closed.
He reminded that humanity and the Church have waded through valleys of tears before.
“The Church is about communion. In joy and fellowship, in every mass we gather to affirm and celebrate our communion,” said Thoppil.
“Our mission is to build communion and yet in this time of crisis, we seem to surrender ourselves to isolation,” the Bishop said.
“Paradoxical as it may seem, keeping distance from one another means we truly care for each other because we want to stop the transmission of the deadly virus,” he said.
“May this Cross lead all nations to consign enmity and war to fire and see resurrection in human solidarity, solidarity in sharing – material and human resources, knowledge and technology, moral qualities and humane principles,” he hoped.