Catholics world over celebrate a cold Easter due to COVID-19

By; Jjunju Francis

12^th April 2020

Christians around the world are celebrating Easter, the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This is a day of obligation, the most important festival in the Christian calendar; however it comes amidst restrictions that have left hundreds of millions confined to their homes.

Right from the Pope, Archbishops, Bishops and many priests are conducting Masses in churches without congregations but have used technology through live streams, radios and televisions to reach out to the faithful in their homes.

In Rome specifically Vatican the seat of the Western Roman Catholic Church Pope Francis the leader of over 1.3 billion faithful will to Sunday April 12, 2020, give his Easter Sunday address at a ceremony behind closed doors. Historically it has been given to crowds in St Peter’s Square.

During the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday evening Pope Francis urged people not to “yield to fear” over coronavirus, calling on them to be “messengers of life in a time of death”.

In Uganda the Archbishop of Kampala Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has prayed in thanks giving for that God has still kept Uganda safe from COVID-19.

In his Easter message during the mass at Lubaga Cathedral Dr. Lwanga said Uganda is so loved by God and mother Mary to whom the country was dedicated by the White Fathers in 1879.

He said, “God’s resurrection is the true sense of Christian faith, it gives new life to humanity in his or her daily living”.

He has thanked Pope Francis for the encouraging words and advice which President Museveni also copied and advised for closure of all places of worship in Uganda to safe guard Uganda from the devastating effects of Coronavirus like its elsewhere.

This comes as Uganda still has 53 cases of Coronavirus no death and already 3 were discharged yesterday from Entebbe Hospital and 50 others who were suspects and quarantined at Makerere Kikoni were left to go on April 11^th 2020.

Dr. Lwanga has also noted with concern the serious problem of lack of peace and love for one another that is why domestic violence has increased at this time when families would be bonding.