AFRICA/NIGER - Bishops' message: "Easter, the feast of all the believers who work for peace"

Thursday, 9 April 2015

Niamey (Agenzia Fides) - "On the feast of the Resurrection, as believers, we encourage to fight against all forms of hatred, destruction and death", write the Bishops of Niger in their Easter message. "Whether we are Christians, Muslims..., God's desire is to see us together, in solidarity, in continuous search of the peace that comes from Him. All those who contribute in the name of their faith in search of peace, security, love of one’s neighbor and respect for others are blessed by God", stresses the document sent to Agenzia Fides.
The search for peace is all the more necessary in a Country that saw the Church suffer brutal attacks in January against its community, which resulted in the destruction of much of the ecclesiastical structures, by organized groups under the pretext of some cartoons judged "blasphemous" published by the French magazine Charlie Habdo (see Fides 21/01/2015).
In their message, the Bishops emphasize that they speak not only to Christians but also "to all those who, in one way or another, have special links, family, work, neighborhood and friendship with Christians".
"Easter - explains the document - unites all Christians around the same profession of faith in the God who won over death. This feast equally unites those who, through their religion, have put all their trust in the power of life that destroys death".
In praising all those who struggle for peace and are against intolerance, the Bishops conclude by invoking God's blessing for the efforts made "in the fight against the common enemy of all Nigeriens". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 09/04/2015)


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