ASIA/PAKISTAN - Bishops to the faithful: Easter in "holy quarantine" to defeat Covid-19

Thursday, 9 April 2020 easter coronavirus prayer solidarity mass media

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Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - The Pakistani faithful will live Easter in "holy quarantine". "Do not fear this difficult moment that the world is going through, have faith and hope in God and spend the time of quarantine and Easter in prayer during the lockdown imposed by the government": as Agenzia Fides learns, this is what Cardinal Joseph Coutts, Archbishop of Karachi, said to the people of God on the occasion of Easter. Addressing Christians in Pakistan, the Cardinal added: "This moment of closure is a moment for us to pray more, spend time with our family members and join the liturgical celebrations through online mass media and social media applications".
Religious authorities, of all communities, noted Cardinal Coutts "follow the indications of WHO and the government to protect our people and reduce the spread of this virus".
In Lahore, Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw called the Christians in Pakistan to follow the example of Moses who, together with his family, was in quarantine in the Ark. The Archbishop said: "This period is a holy quarantine if we spend our time in prayer, interceding for ourselves and for others. It is necessary to change our lifestyle for a short period, spend more time with our family, pray together, and plan your future", remarking that this "special" period can lead to an equally "special" Easter, dedicated to prayer and charity.
Archbishop Joseph Arshad, at the head of the Catholic diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, encouraged to seriously follow the guidelines given to protect oneself from the virus, urging everyone to "act as responsible citizens and fully collaborate with our government". The bishop urged to stay at home and, in view of Easter "to ask the Lord for help and mercy in this difficult moment", in order to overcome darkness and rise with Him. Easter invites us to "pray to God for hope and peace" and, notes the Archbishop, remember that "God is with us, he has not abandoned us and will never abandon us. We must place our hope in him". (AG-PA) (Agenzia Fides, 9/4/2020)