The Sunday News
Sindisiwe Sibanda/Sibonginkosi Mpofu, Sunday News Reporters
THOUSANDS of Christians in Bulawayo and surrounding areas are gathered at various churches as they celebrate the Easter holiday which will culminate in main celebrations to mark the resurrection of Jesus Chris today.
Most Christians consider Easter as a time to reflect, repent, remember and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In an interview, Bulawayo Roman Catholic Church Bishop Alex Thomas said Catholics have for the past weeks been holding events to mark the celebrations.
“We began our Holy Week with the Palm Sunday celebration where we were rejoicing the triumphal entry of Jesus in Jerusalem and held processions in all of our parishes. On Tuesday we blessed the holy oils with the faithful, on Holy Thursday we conducted the memorial of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and on Good Friday we had the station of the cross where we were celebrating it with a service of the veneration of the cross and on our Holy Saturday we had Easter virgin where the fire and the Easter candle were blessed and again on Sunday we will hold a service where we will be celebrating the resurrection of Christ,” said Bishop Thomas.
He added that he was pleased by the attendance of people, the success and fruitfulness of the Easter celebrations.
Apostle Patrick Boanerge of Flag Carriers Assembly said they also held a three-day conference to celebrate the Easter.
“We had a wonderful Easter experience where we held a three-day conference. Easter is vital to us as a church because the remembrance of Jesus’ resurrection is a way to renew our daily hope that we have victory over sin. His resurrection was the fulfilment of the prophecy that the Messiah would be persecuted, die for our sins, and rise on the third day (Isaiah 53),” said Apostle Boanerge.
African Methodist Episcopal Church Presiding Elder Rev Eustice Bekithemba Ginya said the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the key events and doctrines of the Christian faith.
“In brief, our church Apostle’s Creed states our faith in — God the Father, Jesus Christ His only Son, The Holy Spirit, The Church, Forgiveness of Sins, The Resurrection, and Life Everlasting. We are having celebrations across the world as the AME Church like other Christians,” he said, speaking from Nyathini in Mbembesi where some celebrations were being held.
Zimbabwe Council of Churches general secretary Rev Dr Kennedy Mtata said that as a Council they had nothing organised but Easter celebrations were conducted at respective churches.
“We do not remember this as a mere historical event, it is a story that resonates with the experiences of different places and times where people are restoring their relationship with God and to one another. We come also to understand that death does not have the last word since we have resurrection life. We find confidence to move forward in spite of difficulties in the knowledge, God will not leave nor forsake us,” said Rev Dr Mtata.
He added that Easter is a season of renewal of faith but also deepened hope in the future.
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