Christians celebrate unusual Easter amid COVID-19 lockdown

…It’s Easter of Virus Sorrow– Pope Francis

UGO AMADI, COMFORT EKELEME, Lagos and DAMISI OJO, Akure

This year’s​ Easter Sunday celebration was quite an unusual one as it​ has been hushed, abstemious and devoid of the usual lively celebration for which it has come to be associated with for decades, no thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is pretty an aberration that even the Good Friday processions that traditionally enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by devout Christians could not hold.

Easter of Virus Sorrow: Pope Francis urges global solidarity

Pope Francis on Easter Sunday called for solidarity the world over to confront the “epochal challenge” posed by the coronavirus pandemic, as Christians celebrated a solitary Easter Sunday.

Families that normally would attend morning Mass wearing their Easter best and later joined friends for celebration stayed at home to watch Easter services online.

Across Africa, many Christians marked Easter at home, following services broadcast on television and radio. In Nigeria, a Catholic Mass was celebrated in Lagos empty cathedral, while Congo braced for a battle with both COVID-19 and an ongoing Ebola outbreak.

At the Vatican, Francis celebrated Mass in a largely empty St. Peter’s Basilica, with a handful of faithful sitting one per pew and the choir’s “Kyrie” hymn echoing off the bare marble floors.

It is expedient to note that​ over the years, Easter , which signifies the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ has been always been a unique celebration for the Christian community, as they gather in their various denominations to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ.

Daily Champion gathered that the lockdown and restriction of movements and gatherings across the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in a bid to curb the spread of the disease, have forced many Nigerians, especially Christians and churches, to scale down the celebration.

Most people observed Easter Sunday service online and via various social media platforms, as some states relaxed the restrictions to allow for gathering/worships in mosques and churches, on certain conditions.

Most of the churches that celebrated their services include , the Anglican Communion used ​their Church TV (Advent Cable Network Nigeria), Assemblies of God used Evangel TV, Catholic church used their Lumen Christi, RCCG used their Dove TV ,Christ Embassy used Love world TV and so many others.

Also visits to motor parks and bus stations in Lagos and other states showed that there was no travelling of sort by people due to the lockdown.

Compared to what has been the norm, the COVID 19 pandemic, ravaging many countries confined the celebration in Christian homes, without having the usual gatherings in their various denominations. This development no doubt has opened the eyes of many to understand that anything can happen as long as we are still alive.

​ However, many believe that they saw the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, and they will see the end of it, believing that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will bring to an end the era of Corona virus.

​ Also, they believe that the COVID 19 pandemic has come with some good lessons to learn, noting that individuals are the church.  Also, if Christ had not risen, the Christian faith would have no foundation.

Christians in Nigeria and other countries of the world ravaged by the COVID 19 pandemic celebrated Esther without the usual funfair congregating​ to sing different Easter songs.

​ To many Christians, this is a wake-up call as many believe that this period calls for sober reflection and a deliberate attempt to get closer to God who does not fail,

​ Amid the lock-down, Christians in Nigeria believe that the death of Jesus Christ is the most important event in Christendom and the significance remains the same.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted to a global death rate as at Saturday, April 11, 2020 was 109,785 and 1,792,781 cases, out of which Nigeria accounts for seven, while most countries are presently on lockdown in a bid to contain spread of the virus.

​ A member of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, Felix Ntienseabasi  Isidore, was of the view that the meaning of Easter remained  the same for him, a remembrance of Christ redemption of man, adding that the only difference is that Christians are not gathered in fellowship with other believers.

“One of the first lessons I have learnt this season is that as Christians, we can worship God fully without gathering at our place of worship. As Christians, we must realize that as long as we are on earth, difficult times are abound. And we might not be immune to it. All we have to do is keep our hope in God no matter the outcome.

The Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Kaduna, Timothy Yahaya, maintained that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is what Easter is all about, and the hope it signifies is what distinguishes Christianity from other religions.

​“It is the story of sacrifice of Christ to humanity, the story of Easter is the story of hope. Man was wallowing in darkness where he had no hope, by the grace of God by the resurrection, hope was signaled to the whole of humanity”, he said..

However, the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Most Rev’d Henry  Ndukuba, has urged Christians to celebrate Easter with hope, knowing that evil would never prevail, because the last word belongs to God.

The Primate made this known as he delivered his Easter message to the Church and nation via a live broadcast on the Church TV (Advent Cable Network Nigeria).

He urged believers to hold on to God and not be moved by the pestilence happening all around. He said if the power of death could not hold Jesus, or the conspiracy of the Jews or the guards at the tomb, nothing could stop the plan of God from coming to pass in their lives.

Ndukuba admonished leaders to work together in fairness, love and unity, explaining that these times demand that people work together, even as they look unto Jesus, so that they might be able to overcome the crises plaguing the entire world.

​ The cleric opined that in the cause of duty to God and humanity, there is always a price to pay. He debunked the belief that the Christian journey is without suffering, stating that one must be prepared for suffering, sacrifice and even death.

Ndukuba observed that in times like this, when the world is battling the coronavirus pandemic, the world is expecting God’s intervention and waiting on Him for solution and healing. Therefore, he encouraged believers to trust God and hold on to the truth of God’s word, wherein He promised never to forsake His people.

Also, for the first time in the history of religious festivals in Nigeria and Ondo State in particular, Christian faithful across the Sunshine State celebrated this year’s Easter Sunday in their various homes in compliance with Ondo State government directives.

The state government had earlier given concessions to the Christians to worship with some conditions but when the second corona virus case occurred within the state the governor reverse the order last Friday after meeting with the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

​ Daily Champion on Sunday monitored the level of compliance as early as 8.00 am some Churches in Akure,the state capital.

Entrances to Church Premises were shut to prospective worshippers due to scourge of Corona Virus threatening residents across the globe.

At CAC, Oke Isegun, Agbaluku Arigidi,St Gregory Catholic Church Ikare, St George’s Anglican Church, Okeagbe-Akoko and St John’s Church, Oyin Akoko all premises were locked.

Some churches placed even placed inscription of “No Easter Service” at the entrance of their premises to alert some members who might have not heard the news of the cancellation of Easter Sunday service.

​ An Anglican Priest, Ven. Foluso Akerele, said government acted positively to avert the spread of corona virus which he described as global plague which had also become embarrassment to the world power.

Also, Pastor Jacob Oneseneme eulogised​ the CAN leadership for the way it sentisized members on the cancellation of today service adding that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s action was a saving grace.

​ The cleric urged Christians to remain indoors and pray to God for quick relief of masses from the deadly pandemic.

A Christian Leader from Oke Oro Mrs Oyin Iyo said the disease is real stressing that there are still have many Easter celebrations if one is alive.

She encouraged Christians to go and watch Television channels for Easter services.

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