Easter crucial in Genocide commemoration – clerics

An assortment of religious leaders came up to comment on the coincidence of Easter with the commemoration week saying that it is critical for remembering the over one million people who died in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In the Christian world Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ victory over death and mankind’s hope for eternal life. The Priests said Easter is the time of remembering Jesus’ death on the cross, his burial and resurrection from the dead.The clergy were commenting Saturday ahead of yesterday’s Easter Sunday, a day that coincided with the Genocide mourning week that is ending tomorrow. “Before Jesus died, He was persecuted, beaten and crucified on the cross. In the same way, the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi claimed lives of the innocent people during this same period,” said Sam Mugisha a pastor from St. Etienne Cathedral of the Anglican Church. Mugisha said that Jesus’ persecution, death and resurrection brings hope to many who lost their loved ones in the 1994 Genocide. “It is time that gives us hope as evil tries to take over for some time but God’s power will always triumph,” Mugisha added. Father Casimir Ruzindaza a lecturer at Kabwayi seminary, in his message, said that this Easter should bring hope to all those that lost their loved ones in the Genocide. “Our colleagues who lost loved ones should always bear in mind that behind death there is eternal life,” Father Ruzindaza said during an interview. He said that Easter season has been a special time to intensely pray for both those who died in the Genocide and the survivors. Meanwhile a pastor from the Adventist church who did not want his name to be mentioned said that his church does not officially celebrate Easter. “It is in the same way we don’t celebrate Christmas but any individual or one particular church can celebrate it but it is significant in this time we remember our beloved who died in the Genocide,” the pastor said. Easter is always celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the first full moon on the Christian calendar. Ends

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Easter crucial in Genocide commemoration – clerics