Pope Leo: Urbi et Orbi – To the City and the World: ‘lay down the weapons‘
Pope Leo called on world leaders to lay down their weapons and “those who have the power to unleash wars” to chose peace. This should not be a peace “imposed by force”, but one achieved through dialogue – “not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them”.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally: ‘end violence and destruction in Middle East‘
The Archbishop of Cantebrury, Dame Sarah Mullally, also callerd for an end to violence in the MMiddle East; IN her Easter Sunday service delivered at Cantebrury Cathedral, she said: “This week our gaze and our prayers have been turned towards the land where Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead. Today, as we shout with joy that Christ is risen, let us pray and call with renewed urgency for an end to the violence and destruction in the Middle East and the Gulf. May our Christian sisters and brothers know and celebrate the hope of the empty tomb – and may all people of the region receive the peace, justice and freedom they long for.”
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell: ‘end this pointless conflict‘
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, preached on the words of Jesus on the cross “I thirst”: “We thirst for peace between the warring nations of the world and on this Easter morning cry out for an end to the literally pointless conflict consuming the Middle East at the moment. We thirst for justice in a world where norms of international law are eroded and ignored, where basic human rights are denied. We thirst for unity within the church of Jesus Christ, itself so painfully divided by the conflicts of the past and an easy acceptance of a scandalous status quo in the present. We thirst for hope, praying for the leaders of our nation, and all the nations, praying that we can find ways of rising out of the destructive and rude siloes and echo chambers of social media which so controls our narrative. We thirst for belonging, for eyes to see and hearts to love one another and, acknowledging our common humanity, build communities of diverse, good and peaceful loving, for Jesus tells us not to be afraid and commands us to love one another and says that it is by this life that people will know we are his disciples.”
Archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth: ‘peace be with you‘
In a recorded Easter message, the Archbiship of Westminster Richard Moth drew out the words of Jesus about peace. He said: “Humanity is marked, scarred, by warfare and injustice, often instigated by greed and misguided power, bringing harm and death to so many and so often the most vulnerable. Christ calls us to step into this world, carrying with us a message that is unchanging, yet always new. It is unchanging, for it is the message of the gospel, the good news of the light of the Risen Christ, whose words in the upper room after His resurrection are Peace be with you.”
