Czech Republic: bishops on spiritual and material ways to experience Easter at home

 (Bratislava) - On the threshold of Easter, the Bishops of Bohemia and Moravia support activities enriching both the spiritual and material aspects of this crucial Christian feast. With a special appeal, they invite all Czech Catholics to light candles on Easter Eve and place them in their windows to make the celebration of the Vigil in their homes visible. Another gesture that can make unity with other believers visible is the display of a picture of Jesus Christ, which is an ancient Easter tradition. The prelates see both gestures as a sign of unity at this time of pandemic when people are deprived of their vital need to attend liturgical celebrations in person: “Let’s testify that Jesus is the Light of our lives, the Light that knows no sunset, as we sing during the Easter Night with joy and wonder”. Members of the Czech Bishops’ Conference also invite the faithful to contribute generously to the Easter collection for the Czech Republic entitled “On the wave of help against despair”. Mgr. Jan Graubner, Archbishop of Olomouc, explains that the collection would usually take place in churches, but under the circumstances caused by COVID-19, the whole project initiated by Caritas takes place in a virtual space. The money raised will be used to provide direct financial help to people who have lost the necessary income to secure their basic needs due to the preventive measures against the pandemic.
Danka Jaceckova