EVENTS

"Jesus holds in his arms the lives of those who are victims of war, refugees and far from home": Orthodox and Eastern Christians celebrating Easter

On the day of Easter for Orthodox and Eastern Christians, hundreds of people - Ukrainians welcomed by the Community of Sant'Egidio and other refugees from Syria and Iraq, who arrived via Humanitarian Corridors - gathered for a solemn prayer in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. Father Andriy Vakhruschev talked in his homily about a risen Christ close to the great suffering of the population: "Today Jesus has descended into the hells of war-torn countries to draw to himself all who are afflicted as he is. He embraces our life, he embraces the wounded, the missing, the prisoners, the refugees and those far from home, the brothers and sisters who died and are welcomed into his kingdom of light and peace'. The atmosphere was very touching and accompanied by hymns in Ukrainian.

 
After the prayer, all joined in an Easter lunch of solidarity in the nearby Sant'Egidio House of Friendship, thanks to the contribution of Acea's corporate Cra and some of its employees who volunteered together with students from Sant'Edigio Italian language and culture school.