COLOMBO: Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on Sunday said that the country that had been ravaged by hatred for 74 years could be given a fresh start and that everyone should unite and work together to achieve this. He said this during the Easter Sunday Holy Mass at the Lt. Lucia’s Church yesterday.
The Cardinal further said, “People’s lives are severely affected due to selfishness. Hence, a fresh start is needed. Over the past 74 years this country was destroyed by inciting hatred among the people. We caged our minds and thoughts by limiting ourselves to petty attitudes. For the past 74 years we stagnated in this same position. That is how this slave mentality developed. I must say that during this entire time, we are responsible for destroying this country. But, we can change this situation. Hence, it is important that everyone unites and works together to achieve this.”
Christians around the world celebrated Easter Sunday, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Legend has it that Jesus Christ, who was crucified on Mount Calvary in the Israeli capital Jerusalem about 2000 years ago, was resurrected today and appeared to his followers.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith noted that in 2019 bombs exploded at eight locations on Easter Sunday, including three churches marking a black mark on Sri Lanka.
More than 250 people were killed and many more were injured, including Christians attending the Easter service on 21st April 2019.
Services were held at St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade and Zion Church in Batticaloa which were attacked on Easter Sunday.
Yesterday was the third Easter Sunday since the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks which killed 269 people and injured more than 500.
On April 21, 2019, nine suicide bombers targeted churches and five star hotels in Colombo, Batticaloa and Negombo.
