Archbishop Eamon Martin: Persevere with hope this Easter amid the darkness and violence and prioritisation of warfare over welfare

The Primate of All-Ireland lamented the decision by many countries to ‘divert resources from welfare to warfare’ by redistributing expenditure from social security entitlements to arms.

“Even in the midst of Spring, it is difficult to escape the reality that the world is currently experiencing a high level of instability and uncertainty.

"The darkness of war and violence continues to rage; countless families are displaced, and lasting peace seems elusive as more and more countries divert resources from welfare to warfare,” said the Derry-born leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland in a joint message with his Anglican counterpart Archbishop John McDowell.

The church leaders spoke of how during their St. Patrick’s Day visit to the US they had an opportunity to speak to members of Congress and staff at Capitol Hill.

“We were asked to reflect on the impact of faith on the peace process here in the years that have followed the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

"This opportunity allowed us to emphasise once again the importance of not giving up on hope, and of maintaining a strong Christian voice in the public square. We stressed the need to persevere along the road to deeper friendship, respect, tolerance and dialogue,” the Primates said.

The senior clergymen said they were struck by how so many of the young adults they met on Capitol Hill had little knowledge of our ‘troubles’.

“It reminded us both of how far our communities have come in terms of moving away from the darkness of violence, death and destruction.

“The ongoing process towards a true and lasting peace here is offering renewed hope to our young people, many of whom have no recollection of the darkness of the past. Still, the work of peace-building is unfinished and there remains much to do,” they stated.

This year, they remarked, Christians are commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, when in what is modern-day İznik in Türkiye, the Nicaean ‘Creed’ was first formulated.

"Despite long lasting tensions and divisions at that time between Christians of different traditions, the Council was able to find agreement on a common ‘Creed’, or statement of belief.

"They chose to begin that Creed by using for the first time the expression “We believe”, as a sign that all the Churches had found communion.

"The anniversary of Nicaea is a reminder to all of us to persevere with Hope along the path to greater understanding and reconciliation,” they said.

It was at Nicaea that the timing of the ‘moveable feast’ of Easter was deliberated upon in detail.

“Interestingly, the Council of Nicaea also discussed the date of Easter - an issue that has sadly continued to prevent Christians in the West and in the East from celebrating Christ’s resurrection on the same day.

"But coincidentally, or perhaps providentially, this year, Easter falls on a common date - 20 April - from East to West,” said Archbishops Martin and McDowell.