Easter 2019

Easter 2019

Christus vivit! It is the word that pierces death and brings light into our lives. A few weeks ago Pope Francis published an article that has just this title, addressed to young people: "Christ lives. He is our hope and the most beautiful youth of this world. Everything that He touches becomes young, becomes new, is filled with life ... He lives and wants you alive! ".

Easter has always and everywhere been a unique strength, which overwhelms everything: life and death, spaces and time.

Even in Bozoum we experienced Easter quite intensely.  After the Holy Triduum and the celebrations of Holy Thursday and Good Friday, Holy Saturday we experienced the great Easter Vigil, which started outdoors, in front of the church, in the darkness lit by the fire, the symbol of the Risen One. We lit the Paschal Candle and entered the church, and after readings and the homily, we celebrated the Baptisms. This year there were 58 catechumens; boys, young people and adults, and 10 small children.

In ancient times all of Lent was a period of preparation for Baptism, which was normally celebrated on Easter night.

It is always nice to see the catechumens approach the baptismal font: So full of joy and deeply moved.

The Easter Vigil, which began at 6.30 pm, ended at 10 pm, and immediately the city filled with the songs of the baptized and of the Christian community, present in every neighborhood.

On Sunday we celebrated Mass at 8.30am. The church was full, and the celebration was very lively. In the end the baptized, accompanied by friends, relatives and choirs from their neighborhoods, left the church, wrapped in colored fabrics, and supported by the Christian community.

The following days were days of (relative) rest, and here too there is the Easter Monday tradition: both Monday and Tuesday we had the joy of welcoming friends and confreres from other communities, and sharing with them the table (and the now mythical Bozoum pizza).

Happy Easter!

Luigina e Nathalie e la produzione dei tortellini