Leaders mark Easter prayers with calls for peace, unity

Holy Family Utawala Catholic parish priest Sean Barry washes feet of a worshipper on Thursday.   [PHOTOS: BEVERLYNE MUSILI, GOVEDI ASUSTA, JENNIPHER WACHIE AND BONIFACE THUKU / STANDARD]

By STANDARD TEAM

Kenya: Christians flocked churches Friday to mark Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ was crucified amid tight security.

Like elsewhere in the country, security at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, was tight at the worship sanctuary with police manning all entrances.

There was a morning service from 7am to 9am. Then from 12pm, the main service involving reading of chapters on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ began.

There was a solemn mood at the imposing church of classical architectural design. The clergy was dressed in black and Provost Sammy Wainaina said they even dressed down the cathedral, including linen at the altar to reflect solemnity with the crucifixion of Jesus.

There was reading of the scriptures from the Bible and sermons by clerics punctuated with hymns. The choir also sang classical music by Kyrie Eleison by Mozart, Ubi Caritas and Durufle.

Three hundred metres away, across the Uhuru Highway at the Holy Family Basilica in downtown Nairobi, there was a procession led by the clergy that began at 10am.

After prayers at the church, the procession that began on Kenyatta Avenue proceeded to Mbagathi Road. The faithful sang solemn hymns as they walked.

One of the faithful wore a crown of thorns, and a ‘bloodied’ white gown and carried a cross to signify Jesus Christ’s last moments before crucifixion. The procession went round the T-Mall roundabout on Langata Road, then to Nyayo Stadium before rejoining Uhuru Highway at Bunyala Road roundabout and back to Nairobi Central Business District.

Easter, to Christians means suffering, forgiveness and resurrection. The occasion has relevance to the security situation in the country perpetrated by terror groups. Since last year, close to 100 people have been killed in terrorist attacks.

“The message of Easter from Jesus is: ‘I died so humanity would be saved from sin and evil through the Lord’s forgiveness, for they (human beings) do not know what they are doing,’” said Wainaina.

He said Kenyans should use this occasion to reconcile.

On security, he said Jesus never shirked responsibility.

“We condemn the government when it fails to take action. And when it does, we condemn it. They must continue to do what they are doing on security measures but within the law,” he said.

He urged Kenyans to take personal responsibility for their own safety.  And faithful yesterday marked the resurrection of Jesus Christ with calls for peace and forgiveness.

Faithful in Nairobi asked the government to ensure security to avert terror attacks in churches.

The Standard on Saturday caught up with a procession of faithful along Valley Road, Nairobi, who were marking the crucifixion of Christ.

Meanwhile, leaders of mainstream Christian churches have raised the alarm over the influx of guns and other dangerous weapons in the country.

In a statement, the leaders appreciated the efforts of the security forces, but said laxity among some officers was to blame for influx of illegal arms.

“In this regard, we call upon the Government to expand the ongoing operation to include other facets of insecurity such as armed robbery, cattle rustling, extermination of wildlife, rape, kidnappings and petty crimes,” read part of the statement.

On corruption, the leaders regretted that this had been devolved to the counties at the expense of service delivery.

They urged the government to involve churches in running of schools to avoid a situation whereby learning institutions are turned into radicalisation centres.

Elsehwere, Kenyans turned up at different monuments and sites in the country to commemorate World Heritage Day, also known as Unesco International Day for Monuments and Sites.

In Kenya, the total 22 museums, monuments and sites manned by the National Museums of Kenya offered free entry to all Kenyans while foreigners were charged a small fee.

–Reports by Kiundu Waweru, Kibiwott Koross, Anjellah Owino