(Seychelles News Agency) - Christians from the Catholic and Anglican Dioceses in Seychelles joined the rest of the world in celebrating Easter on Sunday. 

Islanders from Mahe, Praslin and La Digue, the three main islands of the archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, attended different churches for the Easter mass in the morning.

In his Easter message, the head of the Roman Catholic Church Diocese of Seychelles, Denis Wiehe, said, "May all who believe in the Risen Lord receive an abundant share of the light of his resurrection."  

Bishop Wiehe said that Jesus is truly risen! His body is a glorified body, not subject to time and place. (Archive photo: Joena Meme) Photo License: CC-BY

Wiehe highlighted the importance of light – through the resurrection of Jesus - for humanity. “It is the first announcement of the joy of Easter and the tremendous light it has shed on humanity: Jesus is the Risen Lord,” said Wiehe.

“His light shines on the women who were the first witnesses of his resurrection and on all who take time to reflect, pray, search for him. His resurrection opens for us a new hope, an infinite horizon of possibilities which we had not even dared to dream of before,” the message said.

The bishop added “the Risen Lord is not present to us in the world in the same way as he was before his death. But HE IS EVERYWHERE. Yes, Jesus is truly risen! His body is a glorified body, not subject to time and place. He is risen, he is present to all those who believe in Him.”

“Happy and Joyous Easter to all of you,” concluded Wiehe adding “we pray that we may all believe in the Risen Lord and receive an abundant share of the light of his resurrection.”

On his side, the Right Revered James Wong of the Anglican Diocese said that “the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central action and message of Easter and it marks the beginning of a new covenant between God and you and me.”

Wong said that the transformation can be applied to people’s daily lives and be an answer to social ills.  (Archive photo: Patrick Joubert, Seychelles News Agency)  Photo License: CC-BY

“On Easter Sunday, Mary Magdalene and some disciples saw that the stone was moved and that Jesus’ body was no longer there. They came to realise after some time that God has raised Jesus from the dead. We Christians call this transformation from a dead body to a living body the resurrection,” said Wong.

The Right Reverend said that Mary Magdalene and the disciples were sceptical and did not believe that the miracle of Jesus being resurrected was possible.

“Because of the doubt, they could not even recognise the resurrected body of the Lord Jesus. Their lives were transformed when they met with the Resurrected One and they committed themselves to share the Good News of the Resurrection to their brothers and sisters and to the world,” he said.

Wong said that the transformation can be applied to people’s daily lives and be an answer to social ills.  

“I trust that God has been blessing you and has transformed your couple and family by his presence, that you are now assuming your common responsibilities which will enable love to grow between you,” he said.

The Right Reverend said he believes that fathers have grown up and are still growing into loving leaders of the family and are providing to their family needs and offering the members the necessary protection they need.

In his message for the wives, he said, “I bless God for the wives and mothers as you have started the meditation of the Book of Proverbs chapter 31 and that you are now helping your husband out of love and respect for him.”

Wong also had a message for the children.

“My dear children keep on growing, as it is written in the Bible, to be full of love for your parents and to honour them. Be always ready to listen to their counsel and obey them. My dear brothers and sisters, these transformations are possible as the resurrection of our Lord is real,” he said.

He said that this is also the message of Easter “that lives can be changed, transformed and empowered through the retelling of the Gospel. A story that did not end with a closed tomb and a dead body; but with an empty tomb, resurrection and hope.”

Wong added that the story “should not leave us unmoved. It should encourage each one of us, as we realise that any struggle and challenge we may have with our family and our faith are no different from those experienced by the early believers.”

He concluded in saying “Happy and blessed Easter to you all and God bless you.”