Lent, Holy Week and Easter in Pakistan

AsiaNews – Lent, Holy Week and Easter in Pakistan
(April 11, 2009) Next year, Good Friday will be a holiday recognized by the government for the Christians of Pakistan. In anticipation of the implementation of the announcement, the news was conveyed to AsiaNews by Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic who is the federal minister for minorities.
Meanwhile churches of Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, and the other towns where the approximately one million Catholics of Pakistan live are full of faithful for the ceremonies of Holy Week. The bishops of Pakistan have asked for and obtained extraordinary security measures from the government, to guarantee the peaceful conduct of the celebrations, but every community has organized its services counting on the fact that the parishioners all recognize one another.
During the 4-day Lenten period, the 14-station Way of the Cross on Fridays have drawn together an extraordinary number of people, and now that Easter is approaching, the number of participants in the Masses and liturgies of the Triduum is becoming even larger.
Fr. Arthur Charles, vicar general of the diocese of Karchi, explained that already at the Chrism Mass, St. Patrick’s cathedral was full. He said the faithful "feel a special meaning and seriousness in this Holy Mass." Some who are not regular church-goers turn up on special occasions like these holy days. He said this is an indication they have not forgotten God. "In the situation of Pakistan," Fr Charles says, "the resurrection of Jesus and his overcoming of evil has a powerful meaning. That is why we teach our people to become new people, feeling and bringing Jesus' resurrection in their own hearts and minds so they can witness to Jesus and promote the message of new life in this society."
Fr. Andrew Nisari, vicar general of the archdiocese of Lahore, said that the youth are very active in the diocese. He said that the "Shaam-e-Calvary" (evening on Mount Calvary) is very well known and appreciated in the city. It is a music and song enactment of the Passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, performance mostly by youngsters. Fr. Nisari says youth groups take up various responsibilities during Lent, such as cleaning the Church, security measures, assisting the needy.
During Easter, and especially over the days of the Triduum, the Catholic priests are especially attentive to the poor and needy. Fr. Iftikhar Moon, an assistant at the parish of Warispura near Faisalabad, serves the inmates of the city's prison. He said they visit the central prison of Faisalabad every Sunday, imparting religious and spiritual formation to prisoners. The read and interpret the Bible to the prisoners, sing hymns and provide counselling and motivation to change their ways. Fr. Moon noted that Christian prisoners do not have access to the same services guaranteed for Muslims, but Minister Bhatti has promised that soon places of worship for non-Muslims will also be set up in the main prisoners of the country. Fr. Moon said the Holy Week is particularly busy for priests with confessions, the liturgy and reflections on the Passion. That also includes preparing Easter lunch for about one hundred Christian prisoners.