Boris Johnson has remembered the war in Ukraine in his Easter message, saying there was “light beyond the darkness”.
He said Jesus’ “message of hope, the triumph of life over death, and good over evil” would especially resonate with Christians in Ukraine this year. Addressing Ukrainians in their language, he urged them to “be strong” and to “have courage in your heart”. Prince Charles also highlighted the suffering of “innocent victims of conflict” in his Easter message.
He said it was also a moment to reflect on the meaning of Christ’s “self-sacrifice and resurrection” for people today as he paid tribute to Christians in the UK “loving their neighbours and carrying out countless acts of kindness”. Remembering those “around the world facing the fear of persecution”, Mr Johnson said for the Christians of Ukraine – whether they were marking Easter today or its Orthodox equivalent later this month – Christ’s message of hope would “resonate this year perhaps more than any other”.
“Easter tells us that there is light beyond the darkness, that beyond the suffering lies redemption,” he added. Mr Johnson rounded off his message by saying: “Be strong and have courage in your heart all you who trust in the Lord.” The prime minister’s address comes a day after he and other senior ministers were banned from entering Russia over the UK’s “hostile” stance on the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in his Easter message, the Prince of Wales said he was “heartbroken” at the plight of those forced to flee their homes due to conflict or persecution but was “profoundly moved” by those ready to open their homes to people in need.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to millions of people fleeing their homes. In the UK, more than 200,000 people have expressed an interest in housing Ukrainian refugees through the government’s Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme – although it has been criticised for being too bureaucratic and slow. Prince Charles said: “Today, millions of people find themselves displaced, wearied by their journey from troubled places, wounded by the past, fearful of the future – and in need of a welcome, of rest, and of kindness.
He added that it had been “profoundly moving to see how so many people are ready to open their homes to those in need, and how they have offered their time and their resources to help those facing such soul-destroying sorrow and hardship.” The prince doesn’t refer to Ukraine by name in his Easter message but there can be no doubt that the unfolding horrors there have inspired him to highlight the plight of refugees. He has often in the past spoken out in support of Christians who’ve been persecuted in different parts of the world.
He’s also in recent weeks shown his support for Ukraine by visiting the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London where he lit a candle and expressed his sympathy to members of the Ukrainian community. His Easter message recalls the actions of Jesus at the Last Supper when he knelt before his disciples and washed their “travel-weary feet”. The principle of looking after and serving one another is particularly relevant, the prince suggests, in the context of millions of people who find themselves displaced and “wearied by their journey from troubled places”.
At Easter, he says, we are reminded of the timeless example of goodness in the face of light and of courage in the face of fear. Prince Charles continued that he “prayed with all my heart” that the “darkness of the world” would be dispelled.
“This Easter, as always, we are reminded of Our Lord’s timeless example of goodness in the face of suffering, of courage in the face of fear, of faith in the face of despair,” he added. “His light triumphed in that dark time.” Prince Charles also remembered the role his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, played during the many Maundy services he attended.
