Millions Attend Easter Services

Press, Volume C, Issue 29479, 4 April 1961, Page 15

Millions Attend Easter Services

Press Association—■ Copyright)

LONDON. April 2. Millions of Christians flocked to Easter Day services throughout the world today. In Rome, Pope John quoted in his Easter message the dying words of Christ—- “ Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” —when he spoke of the “terrifying actions” of many men. To be indulgent to these men. he told about 200,000 pilgrims massed in St Peter’s Square, “means nothing else than to aply correctly the last judgment and the last prayer of the dying Jesus.”

Ir Britain, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Geoffrey Fisher) said in his sermon: “Most people have hailed my recent visits to Jerusalem to the Ecumenical Patriach and to the Pope with jubilation because they see in them, or in some of them, a sudden evidence of something out of this world, of something true to the eternity of Christ’s generous and unfettered life. ‘‘But some have feared it as well lest they should have to look again with a new discrimination at some of the worldly fetters of their own ideas, or of their churches' ideas, or of law and order, or of justice and authority. "They should not fear. Throughout the churches there are breaking forth new streams of living water, new upgrowing of Christ's risen life.” Dr. Michael Ramsey. Archbishop of York and Arch-bishop-designate of Canterbury. said in his Easter sermon at York: ‘‘Let races white and black see one another in the light of Easter and apartheid is at once condemned.”

There was “no escapism, no flight.” It was “saintly men and women” who could guide -he people. The saintly man “more than ever sensitive to the pairs of the world around htm.” felt, shared, and bore them more acutely. Tn Moscow. Easter services were held in churches and braver houses of tha Estonian Lutheran Bishopric, according to Tags. Many East Berlin churches were packed with worshippers and the Marier.kirehe—the main Protestant ehurch m the East sector—was so full that police locked the doors 30 m’nutes before the service began.

In Jerusalem, about 10.000 tourists and pilgrims flocked in for Easter celebrations. Processions began at sunrise in the walled city of Old Jerusalem. The Queen attended Easter Day service at St. George’s Chapel. Windsor. She was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Mr Antony Armstrong-Jones.

In Belgium. King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola attended midnight Mass incognito at a Brussels church.