Vic: Church leaders seek peace in the Middle East
MELBOURNE, April 18 AAP - Victoria's church leaders have focused their Easter messageson the war on Iraq and the hope of rebuilding the devastated nation.
Uniting Church Moderator for Victoria and Tasmania, Reverend Alistair Macrae, saidEaster promised light and resurrection in a time of violence, fear and injustice.
"As Christian people, we cannot be captive to darkness," he said.
"Even as war is now being mopped up in Iraq, we must be at the forefront of effortsto help reconstruct that country, which has seen so much pain, sorrow and darkness."
Rev Macrae said people must combine efforts to rebuild hope, irrespective of theirviews on the merits of the Iraqi conflict.
"The same is true in Afghanistan, in Bali, or in our own drought and fire-ravaged homeland,"
he said.
Rev Macrae will deliver his Easter message at a special service on Easter Sunday atthe Gippsland town of Orbost, as a sign of support for those affected by the summer bushfires.
Meanwhile, thousands of people are expected to walk through Melbourne today for theannual Easter Way of the Cross procession.
Led by clergy from various Christian denominations, it stops at 13 churches in thecity centre to represent the journey of Christ, before ending at St Paul's Anglican Cathedralat 12 noon.
Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Watson said that this Easter, hearts were heavythat once again the region where Christianity was born was in turmoil.
"Our prayers cry to God for peace amongst the nations so that He who died to set usfree from sin and death might give peace to the troubled and comfort to the grieving,"
he said in his Easter message.
Archbishop Watson will preach at 10am on Easter Sunday at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne.
AAP ce/kim
KEYWORD: EASTER MESSAGES VIC
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