“He is Risen!” A worldwide celebration of Holy Week & Easter 2025
It is with joyful and thankful spirits that we look back at a wonderful celebration of Easter in just some of our MSC communities at home and around the world.
From darkness into light: Celebrating Easter in Mozambique
Holy Week was a time of great togetherness and prayer on our Mozambique mission, culminating in a joyous celebration on Easter Sunday, where three communities came together to pray and rejoice in the glory of the Resurrection.
The Facebook page for MSC Mozambique shared some wonderful posts from three different Palm Sunday ceremonies, including the Community Headquarters of Santa Marta Parish, at the community of St. John the Baptist in Sanbene village, and in the São Lucas Community, in Murrebue. Each of the celebrations were filled with faith and love, as “every gesture, every word, every prayer became a sign of God’s presence in the midst of His people.”
Celebrations continued throughout Holy Week, with a special ceremony on Holy Wednesday where our MSC brothers were joined by the Mercedary Sisters of the Eucharistic Jesus at Pemba Cathedral. “In an atmosphere of collection and faith, they lifted the morning praise to God, preparing the heart for the mysteries of Jesus’ Passion, Death and Resurrection,” says the Facebook page for MSC Mozambique.
Holy Thursday saw a “remarkable” celebration of “service and gratitude” in the community of St. John the Baptist, with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper and the washing of the feet presided over by Fr Roney Lima MSC.
The Stations of the Cross followed on Good Friday, in the community of Santa Marta. The Exaltation of the Cross was celebrated by Fr José Eduardo Paixão MSC, where “The cross was presented as a sign of God’s love and the hope that comes from Jesus’ sacrifice. It was a simple yet meaningful celebration that helped the community live more intensely the spirit of Holy Week.”
Fr Roney Lima led the Easter Vigil in the village of Sanbene on the evening of Holy Saturday, with the faithful gathered and undaunted by rain and stormy weather. “Even with the wet ground and strong winds, the community stood firm and united, celebrating the Lord’s Passover with fervor and gratitude, a moment that became a true milestone in their spiritual walk.”
On Easter Sunday, all three communities of the Sede, St. John the Baptist, and St. Luke gathered together with Fr Roney and Fr José Eduardo to rejoice in the glorious Resurrection, celebrating the risen Christ and the hope and joy of Easter.
The following Wednesday, Fr Roney celebrated the Resurrection of the Lord at the Mieze Male Penitentiary. Sharing the ceremony on their Facebook page, our Mozambique MSCs wrote: “In an environment marked by suffering and hope, the light of the Risen Christ touched the hearts of inmates, offering reconciliation, renewal, and a new beginning. The celebration was a clear sign that God does not abandon anyone, and that in Christ there is always the way, the truth, and the life—even inside prisons. It was a moment of living faith, listening and communion, where the true meaning of Easter was felt: the transition from darkness to light.”
(Photos from the MSC Mozambique Facebook page)
Easter celebrations in the Province of the Pacific Islands
The Facebook page for the MSC Province of the Pacific Islands also shared some wonderful photographs of their Holy Week and Easter events.
The MSC community in Wailoku, Fiji, were joined by local students in reenacting a powerful performance of the Passion of the Christ on Good Friday.
This was followed by the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday, led by formator Fr Rataro Raimon MSC, and a special Easter Sunday celebration at the formation house in Wailoku. “We continue extend our gratitude and sincerely thanks to our families and friends for joining us in our Easter Sunday celebration which was held at our Formation House Wailoku,” says the Facebook page for the MSC Province of the Pacific Islands. “We also thanks our brothers for their wonderful preparation. Vinaka vaka levu and may God bless us all in this Easter season.”
(Photos from the MSC Province of the Pacific Islands Facebook page)
Dawn prayer at the Sacred Heart Church in Cork
Our much-anticipated Easter Dawn Mass took place once again this year at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, where mission friends and parishioners gathered to pray together as the sun rose on Easter Sunday 2025.
Over the course of Holy Week and Easter, almost 7,000 people joined us via our website to pray with us on our live stream, including viewers from Ireland and the UK, across Europe, America, Canada, and Australia, and far-flung corners of Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Africa.
Our annual Easter Garden lit up the altar of the Sacred Heart Church once again, and this year, we have also been blessed to have an outdoor garden at the MSC House and Missions Office on the Western Road. Visitors are very welcome to come and reflect and pray here, and we extend our sincere gratitude to all who have taken such care with the construction and maintenance of our Easter Gardens, both inside and out! In keeping with tradition, the Family Tree of Life Book has enjoyed a special place on our altar, celebrating the joy of family and the importance of unity as our MSCs pray for all those enrolled throughout the Easter season.
Filled with the strength and gladness of the Easter light, we welcome the brighter days ahead with hopeful hearts and joyful spirits. With every grace and blessing of the Sacred Heart to our mission friends all over the world, this Easter season and throughout the year ahead.