Meghalaya had a quiet Easter celebration on Sunday in view of the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.
For the first time, numerous churches located across the state were locked, forcing people to observe the auspicious occasion indoors.
However, there were churches which conducted services with minimal attendance and beamed them live on local cable network and YouTube to enable people to participate from home.
In almost everyone’s lips and hearts, the prayer to observe the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, was to grant them strength to deal with the current situation.
It never happened in the past when people could not gather in churches or sing hymns together or exchange Easter greetings.
President Ram Nath Kovind, said: “Wishing everyone a happy and blessed Easter. May this festival bring us joy, health and happiness. Also, on this day, let us reaffirm our collective resolve to overcome the challenge posed by Covid-19.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Best wishes to everyone on the special occasion of Easter. We remember the noble thoughts of Lord Christ, especially his unwavering commitment to empowering the poor and needy. May this Easter give us added strength to successfully overcome Covid-19 and create a healthier planet.”
Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma said: “Let us all pray for hope, love and peace on this Holy Day. Let us all pray for strength in our tireless fight to stop the spread of Covid-19. Wishing all Christian citizens of Meghalaya a Happy Easter Sunday.”
There were also those who went to spend time with the less privileged. Ri Bhoi superintendent of police C. Syrti, accompanied by his subordinates, visited the house of one Keni Nongrum at Mawskei Them village, which is 5km away from Patharkhmah. The woman has a grandson who was specially-abled since birth. During the visit a short prayer meeting was held at her residence.
Christians in Dibrugarh in Assam celebrated Easter at home through online prayers. The Sacred Heart Cathedral Church put up pictures of its members on the pews to mark their symbolic attendance.
This church is the second oldest cathedral in the Northeast after the cathedral in Shillong.
“The prayers are streamed through YouTube because we have improvised that way to ensure that the church members are not left out of the service on the day their Lord returns. The government has ordered not to have gathering at any religious places during lockdown. So, abiding by its guidelines, we did not have people in our church,” said Bishop Aind.
Additional reporting by Avik Chakraborty in Dibrugarh