Easter, Passover, and Ramadan converge in a rare celebration of holy days

Photo: AlmaKrese

On Friday, Jewish people celebrated Passover to mark the exodus of Israelites from enslavement in Egypt. Also on Friday, Christians observed Good Friday to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus before celebrating Easter Sunday when he rose from the dead. Over the weekend, Muslims will continue observing Ramadan, a month of prayers and fasting to memorialize the transmission of the Koran.

The overlap of the three observances occurs about every 30 years. Religious groups and others are using the rare occasion to call for harmony among the traditions.

Across the nation, interfaith events are being offered in honor of the overlap.

In addition, religious leaders are calling for an end to the War in Ukraine.

In his Easter message, Pope Francis said:

May there be peace for war-torn Ukraine, so sorely tried by the violence and destruction of the cruel and senseless war into which it was dragged. In this terrible night of suffering and death, may a new dawn of hope soon appear! Let there be a decision for peace. May there be an end to the flexing of muscles while people are suffering. Please, please, let us not get used to war! Let us all commit ourselves to imploring peace, from our balconies and in our streets! Peace. May the leaders of nations hear people’s plea for peace. …

I hold in my heart all the many Ukrainian victims, the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons, the divided families, the elderly left to themselves, the lives broken and the cities razed to the ground. I see the faces of the orphaned children fleeing from the war. …

Yes, let there be an end to the Ukrainian War. It is my prayer on Easter Sunday. In 2022, we need other ways be nations and live together.