Easter message: 'Bring resurrection to those around you'

Archbishop John Davies says he wants to "encourage people to recognise what they can achieve by showing compassion"

The Archbishop of Wales is calling on people to find a new way of life, their own "resurrection", in his Easter message.

Archbishop John Davies urged people to give thanks for those who reach out in "faith, courage and love" in a "broken and suffering world".

This is the second Easter under lockdown restrictions due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Many churches remain closed for public worship, with services now online.

The Most Rev John Davies said in his annual message: "The word that lies at the heart of Easter is the word resurrection. New life, and there are lots of people around at the moment who really need resurrection in their circumstances.

"They're anxious, they're fearful, they may be angry, they may be isolated.

"There are all sorts of different emotions impacting on them as we continue to face the pandemic and to make the message of Easter real I'd like to encourage people to recognise what they can achieve by showing some compassion, by showing some support, and making some contact with people who might be feeling pretty down and gloomy and pretty despondent about what the future holds.

"It'll make the message of Easter a reality to people who could do with that hope and joy in their lives. Bring a bit of resurrection to those around you, do what you can to help them."

• 'Christmas Day' for families as Wales lifts travel ban

• Archbishop of Wales to retire in May

The Most Rev Davies will be preaching at Brecon Cathedral on Easter Sunday at 11:00 BST and the service will be available online.

This year, for the second time, church services for Holy Week and Easter have been disrupted by coronavirus.

In his message, Bishop Gregory said: "The promise of God at Easter is there will be new life"

The bishop of St Asaph has also issued a message with the encouragement that Easter promises "new life."

Bishop Gregory Cameron, who illustrates his message with images of a magnolia tree coming into flower in his garden, said: "That reliable sign of new life every spring is for me a sign of the reliability of the love of God in creation.

"The promise of God at Easter is there will be new life.

"There will be new beginnings and, with the help of God, we can build into a fullness of new life, finding new ways to serve our communities, new ways to enter into the joys of life, new ways to celebrate the new life into which God invites us."