Cardinal Daniel Sturla presided this Sunday the 17th at the Easter Mass (Resurrection Sunday) in the Cathedral of Montevideo and called on the faithful to build peace. A special nuance in this celebration was the musical animation of the vocal and instrumental ensemble De Profundis. The event lasted just over an hour and 10 minutes and was the first Easter to be held after the lifting of the health emergency.
Sturla was accompanied by the parish priest of the Mother Church, Father Juan González. The Mass was broadcast through the ICMtv YouTube channel. A special nuance in this Mass was the musical animation of the vocal and instrumental ensemble De Profundis, which today celebrates 35 years of existence.
In this celebration the ritual included the singing -or reading in this case- of the Easter sequence; an old poetic liturgical hymn, perhaps from the 11th century. The reading of this sequence takes place between the second reading and the singing of the Alleluia. In the first part of the ceremony, Cardinal Sturla carried out the rite of sprinkling holy water on all the faithful gathered in the Cathedral.
Following custom, to begin his sermon, the Cardinal told a joke that caused laughter and applause from those present. He explained that it is an ancient Christian tradition because “we cannot say ‘Happy Easter’ if it is not with a smile and happiness because ‘this is the day the Lord acted,'” he said, quoting Psalm 117. Then, he commented that Despite “tremendous things” happening in the world, in society, and in families, Christians trust that Christ is risen.
In his address, the Archbishop of Montevideo quoted Pope Francis in his Easter homily. “This party is not about wishful thinking, it’s not about lunatics gone berserk.” And he maintained that “the Easter testimonies give us the veracity in which we trust that Christ was indeed resurrected. He returned from death to life but no longer to a life like ours, but a glorified life and he is exalted next to the Father God”.
He continued his homily saying that Christ remains with us through “a living body” that is the Church, which has its “defects and sins, but also its virtues and its saints.” Regarding the latter, he commented that they are those who “writing a new page of the gospel, in everyday history, tell us that Christ has really risen.”
Daniel Sturla pointed out in a passage from the mass that «There is no pain that cannot remain meaningless if we join it to the sacrifice of Christ. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven if, repentant from the heart, we ask God for forgiveness.
The Cardinal also said that “To the joy of Easter, we are called to join the prayer for peace: for peace of heart, for peace in families, for peace in our Uruguayan society, for peace in the world. ». The mass had a large turnout of the public, in an appointment where it was possible to observe both many people with face masks and others without it. Although there were people of all ages, most of the attendees were over 60 years old.
A day before, on the night of Saturday 16, also in the Cathedral of Montevideo, the Easter Vigil was celebrated. The Mass was presided over by Cardinal Daniel Sturla, and was accompanied by the Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Luciano Russo; the Counselor of the Nunciature, Mons. Simón Sánchez; and the parish priest of the Cathedral, Fr. Juan González, as well as some seminarians.
After two years and as a result of the cessation of the health emergency, the turnout of the faithful was once again massive. About 150 people participated in the celebration. The temple was dark and silence dominated the atmosphere at the beginning of the celebration, the Catholic Church reported on its website.
“On this holy night, in which Jesus Christ passed from death to life, the Church invites all her children scattered throughout the earth to gather together and remain awake to pray (…). Let us hope with faith to share his triumph over death and always live with him in God”, began the Cardinal, who then blessed the fire with which the Paschal candle was lit.
Then, the Archbishop of the capital embedded five stones of incense in the candle, in the form of a cross, which represent the glorious wounds of the resurrected and blessed the Paschal candle where the cross, the alpha and the omega -beginning and end- and the current year. Once lit, that fire gave light to the candles of all those present and the temple was illuminated for the first time at night.
