By Katrīna Reda, married, member of the Community
Jesus Christ is risen! Alleluia! This year, for the first time, the Chemin Neuf community in Latvia invited its brothers and sisters, young people, friends and anyone else who wished to join them to celebrate Easter together. It was four days spent pausing together to experience the Easter event, sharing in fraternal communion and serving one another, devoting time to personal prayer and meditating on Jesus’ journey towards the resurrection.
Holy Thursday
We began this special season together with the Holy Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which for many was a significant moment in entering this liturgical season. Liene, reflecting on this experience, says: “This year, I had the opportunity to experience Easter with the Chemin Neuf community in Liepāja. It was the first time we had celebrated together, and from Thursday evening onwards, the experience was profound and spiritually enriching. In the chapel, a table had been set, symbolising the Last Supper of the disciples. This helped me to enter more deeply into the liturgy and to become aware of the beginning of the Paschal Mystery.”
Good Friday
Friday began with an introduction to the day, a time for personal prayer and silence, and the celebration of the veneration of the Cross. Liene adds:
“Every morning, we were given a teaching and points for prayer, which helped us to pause, reflect and enter more deeply into these days. The veneration of the Cross particularly moved me.”
On that day, we also took part in the ecumenical Way of the Cross in Liepāja, and in the evening we watched Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ together. It was precisely the Way of the Cross that enabled many to experience a profound union with Christ. Elīna emphasises the importance of this day: “Easter was a truly beautiful and enriching time — particularly the opportunity to experience Jesus’ suffering more deeply, both during the Way of the Cross and whilst watching the film.” ” Gunta also recalls the Way of the Cross: “We could almost physically feel the Way of the Cross with Him, experiencing the cold, despair and loneliness, but also an indescribable joy in being true witnesses and participants in the victory of His love!”
The Easter Vigil
Holy Saturday began with a communal prayer, a teaching session and a time for personal prayer, followed by the joint preparation of the Easter Vigil Mass and the celebration. Everyone had a specific task or role, serving one another. It was a truly beautiful and fraternal time. “Easter in Liepāja exceeded my expectations. The special beauty of this Easter lay in the fact that we acted and felt like the different members of a single body, each with their own role, but each important and making their own contribution!”, writes Gunta.
The richness of this celebration also lay in the diversity of generations, nationalities and Christian denominations present, which made this time particularly rich and profound. Valts also emphasises its importance:
“The international and ecumenical atmosphere moved us, where such different people were united by a single faith. The Easter Vigil and the Easter Mass, with their beautiful and rich liturgy, were a very special and moving experience.”
Sarmīte, from the Lutheran Church, recalls: “We experienced a wonderful sense of fellowship and, for the first time, I took part in an Easter Vigil. I have been a Lutheran for 20 years, and this was a first for me. It was the best Easter ever. We experienced that when we give glory to God, He lifts us up, rejoices with us and surprises us — He has prepared so many good things for us that we cannot even imagine.”
During the Easter Vigil Mass, we were able to experience the beauty of the liturgy, in which certain passages from the Scriptures were dramatised. The readings and hymns were in English, Russian, German, French, Lithuanian and Nepali. Anna said: “I loved how involved the children were and how attentive they were! It was great that the hymns and readings were in different languages! ”
The children present allowed us to experience the crossing of the Red Sea in a special way by acting it out: “What particularly struck me was the Easter Vigil, where the Scriptures were acted out in short scenes. This allowed us to experience the Word of God even more deeply.”
Another unforgettable moment of the night was the baptisms, when two new children of God joined us: “During the Easter Vigil, it was a joy to witness the baptisms and to hear the testimonies of those on their journey towards God. ” Pankaj, who was baptised that night and received his first communion, shares with us: “I felt as though I had been reunited with someone I knew, who knew me, and who was dear to me. I felt complete. During Holy Communion, I used to cross my arms over my chest; now they were open. Open to the light, to grace, ready to receive Holy Communion. Even as I write this, I feel God’s peace and mercy.”
Easter Sunday
On Sunday morning, we rejoiced together, praised God and shared our experiences. For many, it was a new and unforgettable experience:
“For the first time, we experienced true Easter joy with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Until now, these celebrations usually consisted of attending a service and sharing a meal with family or friends. This year, we were able to spend three days in community, praising, praying and preparing for the feast together. We crossed the sea, we saw the empty tomb, we rejoiced with the heavenly choirs, we experienced rebirth through baptism, and we joined in the dance of life’s victory! People from different nations, ages and faith journeys, yet fully united in joy and in the awareness that we are chosen by Him and that nothing—neither powers nor events of this world—can separate us from the love of the Triune God,” shares Gunta.
May the joy and light of Christ’s resurrection accompany each of us in our daily lives.
