Video
Message from Prime Minister David Cameron to Mark Easter
Easter is the most important date
in the Christian calendar, and an incredibly special time for people across
Britain and around the world. Last month I was in Jerusalem and Bethlehem and I
got to see for myself the places where Jesus was born and died. It was an
extraordinary experience to be in those places where so much history began.
Today, 2000 years on, Easter is
not just a time for Christians across our country to reflect, but a time for
our whole country to reflect on what Christianity brings to Britain. All over
the UK, every day, there are countless acts of kindness carried out by those
who believe in and follow Christ. The heart of Christianity is to “love thy neighbor”
and millions do really live that out. I think of the Alpha courses run in our
prisons, which work with offenders to give them a new life inside and outside
prison, or the soup kitchens and homeless shelters run by churches. And we saw
that same spirit during the terrible storms that struck Britain earlier this
year. From Somerset to Surrey, from Oxford to Devon, churches became refuges,
offering shelter and food, congregations raised funds and rallied together,
parish priests even canoed through their villages to rescue residents. They
proved, yet again, that people’s faith motivates them to do good deeds.
That is something this Government
supports and celebrates, and it’s why we have announced more funding for the
Near Neighbours programme bringing together even more faiths in even more
cities to do social action. And as we celebrate Easter, let’s also think of
those who are unable to do so, the Christians around the world who are
ostracised, abused – even murdered – simply for the faith they follow.
Religious freedom is an absolute, fundamental human right.
Britain is committed to
protecting and promoting that right, by standing up for Christians and other
minorities, at home and abroad. Our hearts go out to them, especially at this
special time of year. So as we approach this festival I’d like to wish
everyone, Christians and non-Christians a very happy Easter. |
