Mumbai: The 40-day austerities of Lent dissolved in the joyous announcement of the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter mass Saturday.

The festival of Easter, the most important feast on the Christian calendar, will be celebrated Sunday April 16.

The Christian community has undergone multiple trials in the past few days and months, so every member of the clergy, from Cardinal Gracias to the newly ordained bishops as well as longtime parish priests, urged the flock to keep the faith and persevere.

Archbishop of Bombay Oswald Cardinal Gracias led mass at the Holy Name school grounds in Colaba. He said, “Easter is the feast of the triumph of good over evil, of justice over injustice, of God over Satan. In the world of today we see such senseless hatred and violence. The Resurrection is the core event of our faith. We are an Easter people. We can never lose hope. I greet you at Easter. The lord has risen.”

At Mt Carmel in Bandra, Fr Reuben Tellis reassured 2,000 parishioners of the presence of the Risen Christ in their daily lives, The Times of India reported.

The parishioners of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (IC) Church, Borivli, and St John the Baptist, Thane, celebrated their farewell Easter mass with their parish priests. Fr Barthol Barretto and Fr Allwyn D’Silva have been designated auxiliary bishops.

Bishop Allwyn will continue to stay in Thane to oversee this region of Thane, Navi Mumbai and Raigad. “My Easter address focused on the theme of restoration. Our heritage church was recently restored and Easter also signals a restoration of faith,” he said.

Bishop Barthol will move to his new office at Salvation Seva Kendra Dadar May 31. Shortly before welcoming an estimated 18,000 worshippers at Easter mass at IC Church, he said, “I do what is God’s will. Though it is difficult to part I accept God’s plan.”

He said, “Barthol Tonight’s feast of Easter is the biggest feast in the Church’s liturgical year for Christ has died and Christ is risen. In spite of the many pressures at work, tensions at home, difficulties while travelling, the Risen Jesus is telling us to carry on with life. All is not lost. ‘I am with you till the end of the world’. May Jesus shine forth in your lives.”

After mass, parishioners returned home where the celebration began. Easter Sunday will see elaborate feasts and the best wine laid at table.

Over at Chira Bazar, Fr Venancio Mascarenhas and his flock at St Francis Xavier Church, Dabul, have planned an Easter day fundraiser for Piety Home in the vicinity.

“This is an old age home for the sick and the aged that is run by our parishioners. We have approximately 30 inmates,” Fr Venancio said.