On the sacred eve of Easter, Lahore Waste Management Company’s more than six thousand workers were given two holidays. The company carried out special cleanliness in and around all the churches across the city. Special celebrations were carried out in five big churches of the city namely Sacred Heart Cathedral, Anarkali Church, Naulakha Church, St Anthony’s and Yuhanna Abad church.
The ceremony was first of its kind and the company celebrated and was a part of the festivities of Christian workers. Lahore Waste Management Company set up its camps early in the morning where cold water and sweets were arranged to be distributed among the visitors. The biggest activity was conducted in the Sacred Heart church, The Mall Road, where band march was conducted and sweets were distributed by the company official among the worshippers.
Father Andrew Ansari (Sacred Heart Church) appreciated the company’s initiative to show solidarity with the Christian community, adding that these activities would enhance the peace and harmony between the religions. He further added that the company was doing a very good job of cleaning the city. Father Inayat Bernard of Anarkali Church visited the company’s stall and distributed the sweets among people himself. He explained about the literature being distributed among the people by the company and also emphasized public’s role and their moral duty of keeping their surroundings clean. Christian fellows coming at this occasion expressed joy and said it was first time in the history that a government department was presenting sweets to the Christian fellows and this act was worth admiring. Communication Department of the company supervised all the five camps at churches. Atif Masood, Memoona Arslan, Christina Patras, Shafqat Rasool, and Shumail Asif visited all the stalls and participated in the Easter prayers on behalf of Lahore Waste Management Company. The objective of setting these camps was to participate in the celebrations and show harmony with the Christian community. Lahore Waste Management Company MD Wasim Ajmal Chaudhry said in a statement that Christian workers were the most valued asset of the company and the management was going to announce health insurance policy very soon.
Christians celebrate Easter: The Christian community of the city observed Easter, the religious festival on Sunday with religious fervor and zeal. The festival was observed with religious rituals and traditional festivity with Easter sunrise and the community greeted each other on the day. Easter is a moveable feast, as it is not fixed in relation to the civil calendar. It occurs during the spring, in March or April and the method for determining the date of Easter Sunday is complex, based on lunisolar calendar. The community arranged special events on the day and greeted each other. Easter marks the end of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and the last week of the Lent is called Holy Week, which contains Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Easter is followed by 50-day period, called Eastertide or the Easter Season ending with Pentecost Sunday.
