Eamon Martin acknowledges difficulties of lockdown in Easter message

Archbishop Eamon Martin has said the dawn of Easter morning marks the promise that pain and suffering can never be allowed to overwhelm us.

The Primate of All Ireland has acknowledged the difficulties of lockdown in his Easter Sunday message.

Archbishop Martin said he is conscious of the victims of the Covid crisis this year.

"We are especially conscious this year of the victims of the Covid crisis, including those who are finding it more and more difficult to cope with lockdown.

"The lonely and bereaved, those who are unable to see or embrace loved ones, those for whom the last year has brought increased financial or business worries, those whose relationships have been under great pressure, those who have found their addictions hard to manage.

"The dawn of Easter morning marks the promise that pain and suffering can never be allowed to overwhelm us or have the last word."

A joint statement from the Archbishops of Armagh said that it has been a tough year since last Easter for many people.

However, they say, people “have found ways of making the best of a bad job by helping one another in ways that we haven’t been used to doing before”.

The two archbishops also highlighted who people have shown appreciation and admiration for those “we don’t usually think about”.

“They aren’t sports people, or billionaires or even politicians. They are nurses and delivery drivers and people toiling in cavernous warehouses and food factories for very low wages.”