Catholics protest insecurity as Lent begins Wednesday

This year’s Lenten season commences on Wednesday with Christians, especially Catholics, attending church services, masses, to receive ashes on their foreheads, symbolising the vanity of life.

Catholics in Nigeria, in particular, are to mark this year’s Ash Wednesday by wearing black outfits to protest rising insecurity in the country.

The wearing of black outfits directed by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in a statement by its President, Augustine Akubeze and Secretary, Camillus Umoh, is to mourn that several Christian clergy and laity continue to be victims of kidnapping, killings among other forms of violence and criminality.

While calling on all Christian faithful to be dressed in black, the Catholic Bishops have also urged Christians to use the occasion of Ash Wednesday to pray for the repose of the dead as well as for peace and security in the country.

“As a mark of mourning all our brothers and sisters who have been victims of the most recent wave of violence against Christians, we are all dressed in black today and offer our prayers and penance for their repose.

“We invite the universal church and all Christians to join us in prayers for our dead brothers and sisters and for peace and security in Nigeria.

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“We equally appeal to the international community to come to the aid of the Nigerian Government in the fight against terrorists, who want to destabilise our country.

“The repeated barbaric executions of Christians by Boko Haram insurgents and incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom linked to the same group and other terrorists have traumatised many citizens,” the statement read.

The 40 days Lenten season which begins today will end with Easter Sunday celebration on April 12.

Lent is a period of a renewed focus on repentance, almsgiving, prayer and fasting, featuring reflection on the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert to prepare himself before beginning his public ministry.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis’ Lenten message for 2020 emphasises the importance of prayer during Lent, as a means of responding to God’s love, “which always precedes and sustains us.”

During this season of Lent, he tasks Christians to fix their eyes on the crucified Lord, and allow themselves “to be saved over and over again.”

Furthermore, Pope Francis notes an urgent need for personal conversion, without which the temptations of Satan, and the presence of evil, create a “hell here on earth.”

Noting the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ, he calls for personal commitment to and involvement of people to a better world.

He stresses that the world is made a better place if people share their worldly goods.

“Charitable giving makes us more human, whereas hoarding risks making us less human, imprisoned by our own selfishness,” he said.