Kolkata marks Good Friday with prayers and a call for peace, forgiveness and coexistence

Kolkata: As the city observed Good Friday with solemn prayers and packed services on Friday, sermons across both iconic and neighbourhood churches carried a message that extended beyond ritual observance — calling for peace, forgiveness and coexistence in a time marked by conflict and unease.From prominent churches in the city centre to local parish congregations, church leaders reflected on Christ's sacrifice as a reminder to resist violence and uphold human dignity.At St John's Church on Council House Street, worshippers sat in silence through scripture readings and hymns. "Good Friday reminds us that even in the face of cruelty and injustice, Christ responded with forgiveness," said Rangan Dutta, a church official.At St Andrew's Church, Father Swarup Bar delivered a sermon on the Seven Sayings of Jesus Christ from the cross. "The message of Good Friday is timeless. If we truly believe in Christ's sacrifice, we must reject violence in all forms and safeguard human dignity," he said after the service.For many in Kolkata and across the country, this year's Good Friday became not just a commemoration of sacrifice but also a collective appeal for harmony amid ongoing conflicts in West Asia and elsewhere."The message of Good Friday is forgiveness. We also prayed for peace to prevail everywhere. Many people are suffering across the world, and we hope for better sense to prevail and peace to be restored," said Father Abir Adhikari at St Paul's Cathedral.Bishop Paritosh Canning, moderator at the cathedral, urged people to embrace kindness and reject hatred.Across churches such as St Teresa's in Moulali, Sacred Heart on Lenin Sarani and Carey Baptist Church on BB Ganguly Street, congregants gathered for solemn hymns before kneeling in silent prayer. Pastors across denominations stressed that Christ's suffering should inspire believers to let go of bitterness and embrace peace and coexistence.Church leaders said the Good Friday sermons this year encouraged introspection in troubled times.At Old Mission Church, Ajit Sikder noted a reflective mood during prayers. "There is widespread suffering across the world. The sermon reminded us that faith should guide us towards patience, compassion and brotherhood," he said.Younger worshippers also said the message resonated deeply amid growing social tensions. "We are surrounded by negativity every day, both online and offline," said Riya Gomes, 24, who attended prayers at Sacred Heart Church. "Today's sermon reminded us that faith is also about how we treat people who are different from us."At St Teresa's, homemaker Anima Rozario said the message left a lasting impression. "We need more kindness in society, not more hatred," she said.