As night time falls
a crowd gathers
outside the Cathedral of Saint Réparate
in Nice
for the Easter Vigil Mass.
It’s almost time for Mass to begin
and yet, surprisingly,
the cathedral doors remain locked.

Uncertainty is in the air.

Armed soldiers arrive,
apparently to protect worshippers
from the threat of terrorist attack.

Now, fear is in the air.

At last
the cathedral doors open
and priests emerge.
The Paschal fire is lit
and the Easter Vigil Mass finally begins –
candles and song,
priests and procession,
light into darkness.

As we all enter the cathedral
fears of terrorist attacks
fade from our minds.
During Mass
fear is replaced by joy
as we listen to the Good News
of the Resurrection.
The cathedral fills with light
and with the clamour
of joyful church bells.

This joy lingers
as we all file out
when Mass ends.
And yet I find that my Easter joy
is tinged, this year,
with a sense of sadness
that when I celebrated Easter this year
in a European country
I experienced, to my surprise,
fear.

How sad is that?

© Claire Murray, 27th March 2016