President Donald Trump wrote a personal message on Palm Sunday as the White House promised special celebrations for Holy Week.
“Through the pain and sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, we saw God’s boundless Love and Devotion to all Humanity and, in that moment of His Resurrection, History was forever changed with the Promise of Everlasting Life,” Trump wrote in a post on social media Sunday.
“As we approach this Joyous Easter Sunday, I want to wish Christians everywhere a Happy and very Blessed Holiday,” he said. “America is a Nation of Believers. We need God, we want God and, with His help, we will make our Nation Stronger, Safer, Greater, more Prosperous, and more United than ever before. Thank you, and HAPPY EASTER!”
In a separate statement, he wished Jewish families a blessed Passover, adding that he prayed for God to look over the Jewish people, Israel and the U.S.
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In the official statement on the Easter season, the White House promised “to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government” while “safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square.”
“The newly created White House Faith Office is grateful to share that President Trump will honor and celebrate Holy Week and Easter with the observance it deserves,” Jennifer Korn, faith director of the White House Faith Office, told Fox News.
“Throughout the week, we will distribute a Holy Week proclamation, a special presidential video message (and) host a pre-Easter dinner and White House staff Easter service.”
Congressional leaders celebrate the start of Passover and Holy Week
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also shared a message in honor of Palm Sunday, talking about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
“As a gesture of joy and respect,” said Johnson, many in the crowds “spread their cloaks on the road and others cut branches from the nearby palm trees and placed them on His path.”
Palm branches symbolize victory, as per the scripture.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the first Jewish Senate leader in U.S. history, also wished people a happy Passover in Hebrew: “Chag Pesach Sameach to everyone celebrating.”
“This Passover, as we tell the story of the freedom of the Jewish people, we hold in our hearts the hostages still brutally held in Hamas’s captivity, and reaffirm that we are not truly free until they are all home,” he said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro faces arson attack at governor’s mansion
Shortly after his first post, Schumer offered his prayers following the arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, his wife Lori, their four children, two dogs and other family were inside the residence at the time of the incident.
The Pennsylvania State Police woke the Shapiro family up at 2 a.m., asking them to evacuate the Residence. “Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” Shapiro said in a post on Sunday morning.
Shapiro, the third Jewish governor of his state, hours earlier posted a photo of his family’s Seder table.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also offered his support to the Shapiro family.
“Political violence of any kind is never acceptable and it is especially unconscionable to attack a Jewish family during the first night of Passover,” he said.