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"This is a week of faithful celebration. Earlier this week, Jewish families gathered at the traditional Seder to commemorate Passover: the Exodus from Egypt and the triumph of hope and perseverance over injustice and oppression.
In the days ahead, Christians throughout the territory and the world will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal redemption from sin and suffering. The spiritual messages of these holidays are especially poignant this year for many Virgin Islands families who are struggling with the hardships of the economic recession. Both Passover and Easter remind us that better days are always ahead, and through faith and goodwill, we will persevere and rise again.
This is a season that we must hold dear as symbolic of our compassion and love of our fellow human beings, regardless of religious belief, race or ethnicity. We are all God's children, and we all have an obligation to look after each other, especially for those who are young, ill and elderly. With loving compassion and boundless charity that rests in each of our hearts, we all have the ability to bring warmth and joy into the lives of our neighbors and fellow Virgin Islanders.
These holidays make us acutely aware of the absence of so many of our bravest young men and women who are far from home, serving their country in foreign lands, bringing honor to their people and this territory. Virgin Islanders in the Armed Forces are true heroes, and we pray for their safe return.
All in my family and in my administration join me in wishing all Virgin Islanders a happy and healthy Easter. May God bless us all with peace and prosperity."
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