PRIME MINISTER HON. SITIVENI RABUKA'S EASTER MESSAGE 2025

Fellow citizens,
Ni sa bula vina’a.
 
Easter commemorates not only the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary on Good Friday, but more importantly, it celebrates His resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday.
 
This week also marks the end of Lent—the 40-day period of fasting that began on Ash Wednesday.
 
I extend my warm wishes to all families celebrating Easter, and to those observing the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread this weekend.
 
I also thank all fathers who presented their isevu, or first harvest, on Father’s Sunday in March.  I am equally grateful for the enthusiastic participation of our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren on Palm Sunday.
 
These events highlight the profound significance of Easter in our lives as Christians. Yet, the message of Easter is universal. Whether we are Christians or not, the values of sacrifice for the greater good, hope, renewal, and fresh beginnings transcend faiths, cultures, and borders.
 
I spoke about this ultimate, symbol of sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at the Easter service for Civil Servants at Suva’s Centenary Church earlier this week. In my short Easter message during the service, I linked this ultimate symbol of sacrifice to one of the widely known Bible passages in the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16 which reads:
 
 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
 
All over the world, acts of gallantry and sacrifice are recognized with crosses; the Victoria Cross, the George Cross, and the Iron Cross. These symbols are reminders of honour and selflessness. By the same token, Easter stands as the ultimate symbol of sacrifice. We are reminded that we too are called to make sacrifices daily, continually, willingly.
 
This is the kind of message Fiji—and indeed the world—needs today.
 
We sacrifice for the good of our loved ones, our family, our community and indeed for our nation.
 
Easter is also a time to start anew. Even when it feels like the world is against us, all is not lost. There is no greater example of this than the God-man we remember during Easter.
 
Though He suffered a cruel death by crucifixion on Calvary, by the mighty power of God the Father, Jesus Christ rose from the tomb on Easter Sunday.
 
To my fellow Christians, I urge you to use this Holy Week and the Easter weekend to care for your loved ones, both in your family and in your community. As we live in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation, I also plead with you to love your neighbours and friends, regardless of their faith or ethnicity.
 
This is vital as Fiji continues to heal from years of division and the burden of a debt-ridden economy, as well as the challenges posed by drugs and the HIV epidemic.
 
As a parent, grandparent and great grandparent, I watch with deep sadness the toll the drug crisis has taken on our families and communities, and the unacceptable rise in HIV/AIDS cases among our very young people, which is fueled by unsafe use of needles for methamphetamine abuse.
 
Fellow Fijians, I ask you to reflect deeply on Easter’s message of sacrifice, of hope and new beginnings.
 
As we gather in our homes, our koro, our yavusa, our communities this week, may we all—no matter our beliefs—find inspiration in the spirit of renewal that Easter brings.
 
May this Easter strengthen our shared commitment to building a better and safer Fiji for all.
 
May God Bless us all.