Switzerland to remember Covid victims in virtual candlelight vigil
Starting Saturday, the Swiss will be able to light a candle on the Internet and “flood the map” of the country “with a sea of lights”, in a show of solidarity being organised by Swiss churches.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/gw
The virtual candlelight vigil is a way for people to express hope and gratitude and to remember the lives lost to the pandemic, said the organisers, who represent the country’s main Christian institutions. Switzerland recorded just over 9,700 deaths linked to the coronavirus by April 1.
In a pre-recorded video, Guy Parmelin, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency, will light the first candle and thank the people managing the Covid-19 pandemic and helping those affected by it. Anyone living in Switzerland will then be able to light a candle on the site, www.offreunelumiere.chExternal link (available in French, German and Italian).
The website goes live on the eve of Easter – a traditional Christian celebration of hope – and will be available until Whit Sunday, May 24. It will feature a map of the country lit up by virtual candles. Visitors will have the option of leaving a message with their candle, which will glow in their canton of residence, or sending messages and candles directly to another person.
The Evangelical Reformed Church of Switzerland, the Swiss Bishops’ Conference, the Roman Catholic Central Conference, the Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland, the Working Group of Christian Churches in Switzerland and the Swiss Evangelical Network are behind the 50-day initiative.
Lighting candles in memory of Covid victims has been a regular feature on the Federal Square overlooking the parliament building in the capital Bern since November 2020. After passing the milestone of 9,000 coronavirus deaths, in early March the country held a minute’s silence and the bells of the three national churches tolled in unison.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
Top politician tells ‘corrupt’ Eurovision to stay away from Bern
This content was published on
A social media post by the president of Bern’s cantonal government critical of the Eurovision Song Contest has created waves and will be discussed in the cantonal parliament.
Swiss centre records over 200 victims of human trafficking
This content was published on
Last year 317 people took part in a protection programme run by the Specialist Unit for Trafficking in Women and Women’s Migration (FIZ) in German-speaking Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.
Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment
This content was published on
Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva
This content was published on
The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
This content was published on
A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
This content was published on
Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Grim Covid milestone sparks emotional outpouring in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland now has surpassed the tragic milestone of 5,000 Covid deaths. This has caused a wave of emotions across the country.
Charity collects huge donations for Swiss Covid victims
This content was published on
Swiss Solidarity collected more than CHF43 million in donations last year for victims of the coronavirus pandemic in Switzerland.
This content was published on
People in Switzerland have been living under the shadow of coronavirus restrictions for a year now. How has life changed?
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.