Ecumenical Patriarch lauds healthcare professionals in Easter message

The ongoing pandemic has once again proved how "fragile" man is, Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos said on Thursday in his message ahead of the Orthodox Easter on Sunday, while he praised the "self-sacrifice" of healthcare professionals who risk their lives.

"It is difficult to remain human without the hope of eternity. This hope lives on in the hearts of all doctors, nurses, volunteers, donors and all those who bravely support their suffering brothers, with a spirit of self-sacrifice and love," he said.

"In the midst of unspeakable crisis, they…are the Good Samaritans" who "risk their lives."