Easter, jubilee and anointing of the mozambican wounds

Paulo Vilanculo "

This article invites us to reflect on the Passion of Christ in the light of the social wounds of the Mozambican poor, especially in contexts of exclusion, extreme poverty and suffering. This article seeks to analyze the Passion of Christ not only as a historical-theological event, but also to explore the identification between the wounds of the crucified Christ and the social wounds of the Mozambican people, as a living experience that is renewed in the pain and hope of Mozambicans, especially on the occasion of a spiritual Jubilee of Anointing, proposing a liberating and hopeful reading of Christian faith in the Mozambican context.

Keywords: Passion of the Christ; Mozambique; Poverty; Liberation Theology; Jubilee; Anointing.

The jubilee in the yovel count occurs every fifty years, in the year following the end of seven sabbatical years, for the Jews inIsrael, they blew the shofar, a sound that could be heard throughout Israel, announcing: the arrival of the time of liberation of all Jewish slaves. The slaves sat at their master's table, ate, drank and relaxed, this transitional scenario helped the slave readapt to freedom, fulfilling the word of God that said: I took the Jewish people out ofEgypt(…), no Jew may serve another for life, only I can demand such submission. (Exodus: 23, 10-11), (Leviticus: 25, 1-28), (Deuteronomy:15, 1-6).

The Passion, as the culminating moment of Jesus' surrender to redemptive suffering, is interpreted, according to Moltmann (2001), as the apex of God's solidarity with suffering humanity: "God not only suffers with, but suffers in Christ and thus sanctifies all human suffering" (MOLTMANN, 2001, p. 76). This identification of God with slaves is emphasized in Liberation Theology. According to Gutiérrez (1986): "The crucified Christ is the companion of those who carry the cross of injustice and exclusion" (GUTIÉRREZ, 1986, p. 91).

Mozambique, with independence achieved on June 25, 1975, the fifty years that we celebrate in this death and resurrection of Christ represent a historic milestone for the Mozambican people, a jubilee. In the same perspective of suffering and liberation,nDuring the Passion of Jesus, Jesus suffered various sufferings, such as the Crown of Thorns and the scourging of his body.

The Wounds, also known as the Sacred Wounds, have been the focus of particular devotions, especially in the late Middle Ages, and have often been reflected upon. The term wounds in the context of this text was used metaphorically to describe the struggles and sufferings of the Mozambican people on a pilgrimage to peace and a better future. In Mozambique, a country marked by historical conflicts, deep inequalities and structural challenges, the image of the crucified Christ finds an echo in the open wounds of its people.

The social “wounds” of the Mozambican people, which can be understood as hunger, unemployment, violence, corruption and exclusion, can be interpreted theologically as the wounds of the poor Christ who walks with the marginalized. Despite economic advances in some regions, poverty continues to be a chronic problem in Mozambique. The last fifty years have been marked by a succession of socioeconomic challenges, conflicts and political crises that have had and continue to have a profound impact on the Mozambican population.

Corruption is a factor that has deepened the suffering of the Mozambican population. The “hidden debts” scandal in 2016 revealed a scheme of illegal loans taken out by the government, totaling more than US$2 billion. This case resulted in the suspension of international financial aid and worsened the country’s economic crisis (Mosca, 2017). Climate vulnerability is another factor causing suffering for Mozambicans. Cyclone Idai, in 2019, was one of the most devastating in the country’s history, leaving hundreds dead and thousands homeless. New waves of political violence and institutional crises, sporadic conflicts currently emerging in the post-election period, continue to generate insecurity almost throughout the country (Morier-Genoud, 2019).

According to the World Bank (2022), more than half of the population lives below the poverty line. "Regional inequalities and lack of access to essential services, such as health and education, perpetuate a cycle of social exclusion" (Castel-Branco, 2014, p. 54). Without progress, economic growth, or improvements in sectors such as education and health, corruption, poverty, and natural disasters continue to take hold in the country. Overcoming these problems requires deep structural reforms and an effective commitment to transparency and social justice.

The Passion of Christ has always been a source of spiritual comfort and resilience for the poor and marginalized. The Passion of Christ, celebrated in light of the wounds of the Mozambicans, is not a mere religious rite, but a call to solidarity, justice and social transformation. The Jubilee is a time of Healing and Hope; in the biblical tradition, the Jubilee (cf. Lev 25) is a time of restoration, forgiveness of debts and liberation of the oppressed. A “Jubilee of Anointing of the Wounds” is, symbolically, a call to attention to the need to heal social wounds with justice and compassion. The Episcopal Conference of Mozambique has already highlighted the urgency of “an evangelization that does not alienate the pain of the people, but illuminates it” (CEM, 2015, p. 13).

Anointing is, in many traditions, a gesture of care, healing, and recognition. By symbolically anointing the "wounds of the poor," the Church prophetically commits itself to alleviating suffering and promoting human dignity. It is an incarnate, living, and active liturgy. As Tavares (2020) teaches: "The anointing of wounded bodies is a sacrament of the presence of a God who does not abandon his people" (TAVARES, 2020, p. 104). As Leonardo Boff states: "Anointing is the sign of the presence of God who turns curses into blessings" (BOFF, 2003, p. 58). Thus, the Jubilee of Anointing proposes a horizon of healing and hope, a spirituality embodied in the daily struggle of the marginalized

2025/12/3