Christian leaders in Tasmania have used Easter to spread a message of hope and to urge the Federal Government to quicken the process of bringing Syrian and Iraqi refugees to Australia.

Key points: Archbishop Julian Porteous urges the Government to speed up Syrian refugee intake

Archbishop Julian Porteous urges the Government to speed up Syrian refugee intake Dean Richard Humphrey urges acceptance of offshore refugees

Dean Richard Humphrey urges acceptance of offshore refugees Bishop Richard Condie reflects on the Brussels attacks and senseless violence

The Government has promised to bring an extra 12,000 refugees of the Syrian crisis to Australia on top of the normal humanitarian intake, with expectations some would arrive before Christmas 2015.

But by mid-March fewer than 30 had been resettled in Australia.

Catholic Archbishop of Hobart, Julian Porteous, was recently in Iraq visiting affected refugees and said the Government must hurry up.

"We've been preparing to receive them and we've been surprised at how long it's taken," he said.

"I would certainly encourage the Government because these people suffer daily, and I've been with them and been amidst them, and been with the families and seen the terrible plight that they're in.

"And [I] really would like to see us be able to welcome them and support and help them any way we can."

The Tasmanian Government has committed to taking 500 of the 12,000 refugees.

About 300 people gathered at the mid-morning Catholic Easter Sunday Mass at Hobart's St Mary's Cathedral for the service marking the resurrection of Jesus, and the most joyous day on the Christian calendar.

"Easter gives a sense now whatever happens in life, there's something better that awaits us," Archbishop Porteous said.

"That, I think, gives people the strength to endure difficulties, the struggles. It gives them the sense of hope that there is something better that awaits us."

Dean calls for acceptance of detained refugees

The faithful assembled to hear Bishop Richard Condie's Easter message. ( ABC News: Alex Blucher )

The Anglican mid-morning service at Hobart's St David's cathedral was packed with about 320 people.

After the service, Anglican Dean of Hobart Richard Humphrey said Easter was an important time to recognise the importance of providing immediate sanctuary to the refugees of the Syrian crisis.

He also urged the Federal Government to accept asylum seekers held in offshore detention on Nauru and Manus Island, and facing deportation to those centres.

"We also want to encourage them to change their policies that they currently have in place about those who have already made it to this nation which we are putting to offshore detention and we would like to welcome them into the community as well," he said.

Reverend Humphrey said Tasmania's new Anglican Bishop, Richard Condie, used the Easter Sunday service to reflect on the Brussels terrorist attacks.

"The Bishop talked about how in the context of the events in Brussels and the senseless violence we see in our world, the resurrection of Jesus, a victim of senseless violence, gives us hope of a world where violence is defeated and death is defeated and we can live in hope today because of the resurrection of Jesus," he said.

In Launceston, more than 100 people at St John's Anglican Church for Easter service while hundreds turned out at the Church of Apostles for Catholic Easter mass.