IA "TIRAS" publishes congratulations on the bright holiday of Easter to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, addressed to the archpastors, pastors, deacons, monastics and ordinary laymen.
CHRIST IS RISEN!
With these joyful and life-affirming words, I sincerely greet all of you, my dears, and congratulate you on the great and saving holiday of Easter.
The Church calls this holy day a holiday of holidays and a celebration of celebrations through the lips of one of the ecumenical teachers of St. Gregory the Theologian. And this is a deep spiritual meaning, for “so much Easter surpasses all celebrations, not only human and earthly, but even Christ's and for Christ, as the sun surpasses the stars” (Word 45. On Holy Easter). The glorious Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, which became the most important event in the history of the salvation of the human race, contains the very meaning and deep essence of our faith, the core and powerful force of the Christian message to the world. Our entire sermon these days fits into just two words. "Christ is Risen! - Having said this, what can I say more? Everything is said! " - exclaims Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow (Word on the day of Holy Easter, April 18, 1826).
The history of mankind after the fall of Adam is the history of the continuous struggle between good and evil. By showing disobedience to the Creator, people allowed sin into their lives and into the world, and with it suffering and sickness, corruption and death. But, most importantly, sin separated people from God, who did not create evil and is alien to all unrighteousness. Not a single righteous person was able to overcome this tragic division, this huge spiritual abyss, since it is impossible to do this solely by human forces. And therefore, as St. Gregory the Theologian says, “we have a need for God incarnate and put to death in order for us to come to life” (Word 45. On Holy Easter).
In other words, the Resurrection of Christ became that breakthrough into eternity, thanks to which human limitations were overcome and the thirst for union with God was quenched. Easter is the triumph of the Creator's boundless love for people, “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
But what does it mean to celebrate Easter in a world burdened with pain and suffering, exhausted by war and conflict, full of hatred and anger? What does it mean to sing “trampling death with death and granting life to those in the grave”, when death remains the obvious completion of the earthly life of each of us? Of course, Easter does not cancel the real presence of death in the Universe, but now human pain and the tragedy of earthly existence are overcome by the Risen Lord Jesus, who has given us, his disciples and followers, an irresistible hope of gaining eternal life. From now on, death for us Christians is no longer a separation, but a joyful meeting and a longed-for reunion with God.
Christ, the firstborn of the dead (1 Cor. 15:20), showed us the only possible way to overcome sin and death. This is the path of love. And about this love we are called to testify to the whole world. And they are called to testify first of all by the example of our own life, for by this everyone will know that we are the Savior's disciples, if we have love for one another (John 13:35).
Love, which, according to the apostle Paul, is the totality of perfections (Col. 3:14), is the highest and greatest of the Christian virtues. With the transition into eternity, when we are vouchsafed to behold the Lord Himself, our faith will turn into knowledge, and the hope of salvation by the grace of God will reach fulfillment. However, love will never stop (1 Cor. 13: 8) and will never change.
As St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) remarkably writes, the perfection of Christianity consists in perfect love for one's neighbor (Ascetic experiences. On love for one's neighbor). What does “perfect love” mean? It is love that extends to love for strangers, ill-wishers, and even enemies. This is sacrificial love, which surpasses any human understanding, since it does not fit into the framework of everyday everyday logic. It can be acquired through a spiritual struggle that attracts the grace of God, which grants us the opportunity to respond with love to hatred and good to evil.
This is the kind of love Christ manifested to us, for the sake of our salvation endured terrible humiliation, suffering on the cross and painful death. Hell was crushed to the core by his all-conquering and all-filling love, and the gates of paradise were finally opened for all mankind. In any circumstances of life, we are called to remember that in reality the forces of evil are illusory and not so great, because they cannot be compared with the forces of love and good, the only source of which is God. Let us also remember that the best answer and effective means of resisting sin and unrighteousness is our sincere prayer that comes from the depths of our hearts, and above all, the prayer of the congregational, offered up in the church during the divine service, especially the communion of the Body and Blood of the Savior Himself in the Sacrament. Eucharist.
Experiencing now the great Easter joy and contemplating with awe and awe the Life-Giver Who Risen from the Sepulcher, let us share this saving message with our neighbors and distant ones, so that they too may see the ineffable radiance of Divine love and together with us bless and glorify the all-honorable and glorious name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit.
May the saving light of the Resurrection of Christ, surpassing all understanding, illuminate our life path, enlightening and comforting us, making us partakers and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Rejoice, my dears, for
TRUE IS RISEN CHRIST GOD!
KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA
Easter of Christ, 2016
"We are celebrating the victory over death"Metropolitan Barsanuphius congratulated the clergy, monastics and laity on Easter
EASTER MESSAGE
His Eminence Barsanuphius, Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, clergy, monastics and all faithful children of the Church of Christ in the St. Petersburg Metropolitanate
Beloved in the Lord, Most Reverend Bishops, most honorable fathers, brothers and sisters!
On this luminous day, when the whole Universe rejoices, accept, dear fathers, brothers and sisters, my heartfelt congratulations on the Feast of Holidays and the Triumph of the Celebrations - Easter of Christ.
Today all our churches are festively decorated, we rejoice in prayer and sing: "Let us be enlightened with triumph and embrace each other. Rtz, brethren, and to those who hate us, we will forgive everything with the Resurrection."
On this day we celebrate the victory over death. No one could overcome death, but Christ did it. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, the Ethereal Spirit appeared in the flesh. The God-man voluntarily ascended the Cross and died in grievous torment. But, having descended into hell, He destroyed the faith and the gates of the underworld and brought out the souls of those who believed in Him and brought them into the open Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven. The souls of the righteous who entered Paradise became the first heirs of the Kingdom of God.
The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is not only the greatest and most magnificent Christian holiday. This is a triumph of Divine love, which evokes in our hearts, in our entire nature, a special, incomparable spiritual joy.
Easter joy is born from the consciousness of the greatness of the feat of the Son of God, the understanding of the price of our salvation and the idea of the beauty, glory and sweetness of eternal Easter in the Kingdom of Heaven, to which we are all called and in which on this holy day we all wish to confirm each other.
Our lips today ceaselessly exclaim a triumphant, triumphant cry coming from our hearts: "Christ is Risen!"
Just two words, but what! How many of these two words contain the brightest, purest, unspeakable joy! Each time they awaken in us bright and joyful feelings. I would like to say them endlessly, hearing in response: "Truly he is risen!"
But how can we participate in this victory? After all, it was for the sake of our salvation that Christ suffered, died and rose again.
If we, dear brothers and sisters, turn to the risen Savior and do not at least do what we do not want people to do for us, the non-evening Glory of the Kingdom of Heaven awaits us. And the Lord will pour out His immeasurable mercies on us, give us health and success in holy work, life and deeds. We know that He can do anything, since the Risen Lord is immensely rich and powerful.
But not only in words, we must praise the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, claiming that by His death on the cross and glorious resurrection He conquered the power of evil and opened the way to eternal life for believers. With all our lives, we must resist evil, violence and enmity, showing the love of Christ to our neighbors and distant ones.
We need to love the temple of God, try to sanctify every Sunday morning and holidays with prayer in it. We live in a city that has not only deep cultural traditions and an eventful history. St. Petersburg is named in honor of the holy Apostle Peter of Christ, who is strong in his sincere faith, and is consecrated by the feat of many saints and by the death of new martyrs of various ranks and estates. Not far from us in terms of life span, they showed how you can be saved in modern conditions, how you need to love God and His Church. It is our duty as Orthodox Christians to be their heirs. One must strive to be worthy of their labors, to be links in one chain leading to the Lord God. Do not think that in order to be saved, we need to look for shrines in distant cities and countries. Here, in every Orthodox church where the great Sacrament of Communion is celebrated, there is everything we need for a righteous life and the salvation of the soul.
April 20, 2014 - Easter. Bright Resurrection of Christ. This year, on the same day, the Orthodox and Catholic world celebrates the most important Christian celebration - the Easter of the Lord or the feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ.
On the occasion of the feast of Holy Easter, Metropolitan Irenaeus of Dnepropetrovsk and Pavlograd, head of the Dnepropetrovsk diocese, addressed the Orthodox inhabitants of the cities and towns of the diocese entrusted to him with a bishop's greeting.
“Dear brothers and sisters! I cordially congratulate all of you on the greatest and all-joyful holiday of the Bright Sunday of Christ!
Easter is a celebration of life! By the grace of God, we have been given the Lord's Easter, and with it - spiritual joy and triumph. Let us give praise, thanksgiving and adoration to the Risen Christ. Illuminated by the rays of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, we ourselves will become the bearers of this light and joy.
May the Risen Lord strengthen us all and grant his all-powerful help and grace, so that the light of life will kindle in every family, in every human heart, so that the grace of the Risen Lord will help us to arrange earthly life in peace, Christian piety, love, brotherhood, and mutual understanding.
I invoke God's blessing on each of you in the title in which you are called to serve God and people. By our honest work in the union of peace, love and benevolence with all peoples, we will contribute to the creation of spiritual and worldly benefits for all people of our country and thereby lay a solid foundation for our spiritual renewal and strong unity.
God bless you all! Rejoice in the Risen Lord! Come to the temples of God and pray that the Risen Christ will fill our hearts with peace and love for each other. Christ is truly Risen! "- is said in the greeting of the archpastor to all who celebrate the Easter of Christ.
Also, on the bright and saving holiday of Easter, Metropolitan Iriney, on the regional and city television and radio channels, congratulated all residents of Dnepropetrovsk and the region on the triumph of the Bright Resurrection of Christ.
EXCURSION:
The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation and crown of our faith, this is the first and greatest truth that the apostles began to preach. It is in it that the main meaning of our faith lies - God himself became man, died for us and, having resurrected, delivered people from the power of death and sin.
Easter greeting "Christ is Risen!" expresses the main truth of Christianity, which is its foundation! In this shortest symbol of our faith, we affirm that the entire universe, the entire creation of the Lord is based on the fact that the Son of God became the Son of Man, tasted death on the cross for the sins of the world, rose from the dead and by His Resurrection returned man to the arms of the Heavenly Father, the Almighty, the Creator heaven and earth.
The Diocesan Administration of the Petrozavodsk and Karelian Diocese has received numerous congratulations on the Easter holiday. Among them are the congratulatory addresses of the Head of the Karelian Customs, Major General of the Customs Service A.V. Nakroshaev and the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Karelia A.N. Lesonen, government telegrams from the Head of the Administration of the Head of the Republic of Karelia A.A. Moiseev, Deputy Head of the Republic of Karelia for Regional Policy V.G. Baev and a member of the Federation Council from the Republic of Kazakhstan V.A.Fyodorov, as well as a telegram from the rector of the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God at the Smolensk cemetery of St. Petersburg, Archpriest Victor of Moscow.
“Your Eminence!
I congratulate you on the bright Resurrection of Christ - Easter!
This holiday, which has become a symbol of light, the joy of eternal life, spring and hope, occupies a special place in the national and spiritual culture of our society. At this time, the best human qualities are most clearly revealed, the desire of people for peacemaking and creation is manifested, faith in the triumph of love and mercy is strengthened. That is why we are all trying to make a lot of efforts in order to fully realize the spiritual potential of the inhabitants of Karelia. In the days of the great Christian celebration, I wish you a blessed peace, health and prosperity.
Head of the Administration of the Head of the Republic of Karelia
Moiseev A.A. "
“Your Eminence!
Allow me to congratulate you, Orthodox believers and all residents of the Republic of Karelia, celebrating the Easter holiday - the Bright Resurrection of Christ!
Easter celebrations are the main event of the year for Orthodox Christians. They signify the victory of good, open up new opportunities for the spiritual improvement of mercy and help to others.
Sharing with you the great Easter joy, I want to express my gratitude for the effective efforts of the clergy of the Metropolitanate headed by you, which are aimed at the moral revival of the population of the Republic, strengthening civil harmony, and educating the younger generation.
On the days of the great Christian holiday, I wish you good health, peace and longevity, success in your archpastoral work for the good of Karelia and Russia.
Sincerely,
Deputy Head of the Republic of Karelia for Regional Policy
Baev V.G. "
“Your Eminence!
I sincerely and heartily congratulate you on the Lord's Easter - the Bright Resurrection of Christ, the Day of Spring and Labor and the upcoming Day of the Great Victory!
Your Eminence, with all my heart I wish you long life, physical and mental strength, courage and fruitful activity for the glory of our great people, the Fatherland, the Orthodox faith and the Russian Orthodox Church!
EASTER MESSAGE
ARCHBISHOP OF YAKUTSK AND LENSK NOVEL,
TO GOD-LOVING SHEARS, HONEST MONASTERY
AND TO ALL THE FAITHFUL CHILDREN OF THE YAKUT DIOCHY
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Beloved shepherds in the Lord, honest monasticism,
dear brothers and sisters!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
From the bottom of my heart I greet you with such familiar and such long-awaited words. These words are not only a traditional greeting on Easter and not only a sermon about the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These words are the foundation of our faith, in them is the whole essence of the Gospel, in them is the testimony of the highest spiritual values of the Church of Christ.
Quite recently, on Holy Week, you and I empathized with the suffering and death on the Cross of our Savior. However, today we are starting a new period - a period of spiritual joy, because death could not restrain the Son of God and itself was defeated by the power of the Divine presence. It is in Christ's Resurrection that we receive the hope of eternal life, which becomes possible through union with Him. Only in Him - in Christ Jesus - we unite with God and receive the gift of divine sonship.
We celebrate the events of Easter night reverently not only as what happened, but also as what continues to happen to us: we believe that Christ by His death changed the very essence of death, turning it from a terrible tragedy of humanity into a bright victory, made it Easter - the transition to the Kingdom of God, “trampling death by death” (troparion of Easter). St. John Chrysostom testifies to this, saying: “The death of the Lord has granted us immortality; descending into hell, He crushed his strength and destroyed his power. " We only need to accept this gift of God - and no one will ever be able to separate us from the love of Christ, will not be able to take from us the Eternal Life that Christ Himself gave.
My dear Yakuts! Celebrating Easter today and congratulating your loved ones on the holiday, share with them not only the material, but, first of all, the spiritual wealth of your heart. We are called to be witnesses of Christ for the world: to carry the assurance of faith where faith is dying out, to sow hope among the hopeless, to be invincible love on the ashes of human carnal and spiritual ideals and aspirations.
Lent for us was a time of repentance and improvement of our lives, but at the end of the fast we will not stop the work of our salvation. After all, the whole life of an Orthodox Christian is a struggle with sin for the sake of restoring our unity with God. Therefore, we are called to remember every day and every minute about God, who loves us above all - His creation. We can embody this love of Christ, giving it to our neighbors and everyone who needs our help. After all, the grace of the risen Christ enlightens every person who comes into the world. And each of us must unite in love and obedience with Christ still here on earth in order to be in this love after death, in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Honest fathers, dear brothers and sisters! On these holidays, I cordially greet all of you on the Resurrection of Christ. I congratulate the priests of the Yakut diocese, who are worthily carrying out their ministry in different parts of our large Northern Territory. May the All-Merciful Lord strengthen your spiritual and physical strength so that you can continue to fully serve Christ and His Holy Church. I cordially congratulate honest monasticism, all Orthodox Christians and all people who sincerely believe in the Resurrection of Christ. May the Risen Savior of the world save you from all evil, bless you for good deeds, and may His love always strengthen everyone.
