Easter message of Patriarch Kirill
"The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people"
(Titus 2:11)
Beloved in the Lord, Your Eminence archpastors, venerable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!
On a night permeated with Divine light, filled with great triumph and spiritual joy about the Lord of the world, who has conquered death, I address to all of you an ancient exclamation, unshakably testifying to our unchanging hope:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Many generations of holy men and women wished to comprehend at least to a small extent what happened almost two thousand years ago in the bosom of the luminous Holy Sepulcher. They sought to make accessible to us, as far as possible for the limited human mind, the knowledge of this wondrous mystery that took place in a burial cave near the old walls of Jerusalem. We were looking for images that would bring us closer to the understanding of the truly dramatic change that God made that night with the entire universe.
Saint John Chrysostom writes about this event: “The Day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of the world, the beginning of reconciliation, the cessation of hostilities, the destruction of death, the defeat of the devil” (Word for Holy Pascha).
In the light of what has been said, the words of the Supreme Paul, who likens the Savior’s rise from the grave to the new creation of the world and the creation of a new humanity, are filled with special meaning for us. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, everything is new” (2 Cor. 5:17), we read in the Apostolic Letter to the Corinthians.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the main content of the Christian message to the world. Only thanks to the Calvary sacrifice, inextricably linked with the glorious Resurrection, do all human daring directed to the Source of all good acquire meaning and value. The sacrifice of Christ became a response to the attempts made by people of different cultures and traditions to search for the Living God, for, according to the word of Holy Scripture, the Lord is “no respecter of persons, but in every nation he who fears Him and acts righteously is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10: 34-35), and He wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). These strenuous efforts embodied the aspirations and hopes of millions of people who at different times sought in vain for an opportunity to overcome their deplorable condition and find true “life and life more abundantly” (John 10:10).
What was destined for centuries has come to pass. From now on, death no longer has such power over man - and now, just as “in Adam all die, so in Christ all will live” (1 Cor. 15:22). That is why Easter is the most important Christian holiday, because the humiliated and tormented Jesus of Nazareth, illuminated by Divine glory, “resurrected on the third day, and made the way for all flesh to rise from the dead.”<...>let Himself be all, preeminent in all" (anaphora of the liturgy of St. Basil the Great).
Today Christ again calls us all to the feast of faith, the feast of the Kingdom, calls us to taste the fruits of His atoning sacrifice, to drink the water flowing into eternal life (John 4:14). However, our unity with the Lord cannot be limited only to participation in worship or personal prayerful zeal. It should be fully reflected in all aspects of our lives. We cannot be in a carefree celebration, knowing that there are people nearby who have not found the joy of life in God, who are suffering, mourning, lonely, destitute or tormented by illness. Our sacred duty is to ensure that the name of Christ is praised everywhere, so that people, seeing good deeds done for the glory of God, join the Orthodox faith and turn their hearts to the Father who is in heaven.
Unfortunately, the evil human will and the devil's temptation are still at work in the world. But there should be no place for despondency in our souls, for, despite all the troubles, cataclysms, conflicts and contradictions, we know that the Lord has overcome the world
(John 16:33), triumphed over sin and death. And therefore we have the opportunity to testify in word and deed to the grace given to us through communication with the Savior, thanks to being in His Church. Let us be diligent in fulfilling the Gospel commandments, so that both those near and far, following our example, will desire to join in the triumph of faith and the wealth of grace sent down from God to all His faithful children.
Again, I congratulate you all on the greatest holiday of Easter, the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loved us and washed us from our sins with His Blood and made us kings and priests to God and His Father "Glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen." (Rev. 1, 5-6)
CHRIST IS TRULY RISEN!
+ KIRILL
Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'
Moscow
Easter, 2017
M hi to you, dear visitors of the Orthodox website “Family and Faith”!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
IN This year, 2017, the main Christian holiday came on April 16. On this significant day, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' sent his traditional Easter message to archpastors, pastors, deacons, monastics and all the faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church (that is, to you and me).
P The patriarchal message is usually read at the end of the night service, when many of us, quite tired, no longer listen with due attention to the address of His Holiness, who so eloquently and intelligibly reveals the main meaning of this spring Triumph.
P Therefore, we are posting the Easter message of Patriarch Kirill for repeated (and for some, first) edifying and festive reading.
« The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.”
(Titus 2:11)
IN beloved in the Lord, Your Eminence archpastors, all-honorable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!
On a night permeated with Divine light, filled with great triumph and spiritual joy about the Lord of the world, who has conquered death, I address to all of you an ancient exclamation, unshakably testifying to our unchanging hope:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Many generations of holy men and women wished to comprehend at least to a small extent what happened almost two thousand years ago in the bosom of the luminous sepulchre of the Lord. They sought to make accessible to us, as far as possible for the limited human mind, the knowledge of this wondrous mystery that took place in a burial cave near the old walls of Jerusalem. We were looking for images that would bring us closer to the understanding of the truly dramatic change that God made that night with the entire universe.
Saint John Chrysostom writes about this event: “The Day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of the world, the beginning of reconciliation, the cessation of hostilities, the destruction of death, the defeat of the devil” (Word for Holy Pascha).
In the light of what has been said, the words of the Supreme Paul, who likens the Savior’s rise from the grave to the new creation of the world and the creation of a new humanity, are filled with special meaning for us. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; “The old has passed away, now everything is new” (2 Cor. 5:17), we read in the apostolic letter to the Corinthians.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the main content of the Christian message to the world. Only thanks to the Calvary sacrifice, inextricably linked with the glorious Resurrection, do all human daring directed to the Source of all good acquire meaning and value. The sacrifice of Christ became a response to the attempts made by people of different cultures and traditions to search for the Living God, for, according to the word of Holy Scripture, the Lord “is no respecter of persons, but in every nation whoever fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:34-35), and He wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). These strenuous efforts embodied the aspirations and hopes of millions of people who at different times sought in vain to overcome their deplorable condition and find true “life and life more abundantly” (John 10:10).
What was destined for centuries has come to pass. From now on, death no longer has such power over man - and now, just as “in Adam all die, so in Christ all will live” (1 Cor. 15:22). That is why Easter is the most important Christian holiday, because the humiliated and tormented Jesus of Nazareth, illuminated by Divine glory, “resurrected on the third day, and made the way for all flesh to rise from the dead:<…>let Himself be all, preeminent in all” (anaphora of the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great).
Today Christ again calls us all to the feast of faith, the feast of the Kingdom, calls us to taste the fruits of His atoning sacrifice, to drink the water flowing into eternal life (John 4:14). However, our unity with the Lord cannot be limited only to participation in worship or personal prayerful zeal. It should be fully reflected in all aspects of our lives. We cannot be in a carefree celebration, knowing that there are people nearby who have not found the joy of life in God, who are suffering, mourning, lonely, destitute or tormented by illness. Our sacred duty is to ensure that the name of Christ is praised everywhere, so that people, seeing good deeds done for the glory of God, join the Orthodox faith and turn their hearts to the Father who is in heaven.
Unfortunately, the evil human will and the devil's temptation are still at work in the world. But there should be no place for despondency in our souls, for despite all the troubles, cataclysms, conflicts and contradictions, we know that the Lord conquered the world (John 16:33), triumphed over sin and death. And therefore we have the opportunity to testify in word and deed to the grace given to us through communication with the Savior, thanks to being in His Church. Let us be diligent in fulfilling the Gospel commandments, so that both those near and far, following our example, will desire to join in the triumph of faith and the wealth of grace sent down from God to all His faithful children.
Again, I congratulate you all on the greatest holiday of Easter, the holiday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him, who loved us and washed us from our sins in His blood and made us kings and priests to His God and Father, be glory and dominion forever and ever, amen” (Rev. 1:5-6).
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' addressed the archpastors, pastors, deacons, monastics and all faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church with a traditional Easter message.
Beloved in the Lord, archpastors, all-honorable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
From a heart filled with bright joy about the Savior who has risen from the Tomb, I greet you all with these life-affirming words and congratulate you on the holiday of feasts - the Easter of the Lord.
Now we are called to the great feast of faith, to the great triumph of the spirit. The Only Begotten Son of God, who came into the world, endured suffering and death on the cross, and by the command of the Heavenly Father rose victoriously from the grave! Jesus has risen - and “death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54)! He has risen - and the whole Universe rejoices! The Lord abolished hell and crushed the power of the devil. And all this was accomplished by the God who loves mankind, in order to adopt us as sons to Himself through Jesus Christ, in whom we have redemption through His Blood and forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:4-5; 7).
Christ's victory over death is not only a spiritual, but also a physical reality. The Lord Jesus truly rose again in body for the salvation of all people. With His resurrection, death lost its irreversible character, and for those who believed in Christ it became birth into eternal life, a door that opens the path to heaven, to the Kingdom of God.
It is no coincidence that the martyrs for Christ courageously faced any suffering. And if earlier even the great righteous mourned over the dead as if they were lost, then after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, death no longer frightened them. As St. Athanasius the Great wonderfully writes, from now on all believers in Christ trample on it as nothing, knowing quite well that when they die, they do not perish, but live and become incorruptible through the resurrection (The Word about the incarnation of God the Word and His coming to us in flesh). A striking example was shown to us by the new martyrs of the Russian Church, who fearlessly accepted the crown of confession during the years of persecution of the faith in the 20th century.
Today, when the world is becoming more and more like the foolish rich man from the Gospel parable (see Luke 12:16-21), when comfort, success and long life are declared almost the main values of human existence, we, the disciples and followers of the Savior, follow the apostle Paul boldly testifies: for us life is Christ (Phil. 1:21), and death is not the end of existence. We say and believe this, because we know: God created the human soul for eternity.
How often do we, immersed in the bustle and anxiety of everyday life, lack spiritual vigilance to recognize the transforming power of the Divine presence in our lives! But the Easter period is a very special time. These days, even the air itself seems to be saturated with incomparable Easter joy, and God’s love and mercy are poured out abundantly on every person.
As we enter into the celebration of this wondrous and radiant holiday, we are called not only in word, but also in deed, to convincingly testify to the great gift that people received through the Risen Lord Jesus. Let us share the joyful gospel news with those around us, give our love, care and attention to our loved ones, and do good to those who need our help and consolation. Only in this way, glorifying the Savior who rose from the tomb with grateful lips and a grateful heart, do we become heirs of the Easter miracle that took place and boldly call ourselves sons and daughters of the Most High God, who has shown immeasurable love for all of us.
Heartily congratulating you on the bright holiday of Holy Easter, I again and again extend my joyful greetings to you:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL Rus'
Moscow, Easter, 2018
Based on materials from the website patriarchia.ru
07.04.2018
Beloved in the Lord, archpastors, all-honorable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
From a heart filled with bright joy about the Savior who rose from the Tomb, I greet you all with these life-affirming words and congratulate you on your holiday of holidays- Easter of the Lord.
Now we are called to the great feast of faith, to the great triumph of the spirit. The Only Begotten Son of God, who came into the world, endured suffering and death on the cross, and by the command of the Heavenly Father rose victoriously from the grave! Jesus is risen - and "Death is swallowed up in victory"(1 Cor. 15:54)! He has risen - and the whole Universe rejoices! The Lord abolished hell and crushed the power of the devil. And all this was accomplished by the Humane-loving God, that He might adopt us as sons through Jesus Christ, in whom we have redemption through His blood and forgiveness of sins(Eph. 1:4-5; 7).
Christ's victory over death is not only a spiritual, but also a physical reality. The Lord Jesus truly rose again in body for the salvation of all people. With His resurrection, death lost its irreversible character, and for those who believed in Christ it became birth into eternal life, a door that opens the path to heaven, to the Kingdom of God.
It is no coincidence that the martyrs for Christ courageously faced any suffering. And if earlier even the great righteous mourned over the dead as if they were lost, then after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, death no longer frightened them. As St. Athanasius the Great wonderfully writes, from now on all who believe in Christ trample upon it as nothing, knowing full well that when they die they do not perish, but live and become incorruptible through the resurrection(The Word about the incarnation of God the Word and His coming to us in the flesh). A striking example was shown to us by the new martyrs of the Russian Church, who fearlessly accepted the crown of confession during the years of persecution of the faith in the 20th century.
Today, when the world is becoming more and more like the foolish rich man from the Gospel parable (see Luke 12:16-21), when comfort, success and long life are declared almost the main values of human existence, we, the disciples and followers of the Savior, follow the apostle Paul we boldly testify: for us life is Christ(Phil. 1:21), and death is not the end of existence. We say and believe this, because we know: God created the human soul for eternity.
How often do we, immersed in the bustle and anxiety of everyday life, lack spiritual vigilance to recognize the transforming power of the Divine presence in our lives! But the Easter period is a very special time. These days, even the air itself seems to be saturated with incomparable Easter joy, and God’s love and mercy are poured out abundantly on every person.
As we enter into the celebration of this wondrous and radiant holiday, we are called not only in word, but also in deed, to convincingly testify to the great gift that people received through the Risen Lord Jesus. Let us share the joyful gospel news with those around us, give our love, care and attention to our loved ones, and do good to those who need our help and consolation. Only in this way, glorifying the Savior who rose from the tomb with grateful lips and a grateful heart, do we become heirs of the Easter miracle that took place and boldly call ourselves sons and daughters of the Most High God, who has shown immeasurable love for all of us.
Heartily congratulating you on the bright holiday of Holy Easter, I again and again extend my joyful greetings to you:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
+KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL Rus'
Moscow, Easter, 2018
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' addressed the archpastors, pastors, deacons, monastics and all faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church with a traditional Easter message.
“The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people”
(Titus 2:11)
Beloved in the Lord, Your Eminence archpastors, venerable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!
On a night permeated with Divine light, filled with great triumph and spiritual joy about the Lord of the world, who has conquered death, I address to all of you an ancient exclamation, unshakably testifying to our unchanging hope:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Many generations of holy men and women wished to comprehend at least to a small extent what happened almost two thousand years ago in the bosom of the luminous sepulchre of the Lord. They sought to make accessible to us, as far as possible for the limited human mind, the knowledge of this wondrous mystery that took place in a burial cave near the old walls of Jerusalem. We were looking for images that would bring us closer to the understanding of the truly dramatic change that God made that night with the entire universe.
Saint John Chrysostom writes about this event: “The Day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of the world, the beginning of reconciliation, the cessation of hostilities, the destruction of death, the defeat of the devil”(Word for Holy Easter).
In the light of what has been said, the words of the Supreme Paul, who likens the Savior’s rise from the grave to the new creation of the world and the creation of a new humanity, are filled with special meaning for us. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the ancient has passed away, now everything is new.”(2 Cor. 5:17), we read in the apostolic letter to the Corinthians.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the main content of the Christian message to the world. Only thanks to the Calvary sacrifice, inextricably linked with the glorious Resurrection, do all human daring directed to the Source of all good acquire meaning and value. The sacrifice of Christ became a response to attempts made by people of different cultures and traditions to search for the Living God, for, according to the word of the Holy Scriptures, the Lord “He is no respecter of persons, but in every nation whoever fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.”(Acts 10:34-35), and He wants everyone to be saved and reach the knowledge of the truth(1 Tim. 2:4). These intense efforts embodied the aspirations and hopes of millions of people who at different times sought in vain for an opportunity to overcome their deplorable condition and find true "life and life abundantly"(John 10:10).
What was destined for centuries has come to pass. From now on, death no longer has such power over man - and now as “In Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive”(1 Cor. 15:22). That is why Easter is the most important Christian holiday, because the humiliated and tormented Jesus of Nazareth, illuminated by Divine glory, “He rose again on the third day, and made the way for all flesh to rise from the dead:<…>let Himself be all, preeminent in all.”(anaphora of the Liturgy of Basil the Great).
Today Christ again calls us all to the feast of faith, the feast of the Kingdom, calls us to taste the fruits of His atoning sacrifice, to drink water springing up into everlasting life(John 4:14). However, our unity with the Lord cannot be limited only to participation in worship or personal prayerful zeal. It should be fully reflected in all aspects of our lives. We cannot be in a carefree celebration, knowing that there are people nearby who have not found the joy of life in God, who are suffering, mourning, lonely, destitute or tormented by illness. Our sacred duty is to ensure that the name of Christ is praised everywhere, so that people, seeing good deeds done for the glory of God, join the Orthodox faith and turn their hearts to the Father who is in heaven.
Unfortunately, the evil human will and the devil's temptation are still at work in the world. But there should be no place for despondency in our souls, because despite all the troubles, cataclysms, conflicts and contradictions, we know that The Lord has conquered the world(John 16:33), triumphed over sin and death. And therefore we have the opportunity to testify in word and deed to the grace given to us through communication with the Savior, thanks to being in His Church. Let us be diligent in fulfilling the Gospel commandments, so that both those near and far, following our example, will desire to join in the triumph of faith and the wealth of grace sent down from God to all His faithful children.
Paki, I congratulate you all on the greatest holiday of Easter, the Feast of the Resurrection “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him, who loved us and washed us from our sins with His Blood and made us kings and priests to His God and Father, be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.” (Rev. 1:5-6).
CHRIST IS TRULY RISEN!
+KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL Rus'
Moscow, Easter, 2017
