Paschal Epistle of His Grace Bishop Vladimir, Bishop of San Francisco & Western America

Christ is Risen!

Beloved in Our Lord fathers, brethren and sisters!

How deep the meaning, what wealth of substance, what bright joy are in these words.  They do away with all sorrows, grievances, adversities, deprivations; they give life, joy and comfort.

Christ is Risen!  If Christ did not rise, then vain, unavailing would be our faith, says St. Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 15,17), useless would be our reliance - hope in Christ and eternal salvation, but Christ rose -  by that showed and proved, that He is the true God- Son of God, that His teaching, that he preached, is true and that our faith is true.  He promised, that on the third day after death he would rise from the dead and He kept His word, resurrected with a human body; therefore we all will resurrect in time, He - is the first from the dead and we, who believe in Him, will come to life, and if we are of Christ, if we will keep unshaken our Orthodox faith, if we will observe his commandements and will keep ourselves true to His Holy Church till the end,- we will be with Him.

That means there is no death, there are no dead, but all are alive in the Resurrected Christ.  As the Apostle says "Our present perishable nature must put on imperishability and this mortal nature must put on immortality. When this perishable nature shall have put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of the scripture will come true, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor. 15, 53-54).  None of our adversities, ailments, nor sorrows not even the death of our dear and close ones, should overshadow this bright joy of the Resurrection of Christ. Because what we call death - is only suppuration of soul and body, transformation to the state of eternity. Because our life is not here, here is only a temporary, brief stay, mere existence, preparation for the eternal life, which is in God.  There (let us humbly hope in this on God's mercy) we will meet everybody whom we loved, whom we lost and will joyfully embrace each other:  there will be eternal Pascha, there will be eternal life!

"This is the chosen and holy day" so let us joyfully celebrate, triumph, thank the Resurrected Lord for the joy of resurrection and pray, endure and hope, that we all too, will be considered worthy to join this eternal bright joy and mirth that could not be overshadowed by anything, of Most Holy Pascha in the forever bright Days of the Kingdom of Christ.

"So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" Therefore, beloved in Christ brethren and sisters, "Never give in then, my dear brothers, never admit defeat; keep on working at the Lord's work always, knowing that, in the Lord, you cannot be labouring in vain." (1 Cor. 15, 57-58).  Amen.

Christ is Risen!  Indeed He is Risen!

+Bishop Vladimir

Pascha of Our Lord, 2008