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Paschal Epistles
Paschal Epistle of The Most Reverend Vladimir, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America
Christ is Risen!
Beloved of Christ brothers and sisters!
I greet you with the Joyous and Bright Feast of Christ’s Resurrection!
The Conqueror of death has Risen from the dead: the fetters of hell are broken, the gates of paradise are opened to us. The very heavens have descended to us that we should ascend to heaven. Only yesterday the sun was darkened, the veil was torn asunder and all of creation mourned: today the heavens dance and all creation rejoices, the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven is opened.
Unto Thee sings the sun, the moon gives Thee praise, Thou art served by the stars, the light obeys Thy word (from Theophany).
The second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Son of God came to earth for us, He became incarnate, taking upon Himself our human essence, in all ways He became as us, only without sin, - He showed such great Love and such condescension to mankind; can we not suffer such generosity to our own kind, to those near to us? Our Lord Jesus Christ bore the struggles of life in this world with all patience; shall we then fear, with God’s help, to conquer the obstacles and difficulties of doing good works, or to correct our passions and sinful habits?
In His love for us, He drank of the bitter cup of suffering and even death. Shall we refuse to bear hardship, illness, temptation and misfortune which the Gospel calls us to bear and teaches us, are for our spiritual benefit and salvation? He resurrected from the dead; shall we remain in our own fallen state, so as not to think of our own rising? He conquered death; shall we not kindle the hope of eternal life?
O, Pascha great and most holy, Christ our God! Heal our infirmities – take away the stone of indifference from the door of our hearts that we may know and be filled with the bright joy of Thy Resurrection! Turn us not away from Thy Face, but allow O Lord in Thy great Mercy that we may attain everlasting joy, and be counted among the choirs of the sons of Thy Resurrection. Amen.
+ Archbishop Vladimir of San Francisco and Western America
Pascha 2010
Pascha 2010
Pascha 2010
Paschal Epistle of The Right Reverend Alexei, Bishop of Soltanov and Moldovia
Christ is Risen!
Beloved brothers and sisters,
When our Lord created man in His own likeness and image, our holy forefather and foremother Adam and Eve knew not death nor fear. They knew only the all encompassing Love of God toward His creation. After the fall into sin, at the question put him by God “Adam, where art thou?” Adam answered his creator. “I heard Your voice in paradise and was afraid.” Together with the knowledge of good and evil, man came to understand fear. The greatest of fears for many epochs was the fear of death, for hell stood ready not only for the wicked but for the righteous.
Then appeared the limitless wisdom of God in His unspoken Word to His creation – by His suffering on the Cross, the Son of God redeemed mankind. Christ conquered death by His divine resurrection. We the faithful exclaim “death where is thy sting? Hades, where is your victory?” There no longer remains this ancient fear for the Orthodox Christian. Death for him is merely a short transition from life in this world to life eternal.
With joy the first Christians went to inhumane sufferings, fearlessly for Christ’s sake, the holy New Martyrs bore torture and death. In continual struggle in the battle against sin, the ascetics spent their lives in spiritual and physical battle, living in all piety that with their final breath they could exclaim: “Into thy Hands Lord, I commend my spirit.”
Who of us could contain, could bear that which was contained by these luminaries of our faith? Who among us negligent laborers of the 11th hour could claim such good works? Today, at a time in which the words of Christ about the last days and the Apocalypse are being fulfilled with frightening accuracy and the prophecies of the Fathers are being fulfilled, we are given an incomparably lighter Cross to bear and smaller ground of battle.
Who of us could contain, could bear that which was contained by these luminaries of our faith? Who among us negligent laborers of the 11th hour could claim such good works? Today, at a time in which the words of Christ about the last days and the Apocalypse are being fulfilled with frightening accuracy and the prophecies of the Fathers are being fulfilled, we are given an incomparably lighter Cross to bear and smaller ground of battle.
“Hold to what you have” are the words bequeathed to us faithful Christians by St. Philaret the confessor. With a joyful heart today we exclaim: “Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha! From death to life and from earth to heaven Christ our God has brought us, singing a song of victory!” Let each of us this day kindle this flame of Paschal joy and be careful not to extinguish it. Within this world of evil, it will preserve us and help us keep the water of life which Christ our Savior gives us, unmuddied by sin. Then each day for us, will become the Bright Feast of Christ’s Resurrection. In this way lived St. Seraphim of Sarov, who greeted each person who came to him with the wondrous words: Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
+ Bp. Alexei of Saltanov and MoldoviaPascha 2010
Paschal Epistle of The Right Reverend Anastassy, Bishop of Vladivostok & the Far East
The day of the Resurrection! Let us be illumined.
The day of the Resurrection! Let us be illumined.
Christ is Risen!
In this joyous day of the bright Resurrection of Christ, the Holy Church in a spirit of festivity and triumph exclaims: We celebrate the conquering of death, the destruction of hell, the beginning of an eternal new life; rejoicing and singing we venerate the one Giver the most Glorious and Ever-blessed God of our fathers. Together with the Holy Church we repeat these words. For the conquering is ours – this is Christ our God, the conqueror of the world. He is the conqueror of death and of hell. By His Resurrection our Lord Jesus Christ granted us life eternal and opened unto us the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Almighty Lord Himself came down to the world through the Ever-Virgin Mary, as any other human, but being God, He was utterly without sin and Holy. For our salvation He suffered, was crucified on the Cross and gloriously resurrected – by this, showing us the path to our eternal salvation. For this reason on this bright day of Christ’s Resurrection the Church calls out to us: This is the day the Lord hath made, be glad and rejoice in it.
With the Resurrection of Christ we celebrate the beginning of a new and eternal life. The soul feels this eternity and recognizes that she also shall resurrect, for this sake she gladly rejoices hearing these words: Christ is Risen! Likewise we who believe in Him shall arise!
With a sincere heart we greet you dear fathers, brothers and sisters, with the bright feast of Christ’s Resurrection and with all our soul hope for you to partake fully of the grace-filled gifts of this great feast. Amen.
Pascha 2010 + Bishop Anastassy
Vladivostok