Paschal Epistle of His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus
Pascha 2004

Christ is Risen, our beloved Archpastors, Pastors, Monastics and Flock!

On this holy day, in all Orthodox churches throughout the world, these words are sung: "Yesterday, I was buried with Thee, O Christ. Today I arise with Thee in Thy Resurrection." The memories of the Passion of the Lord have passed, yesterday we were crucified along with Christ, and today we arise with Him in the joy of His ever-glorious Resurrection.

Today, as we are taught by the Apostle, we cry out along with the entire Church: "Death, where is thy sting, o hades, where is thy victory?! Christ is risen, now all things are filled with light: heaven and earth, and the nether regions." On this day, death has lost its power over us, sin has lost is fatal potency. Today "the Light from the tomb," if we are open to Him, will give us the fruits of this victory, He illumines and sanctifies even us sinners.

The Holy Church remembers the year round the events connected with the incarnation on earth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through this urges the faithful to keep a constant, salvific memory of God.

Immersing ourselves in the memories from the Gospel, we commune with the earthly struggle and teaching of the Lord, and through it try to better absorb His laws and His Spirit, so that we are not Christians in name only. The high point of these recollections is this day, when the earthly mission of the Son of God, filled with suffering and need, was crowned with the destruction of the power of hell and with the trampling underfoot of death and the devil.

The Lord suffered so that we could become heirs of His victory, so that we could enter the joy of our Lord. Wonderful gifts have been granted to us. We must be worthy of these gifts, we must be worthy carriers of the bright name of Orthodox Christians. To whom much is given, said the Lord, much is expected. We were given the treasure of the true faith, which obliges us not to be proud of it, but to tremble before the responsibility of this gift and to generously share it with our neighbor.

The Lord said to us: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). We must be as light for the world, for if the salt of the faith of Christians loses its savor, wherewith shall the world be salted? Only by saving yourselves, in the words of St. Seraphim, can we help others, and lead our neighbors to God.

Our teaching should begin with ourselves. If we truly begin to save ourselves, and if our faith truly becomes firm, this will be reflected in our neighbors through prayer and example, and we will draw them to the path of salvation, and the prayers of the faithful can help not only the living, but for the dead, for they can receive our help even in their existence beyond the grave.

The Lord came to the earth, suffered and arose from the dead, so that we can, alongside Him, through the patient endurance of sorrows, be resurrected into the eternal life. But for this we must sanctify our souls, our lives and our actions through the grace of God.

Let us lay aside sinful sorrows and direct our devotional gaze upon the Resurrected Christ, and become communicants of His Divine Light, and hear the words: "O good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

I greet all the bishops, pastors and our God-loving flock on the Bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ!

Indeed Christ is Risen!

+Metropolitan Laurus
Pascha 2004