|
|
Paschal
Epistle of the Rector of the Desecrated Church of the New Martyrs
of Russia
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Dear in the Lord Fathers, Brothers and Sisters!
I greet you with the most joyous and holiest of all holidays,
the celebration of
celebrations—the Pascha of the Lord! May these bright days
fill our hearts with joy and
gratitude to the resurrected Lord for His immeasurable love
for us. Let us rejoice and sing,
embrace each other and proclaim:
Christ is risen from the dead, conquering death with death,
and on those in the grave
bestowing life!
The Christian looks with bewilderment upon those who stand to
the side, who do not share
the joy which fills the universe:
Let the heavens be glad as is meet, and let the earth rejoice;
and let the whole world,
visible and invisible, keep festival, for Christ, the eternal
gladness, is risen.
In the pre-dawn hours of the first day of Pascha, apparently
in darkness, vandals raised a
hand against the House of God and shattered a window in the
altar of our church. More
horrifying is that they broke the cross in the stained-glass
window. Let us pray that the
all-merciful Lord forgive these unfortunates their terrible
sin, for the Holy Spirit to lead
their hearts to repentance, and their feet to the House of God,
so that, entering, they would
bow to His holy Temple.
There were times in the history of our Russian Church when churches
were desecrated and
destroyed. How sad it is that now also there are unfortunate
souls who emulate the ferocity
of outrageous mobs of atheists.
We appeal to everyone to whom our church is dear to help restore
the beauty and splendor
of the church, so that the window of the House of God is not
boarded up, so that the sun
would once again shine through the gold cross against its blue
background.
The Lord has arisen, and nothing could restrain Him, not a stone
over the tomb, not armed
guards. Nor will anything darken our joy over the resurrection
God and His great mercy
towards us!
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Priest Sergei Sveshnikov
Pascha of the Christ 2003
New Martyrs of Russia Orthodox Church
Mulino, Oregon |
|
|
