Sunday After the Exaltation of the Cross/ Sermon of His Beatitude John: Understanding freedom is very important

2025-09-21 11:24:00, Aktualitet CNA

Sunday After the Exaltation of the Cross/ Sermon of His Beatitude John:

Today, Orthodox believers celebrate the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross. The Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, Joan, delivered his sermon at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ.

In his sermon, the Archbishop said that the cross is very important in the life of a Christian and said that it is very important to understand the mystery of the cross.

Further, His Beatitude stated that through the cross comes healing and joy.

Archbishop Joan said that freedom is one of the greatest loves that God has created for every human being and it is very important to understand freedom.

" The cross is very important in the life of a Christian and the most important thing is to understand the mystery of the cross. Through the cross comes salvation, through the cross comes healing and joy. The Church dwells at length on the cross, because it is fundamental to understanding the Christian life. The Lord tells us a few words about the cross: Whoever comes after me must take up his cross. God does not force people, because He respects the freedom of every person. Every person has the freedom to sin, but he also has the responsibility for that, because freedom, if there is no responsibility, turns into debauchery and turns into harm to every person. Freedom is always associated with responsibility. That is why people often say when they commit crimes that their freedom is taken away, precisely because they have abused their freedom. Understanding freedom is very important, it is one of the greatest loves that God has created for every human being. He has made them a free being who will decide with his good will. If we are really going to follow the cross with the will free, it means that we have understood the mystery of the Church ," His Beatitude said./ CNA