Metropolitan of Korça, Anastasi: Easter brings hope and light to humanity

2026-04-12 13:24:00, Aktualitet CNA

Metropolitan of Korça, Anastasius, conveyed his message for Easter, describing the Resurrection of Christ as the foundation of faith and the source of hope for the world.

In his message to the clergy and believers, His Grace Anastasius emphasizes that the Resurrection of Christ constitutes the most joyful news of faith, underlining that it expresses the victory of life over death and gives meaning to human existence and history.

Metropolitan of Korça, Anastasius recalls that without the Resurrection of Christ, faith would be empty, while with it, the Church remains a source of hope and spiritual life.

In his message, the Metropolitan also focused on today's challenges, mentioning conflicts and insecurities in the world, and emphasizing that despite technological development, humanity continues to face anxiety and wars.

Message from the Metropolitan of Korça, Anastas

EASTER 2026

† A Nastasia

Metropolitan of Korça,

The Perspective of Man and Creation

To the clergy and hopeful believers of our Metropolis,

Brothers and sisters, fellow travelers in faith and hope,

"Now everything was filled with light, heaven and earth and the underworld..." (Easter Canon).

In the sacred splendor of this bright celebration, the Church proclaims to the whole world the most joyful and hopeful news of our faith:

Christ is Risen!

The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the ontological foundation of the existence of the Church and of man's hope. Without the Resurrection, the Gospel would be empty and faith futile. As the Apostle Paul testifies: "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is also in vain." The Church lives, breathes and bears witness because Christ is risen. The joy of the Resurrection is her vital breath. This proclamation of the Resurrection is the revelation of the deepest truth of the world and of history. For with the Resurrection of Christ it is revealed that death does not have the last word on human existence; that the world is not destined for death, but for life; that history does not end in the darkness of the grave, but opens towards the eternal light of God and that the life that God has given us is stronger than any force of decay and destruction.

“Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). The apostle Paul confidently declares.

The Resurrection of Christ is the beginning of the new creation. The Risen Lord enters history as the new Adam and opens for human nature the path of incorruption. Saint Athanasius the Great notes that Christ with His Resurrection “destroyed death and corruption” and gave man the opportunity to live in the light of eternal life (On the Incarnation). Christ did not simply return to his previous life like Lazarus; He was resurrected with a glorified, transformed body. This means that human nature, in Christ, has already passed beyond the threshold of death. In the person of Christ, humanity has entered eternal life. That is why the Church calls Easter “the feast of feasts and the celebration of feasts,” as Saint Gregory the Theologian proclaims. For in the Resurrection the mystery of the divine economy is fulfilled: God descends to death in order to raise man to His divine life.

Death, which, from the beginning of human history, seemed like an invincible tyrant and has been the greatest test of human existence, finds its destroyer in the person of Christ. In His Resurrection, it appears defeated. It does not cease to exist as a biological fact, but it loses its absolute power. Saint John Goyard in his wonderful Easter sermon tells us.

"Christ is Risen and the demons have fallen."

? Christ is Risen and the angels rejoice,

"Christ is Risen and life reigns."

Dear brothers,

Our time is characterized by great contradictions. Man has achieved extraordinary successes in science and technology, expanded the horizons of knowledge and gained power over nature that once seemed unimaginable. And yet, despite this progress, humanity continues to live in deep anxiety and uncertainty, and the world often seems shrouded in a fog of fear. Wars that wound peoples, such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the tragedy experienced by the Middle East, painfully remind us that world peace is fragile and threatened. Often, man remains powerless to heal the deep wounds that he himself creates. In this troubled reality, the Resurrection of Christ is a proclamation of hope for all humanity. It reminds us that history is not driven by the forces of violence and darkness, but by the power of life that emanates from God. In the light of the Resurrection, man learns that despair is not the last word in history and that God's love can open new horizons even where everything seems closed. Therefore, faced with the anxiety of our time, the Church continues to proclaim that true hope is not found in the temporal powers of this world, but in the Risen Christ, who remains the inexhaustible source of life and peace.

Christ Himself promised His disciples:

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you” (Jn. 14:27).

Thus, the Church knows that the true hope of humanity has only one source:

The Risen Christ.

Saint Maximus the Confessor teaches that in the mystery of Christ the ultimate purpose of creation is revealed: that the whole world may be united with God and transformed into His glory. The resurrection, therefore, does not belong only to man, but to all creation, which – as the Apostle Paul writes – “groans and suffers together” awaiting its renewal (Rom. 8:22).

Dear brothers and sisters,

The Easter message remains the Church's only and most profound response to the drama of history. In every age, even in those when darkness seems to cover the horizon of the world, the light of the Resurrection continues to illuminate the path of humanity. For the Risen Christ is all in all, he is the living presence that accompanies history and guides it towards its fulfillment in the Kingdom of God.

From the empty tomb of Jerusalem, light emanates to this day that can illuminate history and renew the human heart. From that empty tomb begins a new story for humanity: the story of life that conquers death, the story of love that transcends hatred, condemnation and revenge, and of the light that dispels all darkness. In this light, every person is called to become a witness of hope and a builder of peace.

Let us, then, open our hearts to the light of the Resurrection and allow it to transform our lives, our families, our relationships and our society. For only when the light of Christ illuminates the human heart can hope be born and true peace come.

With love and the holy joy of the Resurrection, I wish you a Happy Easter!

Christ is Risen!

Korça, April 12, 2026/ CNA