"Peace be with you"/ Metropolitan Archbishop of Shkodra, message of congratulations to Catholic believers for Easter

2026-04-04 11:16:00, Aktualitet CNA

"Peace be with you"/ Metropolitan Archbishop of Shkodra, message of

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Shkodra, Monsignor Giovanni Peragine, has shared a message of congratulations to all Catholic believers for Easter.

Monsignor Giovanni Peragine congratulated the faithful with the words "Peace be with you," stating that this is not just a greeting but the gift of Easter in the fullest sense.

The Archbishop of Shkodra states that at a time when the world seems filled with conflicts, tensions and violence, Peace must prevail over every form of division.

Monsignor Giovanni Peragine further adds that the Peace that Christ gives us takes concrete form in simple and everyday gestures.

Full message:

In the heart of Easter, as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord's Resurrection, through this message allow me to enter your homes to bring to all of you the gift that the Risen Jesus himself gave to his disciples: "Peace be with you."

This is a greeting of blessing, a simple but living word that wants to reach every heart and become a concrete presence in our lives.

The words of the Risen One, "Peace be with you," are not simply a greeting, but are the gift of Easter in the fullest sense: it is the Peace that is born of Christ's victory over sin and death. It is a peace that no human power can build on its own, and that no violence can ever definitively extinguish.

But for this peace to become a reality in our history and lives, it needs to be accepted, preserved, and lived.

We live in a time when the world seems increasingly divided by conflicts, tensions and violence that risk leading us towards a point of no return. Even here, in our city of Shkodra, these wounds are not far away: they are reflected in daily relationships, in economic difficulties, in the fatigue of families, in the misunderstandings that can arise between neighbors, in the concerns of young people and in the loneliness of the elderly.

However, our city carries within itself a rich history of faith, coexistence and healthy traditions, which cannot be darkened by these shadows. It is precisely within this concrete life, made up of light and weakness, that the Easter call resounds powerfully: “Peace be with you.” Let us become builders of peace and not resigned spectators, men and women capable of preserving the good, of rebuilding relationships, of courageously defending the dignity of every person and of making the strength of love and unity prevail over every form of division.

Being a peacemaker means choosing every day to oppose everything that generates hatred, oppression and injustice. The peace that Christ gives us is called to take concrete form in simple and daily gestures: in forgiveness given and received, in the choice not to respond to evil with evil, in the ability to listen, to accept and to respect.

Let us courageously open the often closed doors of our homes and communities and accept the gift of the Risen One: "Peace be with you."

Only in this way can our Church and our city become a living sign of hope, a place where the logic of peace and forgiveness triumphs over the logic of violence and where the new life of the Risen One continues to flourish. With these sentiments, I wish you all a holy and joyful Easter: “Peace be with you.” / CNA