Orthodox Easter/ Archbishop Janullato's message: To overcome sorrows with the power of resurrection

2024-05-04 09:41:00, Aktualitet CNA

Orthodox Easter/ Archbishop Janullato's message: To overcome sorrows with

Anastas Janullatos

On the occasion of the Orthodox Easter, Archbishop Anastas Janullatos has given a message to all believers.

He emphasizes that the Easter period, in a special way and through a personal experience, invites us to come closer to Christ.

Archbishop Anastas Janullatos underlines that we are still living painful events like those in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and other countries of the world.

He further states that even our environment is often tormented by boredom, divisions, hostilities, serious diseases, various crises.

According to Archbishop Anastas Janullatos, we must walk with patience and overcome sorrows with the power of resurrection.

Full message:

The rousing hymn: "Christ rose from the dead, trampled death with death...", still resonates soothingly and comfortingly in the midst of the darkness of melancholy, caused by the painful events in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and other countries of the world. , even here, in our environment, which is often tormented by boredom, divisions, hostilities, serious diseases, crises of various kinds. The Christian faith empowers us with complete assurance. We know that we are fragile, that we keep "this treasure (of faith) in an earthen vessel" (2 Cor. 4:7-8), but this happens "so that this exceedingly great power comes to light" from God, not from us."

The period of Easter, in a special way and through a personal experience, invites us to approach Christ, who suffers and rises: "To know him and the power of his Resurrection, to participate in his sufferings and to become like unto him in his death" (Phil. 3:10).

Two truths light the way to a closer relationship with Him who suffered and rose: Acceptance to share in His sufferings and to be like Him in His death. We have emphasized once again that the Resurrection is not something that comes by itself, that comes after the Cross, but is found within the Cross, within the suffering, when we accept it as Christ accepted it.

And conversely, experiencing the Resurrection always requires as a precondition that we become like the crucified and risen Christ. This participation in His Teachings and Resurrection strengthens our resilience so that depression and despair do not consume us. The fundamental triumphant hymn, which resonates strongly within us - "Christ rose from the dead, with death he trampled death..." - is the main declaration of the Orthodox Christian faith and summarizes the deepest meaning of the Incarnation of the Son and the Word of God. This double experience, of the Cross and the Resurrection, is experienced by the martyrs of our Church throughout the centuries.

Let us also "walk with patience in the battle that awaits us, contemplating Jesus, who is the head of our faith and the one who makes it perfect" (Heb. 12: 1-2). As we gratefully praise the Triadic God during the Paschal season, let us increase our effort so that we may experience this conviction and bring comfort to our surroundings with compassion. /CNA