To all clergy, monastics and the beloved faithful of the God-saved Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand
Christ is Risen – Truly He is Risen!
My dear spiritual children, by the grace of God,
The most profound, most fateful quake in the history of humanity, a quake that tectonically moved, shattered and destroyed the satanic kingdom of evil - the hellish triad of sin, death and the devil - is the Holy Feast of the Resurrection of Christ!
Yes, brothers and sisters, the Resurrection of Christ is the greatest spiritual seismic event, a mega quake in the life of humanity, which changed the course of human history once and for all. The words, "he is not here" (Mk. 16:6) spoken by the Holy Archangel Gabriel at the tomb of Christ, are a continuation – in fact a realisation, of the inaugural glad tidings addressed to the Holy Mother of God in Nazareth - “Rejoice, gracious one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28).
And indeed, the Lord has frequented the earth, bringing joy to the universe, to humanity as the crown of creation through His Incarnation, suffering, death and all-glorious Resurrection, leading us into the joy of spiritual spring, into the joy of His eternal Day, into the joy of life!
For as in Adam all die, according to the divinely inspired St Paul the apostle, even so, in Christ all shall be made alive (1 Cor 15:22). Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us rejoice with the joy of the Resurrection! The Resurrection of Christ is the new Passover, our Pascha, our way and passage - Christ himself, who frees us from enslavement to the kingdom of darkness and its spiritual pharaoh – Satan and leads us to the Promised Land, to the Kingdom of God, to the embrace of the Holy Trinity!
Having this consolation and conviction, we are called and reminded on this Paschal night, this Sunday's dawn, to be like the Myrrh Bearers of old, to meet and greet each other, to announce to the world the Glad tidings, the Goodnews, the Evangelion - that Christ is Risen! Let us do this with an apostolic conviction and enthusiasm, with joy and faith! To be persuasive in our greetings, not lukewarm, to forsake our concerns, every worry, every doubt, and to hand over all our burdens to Christ God, Who is the Resurrection and Life!
If it were not for Holy Pasch, this Feast of Feast, what could one look forward to in this world? What meaning would our daily labours, cares, struggles and efforts have if death had the final say over man?! Therefore, gathered in our holy churches across Australia and New Zealand in fraternal harmony, love, unity and peace, forgiving each other in the spirit of Holy Pascha, let us in a eucharistic manner ‘lift up our hearts’ in order to see our Victor and Saviour!
To see the One who unfurled over the graves of men a shining banner of victory, victory over death, over sin and the demons! The One who destroyed death by His death and gave life to everyone in the graves, both the spiritual and physical!
This Victory, all the 'capital' – the spiritual wealth, power and transformative grace of this Victory is graciously given to us in the Holy Church, in the Holy Sacraments and the Holy Virtues of the Church, in the life in Christ. That is why it is imperative for us, dear brothers and sisters, to hasten to our holy sanctuaries, to our holy churches. To introduce our children and grandchildren to the Holy Liturgy, to Christ. To be brought into the grace-filled presence and communion with God, to renew our lives in Him. The times are both troubling and challenging, brothers and sisters, without a good Helmsman, without our Lord Christ, we will not be able to overcome the spiritual tempest that is at hand. That is why we need to run to Christ! To Holy Orthodoxy, to the unrevised Gospel, to the unrevised Christ, to Him Who is the Way, Truth and Life (John 14:6). To Him who is the only one who can truly set us free (John 8:32).
Let us also remember this Holy Pascha our brothers and sisters in Kosovo and Metohija who continue to endure the greatest feat and sacrifice.
May the Risen Lord Jesus Christ grant them and all those who are suffering across the world His Resurrectional peace, joy and strength.
Wishing you every blessing from the Risen Lord, I greet you all, my dearly beloved faithful of the God-saved Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, and all people of good will, with the most joyful greeting:
Christ is Risen – Truly He is Risen!
Given in the Metropolis on Pascha 2024
+ S I L U A N
BISHOP OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH