Patriarchal Proclamation on Holy Pascha 2005

Protocol No. 335

B A R T H O L O M E W

BY THE MERCY OF GOD

ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE,

NEW ROME, AND ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH,

TO THE PLENITUDE OF THE CHURCH,

GRACE, PEACE AND MERCY

FROM CHRIST THE SAVIOUR,

RISEN IN GLORY

Beloved brothers and sisters, children in the Lord,

It is with great joy that we address you once again with the Resurrectional greeting "Christ is Risen!"

This greeting incorporates and heralds the substantive content of our Christian faith: "We celebrate the death of Death". This message continues to be unique and daring even in our times, for, despite the two thousand years that have elapsed since the birth of Jesus Christ, who is Resurrected, humanity did not love life in the same way Jesus Christ honored it.

Unfortunately, murderous tendencies are widely spread. People obliterate their competitors in order to prevail. Murderers kill in order to rob or destroy incriminating evidence. Terrorists kill in order to force nations and governments to accept their demands. Ideologues take lives in order to facilitate the prevailing of their ideology. Nations clash for reasons of racial dominance, and thousands of people are killed from all opposing sides due to the absence of a spirit of conciliation and peaceful settlement. Fanatics murder the ones that do not share in their fanaticism. Believers of one faith sometimes kill others who represent a different faith. Ruthless people kill in order to satisfy their bloodthirsty instincts. Some commit suicide because they consider the divine gift of life to be an unbearable burden. In general, murderous acts, which are condemned by all humanity and God, tend to become an acceptable reality and a legitimate means for the accomplishment of certain goals that are unacceptably placed above human life.

In the midst of this abundance of blood shedding, there appears the leader and Giver of life, Who was murdered by humanity, trumpeting to all that murderous acts are not signs of success. He heralds that resurrection and judgment awaits us all, that life is stronger than death, and that the ones who build their edifices upon the death of their fellow human beings labor in vain. Our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ confirmed through His Resurrection His message that He is the way, the truth and the life. He also confirmed that God did not create death, nor does He take pleasure in the loss of life (Wisdom of Solomon 1:13). For while God created everything to last eternally, death entered the world as a result of the impiety of people. The love of God, though, not being able to tolerate the predominance of death over human beings comes to the rescue of humanity and remedies the ills of human sin.

He was Incarnate, assumed mortal flesh and willingly suffered death on the Cross, but He came back to life on His own power, stronger than death, thus becoming the Forerunner of all who want to return to life alongside with Him. The firstborn among the dead, first of the resurrected, Giver of life and life after death, abolished the bearer of death. Contemporary humankind is so familiar with the catastrophic evil of humanity that he does not always understand the joy and depth of the Resurrection, the restitution and eternal life that our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ has given us. Those people, however, who foretaste and recognize the joy arising from the Resurrection feel exultation upon saying "Christ is Risen". Today, we Orthodox Christians celebrate along with the people who experience this joy of the Resurrection of the Lord, and we address one another with the victorious greeting "Christ is Risen!"

Holy Pascha 2005

+ Bartholomew of Constantinople

Your fervent intercessor before the Risen Christ

To be read at the Divine Liturgy on the Feast of Holy Pascha, immediately after the Holy Gospel.