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Paschal Message of Metropolitan Nestor of Korsun and Western Europe, Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe.

All-honorable fellow archpastors and pastors, co-workers in the vineyard of Christ, God-loving monks and nuns, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ!

Christ is Risen!

How aware are we that the Resurrection of Christ is our last, our only hope? Everything is in vain, everything is meaningless, everything tends to destruction in a world in which, it seems, nothing has changed since the Son of God was rejected by “his own” and sent to death, and “strangers”, along the way, cruelly tortured and killed Him – everything the same indifference, the same barbarism, everything is still drowning in pharisaism, and there is no truth, no conscience, no kindness.

Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness more... (John 3:19) But the Light followed them into this darkness, Christ ended His earthly life in the impenetrable darkness of the Calvary cave, in which His lifeless body was buried, and the entrance was blocked with a huge stone. And there was no sound or movement there, and it seemed as if the Word of God was silent forever.

But today, on the holy night of Easter, this darkness is torn apart by a flash of Divine Light, death is swallowed up in victory, Christ has risen and is creating the path to the resurrection of all flesh.

And this is our only hope, our response to the entire severity of the events surrounding us, we know that the final victory is with Christ, in Christ, in the triumph of Light, Life and Truth.

May this knowledge, may Easter joy help us remain human, simply remain human, capable of believing, empathizing, responding to the grief of others, forgiving and loving enemies, loving each other and thanking God for everything.

Happy Resurrection of Christ to all of you, my dear ones.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Paris,

Easter 2024