His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russian has sent Easter greetings to heads of non-Orthodox churches, reports the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church. Among the addressees are Patriarch Tawadros II of the Coptic Church, Pope Francis of Rome, Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syrian Jacobite Church, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians, Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia, Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Gewargis II Sliva of the Assyrian Church of the East; Maronite Patriarchate Bechara Boutros Cardinal al-Rahi; Metropolitan Baselios Mar Thomas Paulose II of Malankara, Patriarch Abune Mathias of Ethiopia, and others.
The message reads as follows:
I cordially salute you on the Radiant Easter of the Lord and address to you the life-asserting greeting:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Today the great feast of the feasts has come, according St. John Chrysostom, the banquet of faith and the richness of goodness. The rising of the Savour from the dead has destroyed the stronghold of hell and dissipated the darkness of sin. Let us rejoice on this wonderful day, for through the resurrection the human race has been granted eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23).
Sharing the joy of the feast with those who are near and who are far, let us join efforts to assert in society the lifelong moral values, help those who suffer from injustice, who are persecuted or endangered by the spreading coronavirus infection.
I wish you spiritual and physical strength and God’s help in fulfilling your lofty ministry, and to your flock I wish peace and welfare.
+ Kirill
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
