Easter Reception Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russian Federation.

Easter Reception Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russian Federation
Address by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia at Easter Reception in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Highly Esteemed Sergey Victorovich, Honourable Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of foreign states;

Your Eminences and Graces, Reverend Representatives of Local Orthodox Churches, non-Orthodox Churches and non-Christian religious communities;

Esteemed staff members of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

Dear fathers, brothers and sisters:

CHRIST IS RISEN!

These days the Holy Orthodox Church is celebrating the victory of Christ the Saviour over death. His Resurrection, according to the faith of the Church, has granted immortality to the human race and opened to humanity the way to the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. According to St. John Chrysostom, ‘Christ is risen, and life lives!’

The Holy Pascha is the day when human life can no longer be meaningless. The good news about the Risen Christ is the cornerstone of Christian Faith on which the entire edifice of the Church’s mission is built. For those who believe in Christ His Resurrection is an inexhaustible source of spiritual strength, a basis for zeal in good works and a focus of cultural heritage for many nations. Pascha is ‘the feast of feasts and the triumph of triumphs’. Many moving traditions observed by Christian, especially Orthodox, nations are associated with the Paschal period. These traditions have survived through centuries. They were not lost even in the years of persecution as we can vividly see their revival today.

It is gratifying that in these holy days the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has generously hosted us to a Paschal reception. This points not only to normalization of church-state relations in Russia, but also to establishment of ever wider partnerships between us, like that which exists in many countries in Europe and the world. I am confident that we will continue working together for building a dignified life for the people, for clearing their morality.

I cordially greet the state and public leaders, diplomats of Russia and other countries, and representatives of major religious communities. It is my conviction that at a time when integration processes are gathering momentum throughout the world, countries with ages-old Orthodox spiritual and cultural heritage should not remain in disunity. The voices of our nations who have imbibed the truth of Christ and shared a similar historical experience should resound clearly and jointly.

I am profoundly grateful to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and personally to Sergey Victorovich Lavrov for the hospitality that has been accorded us. I wish you all abiding Paschal joy. May the gracious help of God preserve you in all ways of your life. May the life-giving light of the Resurrection of Christ always illuminate your hearts.

CHRIST IS RISEN!