mospat.ru

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II greets the diplomats with Holy Pascha at the annual Paschal reception in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 April 2006

24.04.2006 · Архив 2005-2009, Документы  

Highly respected Sergei Viktorovich, esteemed ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of foreign countries, Your Eminences, Your Graces, respected representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, non-Orthodox Churches and non-Christian religious communities, staff members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dear reverend fathers, brothers and sisters!

I wholeheartedly greet you with the words of Paschal jubilation:

CHRIST IS RISEN!

On these radiant days the plenitude of the Orthodox Church celebrates Holy Pascha – the greatest Christian feast. The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation and the crown of our faith and the foremost and greatest truth of Orthodoxy.

Eastern Christian tradition does not perceive church feasts as only historical reminiscences. The Church calls upon people to experience the feasts as the events of the present time. We rejoice that the gates of life eternal have been opened to us in the Resurrection. Pascha opens the doors of Paradise to us, – we hear these words at the Paschal divine service. Our joy included the wish to transform all our life and also our seeking the undying good and unfading beauty.

It is gratifying to see that meetings of the state and public figures, Russian and foreign diplomats, representatives of the largest religious communities under the hospitable roof of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation have become a good tradition. This shows that our country is coming back to the sources of its spirituality and culture that have been always nourished by the Orthodox tradition.

I am confident that countries of the Orthodox world, as well as all countries and nations, should combine their efforts for moral revival of their societies, for preventing the conflict of civilizations and for dialogue among them. Our Church tries to help this cooperation, especially in the year of Russia’s chairmanship in G8 and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Because of that, we and the Interreligious Council of Russia have come forward with an initiative to hold the World Summit of religious leaders in Moscow next July.

I express my gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to Mr. Lavrov personally for their hospitality. May peace, joy, God’s blessing and His Almighty help be with us all.