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Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, sent his greetings with the Resurrection of Christ to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople; His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria, His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch; His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of  Jerusalem, His Holiness and Beatitude Catholics-Patriarch Iliya II of All Georgia, His Holiness Patriarch Irenej of Serbia, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania, His Holiness Patriarch Neofit of Bulgaria, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus, His Beatitude Archbishop Hieronymos II of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, His Beatitude Metropolitan Savva of Warsaw and All Poland, His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia; and His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada. The text reads as follows:

Christ is risen!

Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the feast of the Holy Passover.

Imbued with the never-fading light of Christ’s resurrection, heaven and earth reverentially hearken to the God-man’s victory over death. A blessing has been brought through the Cross, the Tomb has become the gateway into eternal life, and our heart, amazed by this miracle, repeats the words of the saint: ‘What words do I have to convey a greeting to the tomb that brings forth life, to the grave free from corruption?’ (Blessed Hesychius of Jerusalem, Second Homily on the Holy Passover).

‘Christ is risen, and life reigns’ (St. John Chrysostom. The Paschal Homily), and we are called upon to share this eternal blessed life in his unending kingdom.

It is my prayerful wish for you that the unfailing joy of this feast and the compassionate and abundant succour that is from above shall abide with you always, fortifying your labours in the difficult realm of Your Primatial ministry.

With reverential love in the risen Lord,

 + Hilarion

Metropolitan of Volokolamsk

Chairman

Department for External Church Relations

Moscow Patriarchate