«The day of Resurrection,
let us be radiant for the Feast;
and let us embrace one another,
let us say “brethren”, even to those that hate us,
let us forgive all things on the Resurrection, and so let us cry:
‘Christ has risen from the dead,
by death he has trampled on death;
and to those in the graves
he has given Life.’»

Easter Stichera, Tone 5.

EASTER, “The Feast of the feasts”, the triumph of the most marvellous solemnities, was celebrated by Occidental Churches last on March 23. Today, Sunday April 27, the luminous joy of Easter — this spiritual joy which inspires all the Christians for a life of good and love, and which makes us the gift of the anticipation for our own resurrection to come — radiates on all the Oriental Churches.

The Easter joy is not a hazard… It recalls us, as it is so often and so easily forgotten, that we claim ourselves all of a single and same heritage, based on faith, love, justice and unity before the Lord.

In this day, Christ came out victorious from the tomb, having brought down death and overcome sin.

Easter is thus the time of hope. A hope which does not mean only a simple salvation for self, but also the hope to see awaking, in each one of us, the strength we have all to be better people, better neighbors, better citizens, to build a better Montenegrin society and a better Montenegro.

Easter is also the time of memory. The duty to remember obliges us not to forget that, in a recent past of the history of Western Balkans, the Easter Day was dirtied by confrontations, destruction and deaths. Let us not forget the harm made to the others, like the one done to ourselves. The forgiveness we accepted and the one we gave, does not mean forgetfulness. Death triumphs only when dies out the flame of memory in the future generations.

But especially, Easter is the time of joy. This joy which transcends from the feeling we all have to be born to live, from the capacity given to us to create, from the spirit and the conscience we received all within us. They are there invaluable gifts, symbol of humanity, creative power and energy of rebirth.

To you, compatriots and friends in Montenegro and in the diaspora, to all the Orthodox Christians across the Balkans and around the world, to Christians of other confessions, in this Orthodox Easter Day 2008, the year of our Lord, by exchanging the Easter kiss — the heart filled with spiritual joy, in amazement facing to this great mystery achieved for us — my family and I, we wish you strength and courage to hope, the privilege to remember and confidence in the future.

Happy and Holy Easter 2008!

CHRIST IS RISEN!
HE IS TRULY RISEN!
INDEED HE IS RISEN!

Pierre Olivier LEROY