Bucharest, Easter 2017
„He has despoiled hell by descending into hell” (St. John Chrysostom, Paschal Sermon)
Your Holiness,
CHRIST IS RISEN!
The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is, at the same time, victory over the sin of Adam’s disobedience, over death and hell, since the body of Christ from the grave knew no corruption or decay, and His soul descending into hell was not retained there. The purpose of the descent of Jesus Christ into hell was „so that through His death He might bring to nothing the one who had the power of death, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to life-long slavery” (Hebrews 2:14-15). In this sense, the merciful and humble love of Christ for us, human beings, is stronger than sin, than death and hell, as forms of egotistic, lonely and sad existence.
Our faith in the victory of the Risen Christ over sin, death and hell strengthens us in our struggle against individual and collective arrogance and in confrontation with evil spirits (cf. Ephesians 6:12), which often cause despair or loneliness in souls, dissension and division in family and society, violence and crime, conflicts for power and wars in the world, etc. Therefore, through word and action, we are called to bring joy into the homes of the orphaned, sick, elderly, poor, bereaved and lonely, so that they feel the merciful love of Christ crucified and risen for the salvation of the world as a source of light, peace and joy.
We pray the Most Holy Trinity that the Holy Feast of Easter may grant you full health, with rich fruits in your pastoral, missionary and social activity.
With brotherly love in Christ, the Risen Lord,
† DANIEL
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
