The Archbishop of Arad writes in his Easter Pastoral Letter about the exapostilaria—paschal hymns that recall the new beginning brought to the world through the Resurrection of Christ:
“The cycle of the eleven Resurrection Gospels is read during Matins, constantly reminding us of the dawn of a new beginning for the world. Within the same service, their meaning is further revealed in the church hymns known as luminândes, or svetilnes and voscresnes, which express the light of the Resurrection,” said His Eminence Archbishop Timotei.
The Savior appeared eleven times to His disciples after the Resurrection to prepare them for their mission to proclaim the Gospel to the entire world—to the East, West, South, and North.
Archbishop Timotei elaborated on the significance of the eleven exapostilaria (church hymns) connected to Christ’s Resurrection, each carrying a unique spiritual message.
Celebrating Easter in the Centennial Year
In the conclusion of his Pastoral Letter, the archbishop of Arad noted that, for the first time, Romanians will celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord during the Centennial Year.
“This year, the celebration of Holy Pascha takes place under the sign of the Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate and the confessors of the last century, who crown two millennia since the ethnogenesis of our people—an identity deeply interwoven with its Christianization,” noted the Archbishop of Arad.
“The Romanian Orthodox Church has always journeyed through the struggles of the world, but also through the victories that have crowned its history. The Resurrection of the Lord has always represented for her a renewal of the nation’s high ideals, linked to the peace and well-being of the entire world.”
Photo: Basilica.ro
