site.btaBulgarian Church Leaders: Resurrection of Jesus Shows that Light and Life Triumph over Darkness and Death

The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church said in a paschal message on Saturday that Jesus's victory over death is the highest manifestation of God's love for us and all of Creation.

After the resurrection of Jesus, death no longer has the power with which it had enslaved humanity, the Church leaders said. "The resurrection of Christ convinced us that light and life triumph powerfully over darkness and death," they noted. Quoting the Bible (1 Peter 1:3), "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," the Holy Synod said: "This hope is always with us and inside us, pure, bright and irrepressible."

"As Orthodox Christians, we are expected to live with the clear awareness of the fundamental truths of our life-saving faith, which are so essential to us nowadays as there is still so much injustice, violence and death around us," the message said.

"On this brightest day, may the resurrection of Jesus enlighten every soul and every heart, may it drive any unbelief and doubt, despair and hopelessness away from us, because: 'Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep' (1 Corinthians 15:20)," the Synod said.

The message ended with: "May the peace and the blessing of Christ our Lord and the communion in the Holy Spirit be with all of us! Christ is risen!"