Heads Of Catholic And Orthodox Churches Of Belarus Congratulate The Faithful On Easter
- 20.04.2025, 12:26
Who called for obedience and who for hope?
Head of the Catholic Church in Belarus Józef Staniewski and Exarch of the Belarusian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Veniamin, addressed the faithful with congratulations on April 20, when all Christians in Belarus celebrate Easter. This year, both the “Catholic” and “Orthodox” dates fell on the same day, writes Telegraf.
The head of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, Exarch Veniamin, congratulated the faithful on their bright joy in his message to them and asked them not to lose the feeling of it immediately after the holiday.
“How can we preserve this joy and spiritual mood? The works of the Holy Fathers say that obedience is the shortest path to salvation and the acquisition of spiritual joy. And in our days, it brings the same blessed fruits,” the Metropolitan advised.
According to him, “obedience in the Lord of the clergy and monks to their hierarchy, juniors to seniors, subordinates to superiors, children to parents, bearing each other's burdens and infirmities — all this, undoubtedly, affirms harmony not only in social and everyday life, but also in spiritual life.”
In turn, Head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus Archbishop Józef Staniewski called on believers to maintain hope “for the final victory of good over evil.”
He called to remember that the resurrection of Christ is called to strengthen faith, that “among the inconstancy and chaos of the modern world in various trials and endurances, henceforth the source of love and strength is invariably the resurrected Lord — the conqueror of death, hell and Satan”.
“The resurrected Jesus tells his disciples to go to Galilee — the place where during their daily affairs they met him, the teacher from Nazareth, and followed him. May our encounter with the living Savior, present in the Holy Sacrament, help us in Galilee to find the purpose and meaning of life, and strengthen our hope for the final victory of good over evil, love over hate, and life over death. May our hearts be kindled when the risen Christ comes to us with his word — the good news — and the Bread of Life in Holy Communion,” Archbishop Józef Staniewski urged.