Primate’s Easter Message

He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”
“But thanks be to God! (1 Corinthians 15:57).

The pinnacle of every Christian’s spirituality is the Victorious Resurrection of Christ, our Lord, an event which has revolutionized the course of history and has woven into the fabric of society the spirit of rebirth and the breath of new faith.

Through Christ’s Resurrection, the image of the Almighty God, which had been stained by sin, has been rekindled in the heart of humanity. In his message to the Corinthians, St. Paul, the Apostle, reflects on the power and the glory of God. “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Apostle’s message delivered in the first century applies to each of us today, for we too, must nourish our souls by reliving Christ’s Victorious Resurrection in our hearts.

As the Great Lent concludes, let us reflect on the impact of the spiritual journey. We prayed, fasted, and engaged in God-pleasing deeds through almsgiving. What we gained in the process is the spiritual strength to greet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in His Triumphant entry into Jerusalem. From exclaiming “Hosanna” to proclaiming “He is Risen,” we have become the living testimony of the Resurrection of Christ, our Lord. Today, along with the myrrh-bearing women, we proudly announce the greatest news in history:

“Christ is Risen from the Dead!  Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ!”

Christ’s Resurrection draws us closer to God, requiring from us the commitment to lead a Christ-like life. In doing so, we continue to be engaged in fervent prayer, we renounce the sinful life and hence, the self-alienation from God. Those whose hearts are filled with the mystery of the Resurrection express it purely through a God-pleasing lifestyle.

Undoubtedly, man, in essence, is sinful. However, as spiritual beings, we are able to reignite the spark of spirituality to elevate our lives to God thus, transfiguring the course of our lives.

Dear faithful,
Follow in the footsteps of Christ, our Lord and adopt the life of Christ as you own. Empower your lives through the Living Word of God so that you may be renewed in Christ. The Gospel is the book of life. The source of the light radiating from the Gospel is the divine love of God. The Gospel of Christ our Lord inspires humanity with the Victorious Resurrection, the sole purpose of the Christian Faith.

“Christ is Risen from the Dead!  Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ!”

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of victory over death. The journey of our nation is similar to that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ carrying His cross on the path to Golgotha. However, what seemed to be a woeful path for the Son of God, became a sign of victory. The lives of our martyred ancestors became victorious ones as well. To us as Christian Armenians, the Church, the Motherland, our Christian Land, our spiritual values, the school and the sanctity of the family are divine gifts of God cherished by all in the depth of our hearts.

May the Victorious Resurrection of Christ, become the revelation of God’s power and glory in our lives.

“Christ is Risen from the Dead!  Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ!

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
Primate