Paschal Epistle of the Metropolitan of Singapore and South-East Asia, SERGIY to the Most Reverend bishops, clergy, monastics, and all the orthodox flock of the Patriarchal Exarchate of South-East Asia

Most Reverend Archpastors, Venerable Fathers, beloved brothers and sisters!

CHRIST IS RISEN!

I heartily congratulate all of you on the feast of Pascha – Divine, joyful, saving, which opened the way to immortality for everyone.

The spring of faith has come, driving away the sadness of passions and the storm of thoughts (service on Thursday of the 2nd week after Pascha) and illuminating us with the wonderful light of the Resurrection. The Lord, who loves His creation more than a mother loves a child, ascended the Cross for us, and conquered death so that every believer could become an heir to eternal life. Compared to the blessedness promised by Christ, compared to the joy of being with Him, earthly sorrows and fears, problems and trials become insignificant, moreover, that God is with us in any circumstances.

What could be more joyful for a believer than the knowledge that he is a beloved child of the Lord and the hands of the Father are always open to him! The crucified and resurrected Christ is not somewhere far away: He not only never leaves us, but creates us as partakers of His Body and Blood, temples of the Spirit, from which, every evildoer, every passion, may flee as from fire (prayer after Holy Communion of St. Simeon Metaphrastes).

We have received from God the fullness of love, and it is our sacred duty to share this love with our neighbours and always be guided by it in our lives. Let, looking at us, believers glorify and thank God, and non-believers turn to Him, wishing to become the same bright and happy people as Christians.

May the Risen Saviour grant all of you spiritual and bodily strength, peace and joy, spiritual vigour and all kinds of well-being, strengthen you in your works and good deeds, that His Holy name may be glorified through the ages. Amen.

SERGIY

Metropolitan of Singapore and South-East Asia,
Patriarchal Exarch of South-East Asia

Most reverend archpastors, all-honorable fathers, beloved brothers and sisters!

On this radiant day, I cordially greet all of you on the feast of the Nativity of Christ!

Today, people joyfully sing praises to the Lord, who for the sake of our salvation humbled Himself, became one of us, and thereby united all those who awaited His advent. In the present time the true unity of believers in Christ is especially important for each of us. The Lord asked His Father specifically for this unity, the entire fullness of the Church prays for it fervently, and the hearts of all who suffer from divisions, who love their neighbors and who want to be peacemakers and be called sons of God (Matt. 5, 9) are anguished. It is no coincidence that the word peace is so often found in the Gospel: the Saviour left His peace to the apostles, He met them with the greeting, peace be unto you, after the Resurrection – and it is not for nothing that this blessing sounds in our Church at every divine service.

What is required of us in the present difficult time, what contribution can we make to the establishment of peace and unity? Firstly, it is important not to give in to
despondency and keep the strength of faith – the foundation without which it is impossible to build a life full of true meaning and spiritual joy. Secondly, it is necessary to devote your time not to endless reading and discussion of the news, escalating the situation, but to visit the temple of God and not lessen in prayer,
working in good faith at the place of service where the Lord has set us. Thirdly, we need to perform deeds of mercy, treat our neighbors with patience and love, encourage the disheartened and support the weak, showing sympathy, benevolence and tenderness, in all of which may the Saviour who came into the world strengthen us.

Greeting you again and again on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, I wish all of you spiritual and bodily strength, peace and joy, prosperity and the generous help of the Merciful Lord, in Whom the whole visible and invisible world today spiritually rejoices.

Metropolitan of Singapore and South-East Asia,
Patriarchal Exarch of South-East Asia