Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia congratulated the Orthodox on the feast of the bright Resurrection of Christ.
This year, the celebration of Easter is special, because there is hope for an early end to the pandemic, the patriarch said.
“The peculiarity lies in the hope that the attack of the pandemic will also pass by and, leaving us with a number of important lessons, will still leave us forever,” he said.
According to the Primate, the first lesson of the pandemic reminded people of the fragility of life.
“Modern man has been given the opportunity to be convinced of the vulnerability of everything that seemed reliable and stable, and this teaches us to truly appreciate the great gift of God – life, which is so easy to lose,” said Patriarch Kirill.
The second lesson of the pandemic is responsible decision-making. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church explained that such supposedly trifles as neglect of sanitary standards can harm a person. There are no trifles in life, and all that is significant is made up of those choices and decisions that people make every day.
The third lesson is to value human communication. Humanity turned out to be too arrogant, surrounding itself with all kinds of gadgets, the patriarch said. He emphasized that one should learn active love every day.
“After all, this is not only a manifestation of our faith, but also its strengthening by deeds of mercy. An example of the selfless service of doctors, volunteers and all those who help the suffering today is also important for us, ”he stressed.
The Patriarch called on people to become kinder and more attentive to each other, ending his speech with congratulations: “Happy holiday to all of you, with the Resurrection of Christ!”
On May 1, it was reported that the Patriarchal Easter service had begun at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will perform a procession of the cross, Easter Matins and Divine Liturgy.