A round-up of the highlights of this year's Easter Message, including Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop Justin Welby, Donald Trump, Theresa May, Patriarch Kirill and Vladimir Putin.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster:
At the Easter Vigil, His Eminence Cardinal Nichols reflected on the meaning of the Paschal fire from which the Paschal candle is lit and light then radiates to every individual present:
"The fire is a symbol that is used once in the Church’s year at the Easter Vigil to ‘help us to understand the brilliant, life-changing newness of what we celebrate. Looking at the story of Moses who encounters God in the burning bush and receives from him his mission to demand the freedom of the enslaved Israelites, we too receive a mission ‘that seems as impossible: to bring to this troubled, war-torn, exploiting world, the peace and new life of Christ; to bring to our wayward hearts, with our capacity to misuse people, to belittle them, to cast them aside, the mercy and gracefulness of Christ’.
"It is with the help of the Risen Christ that this mission can be met." He invited all present to hold high their candle, and to see in the tip of fire "the sign of God’s power and presence now given to you that you too may live in God’s freedom and be his witnesses in your way of life, today and into life eternal"."
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury:
"The resurrection is a reality that changes everything in our lives. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). Everything we are and own and see is to be lived, and held and understood through the resurrection. But be under no illusion, this is utterly counter to how the world runs itself, and so we live in the now of a world in which the resurrection has happened, and the not yet of a world where there is still evil.
"Christians in Egypt live surrounded by bombs and terror. We and those we love know the grim, grey moments of illness, suffering, arguments, poverty, ill health mental and physical, prison, guilt and failure. We experience a world of pain and despair, grief and death. But, the words Jesus says on that first Easter day he says to you and me now; ‘Do not be afraid’."
Donald Trump, US President:
"Easter Sunday is a holy day of reverence and worship; it is a sacred time that fills the spirit of our Nation with the faith of our people. America is a Nation of believers. As families gather in houses of worship across the Nation, we are grateful for the tremendous blessings of this land, our home. We have a beautiful country, an abundant countryside, and an amazing people with a truly bright and wonderful future.
"From the beginning, America has been a place that has cherished the freedom of worship. That is the promise the first settlers saw in our vast continent—and it is the promise that our bravest warriors have protected for all of our citizens in centuries since, a long time ago.
"Sadly, many around the globe do not enjoy this freedom—and one of the gravest threats to religious freedom remains the threat of terror...we pray for the strength and wisdom to achieve a better tomorrow—one where good people of all faiths, Christians and Muslims and Jewish and Hindu, can follow their hearts and worship according to their conscience. With God’s grace, life always triumphs over death, freedom overcomes oppression, and faith extinguishes fear. This is the source of our hope—and our confidence in the future.
"As long as we have faith in each other, and trust in God, we will succeed."
Theresa May, UK Prime Minister:
"This Easter I think of those values that we share – values that I learnt in my own childhood, growing up in a vicarage. Values of compassion, community, citizenship. The sense of obligation we have to one another. These are values we all hold in common, and values that are visibly lived out everyday by Christians, as well as by people of other faiths or none.
"I think of those who go out of their way to visit the sick or bereaved, providing comfort and guidance to many in our country at some of the most difficult moments in their lives. I think of the sacrifices and service of aid workers who put themselves in harm’s way to bring much-needed relief in war-torn parts of the world. We should celebrate all these contributions and others like them, and the difference they make in our society and around the world.
"In doing so, we should be confident about the role that Christianity has to play in the lives of people in our country. And we should treasure the strong tradition that we have in this country of religious tolerance and freedom of speech."
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia:
"Christ again calls all of us to the feast of faith, to the feast of the Kingdom; he calls us to taste of the fruits of his redemptive sacrifice, to drink of the “water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn 4.14). However, our unity with the Lord cannot be limited to merely participation in worship or to our personal efforts in prayer. It must in full measure be reflected in all aspects of our lives. We cannot abide in carefree idleness knowing that around us are people who have yet to discover the joy of life in God, people who are suffering, the afflicted, the lonely, the downcast or in pain by way of illness. Our sacred duty is to ensure that the name of Christ is praised in all places so that people, in seeing good deeds accomplished for the glory of God, may partake in the Orthodox faith and turn their hearts towards the Father who is in heaven.
"Unfortunately, the evil human will and the temptations of the devil still operate in the world. Yet there should be no place for despondency in our souls, for in spite of all afflictions, cataclysms, conflicts and contradictions, we know that the Lord has “conquered the world” (Jn 16:33), that he has triumphed over sin and death. Therefore we have the opportunity to testify in word and deed to the grace bestowed upon us through communion with the Saviour thanks to our presence within his Church. Let us, then, be eager to fulfil the Gospel commandments so that those who are near and those who are far, in following our example may desire to become part of the triumph of faith and the richness of grace sent down by God on all his faithful children."
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia:
“Easter celebrations bring joy and hope to millions of believers, introducing them to the spiritual sources and national traditions.
"The Russian Orthodox Church plays an enormous formative role in preserving our rich historical and cultural heritage and in reviving eternal moral values. It works tirelessly to bring unity, to strengthen family ties and to educate the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism. It is making a great contribution to resolving social issues and strengthening inter-ethnic and inter-religious accord in the country. Such multifaceted work is very important today and deserves deep respect.”
PICTURE - The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby delivers his Easter Sunday sermon at Canterbury Cathedral, Kent
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