Easter message of the Metropolitan of Montenegrin - Littoral, Mr. Joanikija to the God-loving clergy, venerable monasticism and the entire pious people of the Montenegrin - Littoral Metropolis with the most joyful greeting: Christ is Risen!

Christ is risen and life lives!

With this word, St. John Chrysostom summarizes the good news of today's brightest holiday, the holiday of holidays - the Resurrection of Christ, and our entire Christian faith. The Lord defeats death, the greatest and last enemy (1Cor 15, 26) of the human race, because it was not possible for it to hold it under its authority (Acts 2, 24). In the words of Saint Justin of Celje, the Lord "solved the cursed problem of death with his Resurrection, not theoretically, not abstractly, but with an event, an experience, a historical fact of resurrection from the dead". Therefore, now everything is filled with light - both heaven and earth and the underworld, and all creation celebrates the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

Everything in the life of the Lord and in his home system of salvation is miraculous and magnificent for us. And the announcement of his birth, and his birth, and baptism; all the words he taught people, all the miracles he created healing the people from weakness and debt, and thus bringing the Kingdom of God among us. However, the secret of the personality of the God-man Christ is revealed in its fullness only through the events that we prayerfully mention and in which we participate spiritually these days: the terrible suffering and crucifixion of the Lord, his death and burial, and his glorious Resurrection. This is the secret of Christ's Passover - the secret of the blameless and harmless Lamb, predicted even before the foundation of the world, and revealed in the last days for your sake (1 Pet 1, 19-20), the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1, 29).

At the very door of suffering and death that lawless people prepared for him, the Lord Jesus says: Now my soul is excited, and what can I say? Father, save me from this hour; but that's why I came for this class! (Jn 12, 27). As a true, not an imaginary man, the Lord feels the horror and tragedy of death and, for a moment, begs the Father to deliver him from it. But, right after that, He reveals to us the secret of His coming, the secret of the Incarnation of the Son of God: He reveals to us that it was precisely for that hour of death that He came to this world. That is why His death was not an ordinary, inevitable human death, but voluntary and representative, and therefore life-giving and life-giving, saving for all people and all creation. Thus, therefore, just as by one transgression comes condemnation to all men, so by one justification comes to all men justification of life (Romans 5, 18).

That justification of life is a perfect gift, a gift that we received through the love of the Father, who raised his Only Begotten Son from the dead with the Holy Spirit. The Light of Life, which shone very early in the morning on the first day of the week (Mk 16, 2), extends to our time and enlightens and calls all those who are wandering on various paths, lost in darkness and the shadow of death (Lk 1, 79). That is why we announce to everyone that there is no such sin, no such darkness, no such death that will not be defeated before the One who is the Resurrection and the Life (Jn 11, 25).

After rising from the dead, the Lord repeatedly appeared to his disciples with the greeting Peace to you! He gives peace that surpasses all understanding. In that peace is the reconciliation of God and man, which Christ accomplished with his sacrifice on the cross and announced with his Resurrection. In it, at the same time, there is the joy of reconciliation between people. May the Risen Lord bring the joy of reconciliation to all people, starting with the closest relatives. How much joy arises in the home when quarreling spouses, husband and wife, reconcile! How much this reconciliation means for the souls of their children, for their good psychophysical development and upbringing! The reconciliation of husband and wife, children with their parents, brothers and sisters, close and distant relatives is more precious than any earthly treasure and wealth. Establishing peace among quarreling human souls brings abundance of nobility, happiness, optimism and zest for life.

The Lord called all Christians to spread peace, saying: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (Mt 5:9). If we correctly assess the importance of inner peace and harmony in the family, then we will easily understand the importance of reconciliation in a divided and quarreling society. Looking at how order and justice have been slowly and painstakingly established in our Motherland recently, and listening to the still rare but increasingly frequent calls for national reconciliation, we hope that Montenegro will overcome all internal divisions in the foreseeable future and achieve a bright synergy and the harmony of different layers of society, about which King David sings: How beautiful and wonderful it is when all brothers live together! (Ps. 132, 1); Mercy and truth met, justice and peace kissed (Ps. 84, 11). The ideal of such a society is within us, we learned it from prophets and apostles, and inherited it from Saint Sava and Saint Peter of Cetinje. Dear brothers and sisters, let's not fail to realize that ideal, with God's help.

Celebrating the Resurrection of Christ, which soothes restless human souls with heavenly peace, we are obliged to call for reconciliation between the conflicting nations of the world. Not far from us, nations close to us, some by religion, others by suffering, are at war with each other. Every day, human blood is spilled and war crimes multiply, children are killed, unfortunately and to the shame of the whole world, but calls for negotiations and peace are not heard from the warring nations, even less from those who plan and finance wars. Sporadic and barely audible calls for peace act like the voice of one crying in the desert (Is 40, 3). With these calls, we join our voice for peace, with a prayer to the God of mercy and peace to soften the hearts and understanding of the leaders of the warring countries and to stop mutual bloodshed in order to achieve as soon as possible the peace that is needed by everyone, especially their peoples.

Just as we do not forget the sufferings of Christ when we celebrate his Resurrection and victory over death, so on this bright holiday we do not forget the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, children and youth, Orthodox Serbs in crucified Kosovo and Metohija. From the colors of Kosovo to here, almost without interruption or respite, they suffer killings and ethnic cleansing, but, with countless victims and losses, they have remained at their hearths. What hurts the most is that for our people, who have suffered murders and destructions, burning of shrines, destruction of graves and cultural assets in the last decades, there is no justice or understanding in the so-called international community, while the Pristina authorities, who have committed and continue to commit such crimes, recommend Western countries for the Council of Europe and other international institutions. Even today, as Njegoš said, Kosovo is a disgraceful court. In our days, the mystery of iniquity has ended over him (2 Thess. 2:7). It violated international law, which cannot pass without serious consequences in the world. However, we Orthodox Christians do not trust in man but in God and his justice. We hope that God, who always judges justly, will hear the cries and prayers of our suffering brothers and sisters from Kosovo and Metohija, that he will give them security and peace, and richly reward them for their loyalty to our holy places and for their perseverance on the way of the cross of Christ.

We celebrate the Resurrection of Christ at holy services in temples, we continue the Easter celebration in our homes, we visit each other and strengthen ourselves spiritually. We nurture Christian unity and fraternal unity, and here and now we are foreshadowing the Kingdom of Heaven into which Christ is ushering us. With an open heart, we accept all people with whom we share the same faith, but also those who believe and think differently. God's love with which Christ enlightened us with his Resurrection should be witnessed first by good deeds and human actions, and only then by gentle, reasonable and true words.

Let the paschal joy, which embraces heaven and earth, fill our hearts. It is a joy that renews the whole being, establishes our mutual love, dispels darkness, lifts us out of sadness and depression, gives hope, instills optimism. She is bright, creative and divine. Let us all pray, dear brothers and sisters, that the Lord pours out his peace and grace on children and youth, on the old and young, on his entire Church and on all those who need God's mercy and help. With these thoughts and prayerful wishes, we congratulate everyone, Orthodox Christians and people of good will, on the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ, with an eternally joyful greeting:

                                                                         Happy Easter!

                                                                         Truly Easter!

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Metropolis of Montenegrin and Littoral