ΙΕΡΑ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΗ

ΓΝΗΣΙΩΝ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΩΝ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΩΝ ΑΥΣΤΡΑΛΙΑΣ

HOLY ARCHDIOCESE OF GENUINE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS OF AUSTRALIA
40 Kenyon Rd Bexley, Sydney NSW 2207 Tel. (02) - 95539030 - 95887143 FAX 95539327

Sydney Holy Pascha 2018.

Ref. No. 8020

PASCHAL ENCYCLICAL 2018

TO
The Most Pious Orthodox Brothers and Sisters
of the Holy Archdiocese of Genuine Orthodox Christians of Australia.
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, blessed children of me, the least
of all, Grace, peace and blessing of the Resurrected from the dead Saviour
Christ be with you and your families always. Amen.
Following a long period of strict fasting and spiritual contests we have
arrived at the great and glorious feast of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus
Christ, otherwise known as the great feast of Pascha (Passover).
Today, all the hymns, prayers and petitions have a festive and joyous
character. Indeed, this year the hymns alternate between those of the resurrection
and those of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and the joy is all the greater.
Everything is bright and brilliant. At this year’s Pascha feast we heard, “O earth,
announce good tidings of great joy”, and, “Now are all things filled with light;
Heaven and earth, and the nethermost regions of the earth”. The Christian soul
that hears “Christ Has Risen” experiences joy and blessing, and above all he feels
it and lives it.
It is, however, more important that we feel and live the message of Christ’s
resurrection. The question remains how? It is well known that within the great
feast of Pascha, (as the hymnographer characteristically notes) “We celebrate the
death of death, the destruction of Hades, and the beginning of an everlasting
life”. Namely we celebrate the tripartite event of Christ’s Resurrection, which is
the victory over death, the destruction of the bonds of Hades, and the restoration
of human nature’s first God-given gifts. This is why the Resurrection of Christ
remains a joyous and festive event for humans.
But how can one share in this joyous event? How can one feel and live the
resurrection of Christ? The hymnographer of Holy Week helps us receive an
answer to our question, through the words of the hymn “come and let us
accompany Him and let us be crucified with Him… that we may also live with
Him”. Furthermore, it remains logical that there can be no resurrection without
a preceding death. Resurrection means a return from death to life. This is the
reason why Christ first tasted death, through His crucifixion and three days later
arose from the dead and offered mankind the tripartite gift of the resurrection,
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which is the victory over death, the deposition of Hades, and the restoration of
human nature’s first God-given gifts.
The believer must therefore die together with Christ; indeed, one must be
crucified for Christ, and is to be resurrected with Christ and thus feel and live
the joy of the resurrection. But how does one die together with Christ? When the
old man of sin, disobedience and unbelief is put to death, one dies together with
Christ. The period of fasting and prayer, of humility and obedience to the will of
God acts as an aid in bringing death to sin. Concerning obedience to the will of
God, the finest example is the obedience of the Virgin Mary at the time of her
receiving the Archangel Gabriel’s announcement, which we heard in today’s
gospel reading.
Moreover, God, as the compassionate father, permits trials throughout our
life, that we may be given opportunity for the old man to die. He permits
“crucifixion”, so that the resurrection may follow. Thus, during periods of Great
Lent, especially that of this year, God permitted we live our own personal
“crucifixion”. Our personal “crucifixion” that you are living, O beloved Brothers
and Sisters and blessed children, those who are following the spiritual path of the
orthodox confession of faith, as delivered by Christ, and taught by the Holy
Apostles, and put into dogma by the Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical and Local
Synods, and received by us from our predecessor fathers of blessed memory.
Blessed Brothers and Sisters, let us remain faithful to Christ’s
commandments and the Holy Canons of the Orthodox Church, for thus we will
be lifting our cross of faith in Christ, who is the Crucified One and the
Resurrected One from the dead. And Christ, as He crushed the bonds and locks
of Hades and with His resurrection from the dead gifted the great joy of the
resurrection to humanity, will likewise gift the joy of His resurrection to those
who are striving to keep the orthodox confession, for they are His disciples and
humblest Brothers and Sisters.
This victory of Christ and the joy of His resurrection, I pray that you feel
and live, Beloved Brothers and Sisters, all you who are striving patiently and
with hope for the keeping of the Resurrected Christ’s commandments and the
orthodox confession. Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
With fatherly blessings and love of the Resurrected Christ
Ardent intercessor toward the Lord

+Bishop Efstathios
Metropolitan of Patra and
Acting Bishop of the Holy Archdiocese of G.O.C. of Australia.