The Diocese
Posted: 04/14/2017
The Victorious Resurrection of Christ, our Lord is the single most miraculous event which transformed the life of humanity. As we embrace the mystery of the Resurrection, we certainly create and feel in the depth of our spirituality a sense of eternity. The Resurrection of Christ, our Lord, is not in the past. It is about the present and the inspiration of hope for the future. Those who have been transformed by the mystery of the Resurrection, have lived meaningful and purposeful lives, have cultivated history, have initiated culture and have become martyrs in witnessing Christ. The Resurrection of Christ, our Lord, has been the journey of our forefathers. The holy martyrs of the Armenian Genocide have entrusted us their vision to see the new dawn of our nation - the independence of Armenia.
Christ is Risen!
Each faithful who pronounces this truth with a genuine heart reflects his faith towards God and makes the commitment to live a new life in Christ, a life in resemblance to the Lord’s. Christ’s Resurrection ought to lead us in the pursuance of new aspirations but above all, Christ’s defeat over death should become a call for every one of us to inspire the people of our communities.
This year’s Easter celebration is also a milestone in our Diocesan life as we mark the 90th anniversary of establishment of the Western Diocese. Throughout the past 90 years, Easter has been celebrated by many generations of faithful. Undoubtedly, their faith has been instilled in our hearts and has motivated and empowered us to respond to God’s call to be the new architects of this Diocese. The 90th anniversary becomes meaningful only when we renew our commitment to serve God, the Church and her numerous missions for the well-being of the Armenian Apostolic Church and our Motherland.
We live in a world where the only constant is change. On the one hand, science and technology progress exponentially while on the other hand, religion and spirituality decline rapidly. This challenge needs to be addressed with resilience of faith. We refer to the same faith which has empowered our ancestors and has become the foundation of their lives.
In this chaotic world, methods may have changed but let us all remember that the message of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ cannot be banned and suppressed. On the contrary, new methods in technology and science should be applied to protect and preserve the resilience and the applicability of Holy Bible, the Word of God. When we speak of peace in the world, that peace is conditioned by the strong bond between God and man. The same faith leads us also to uphold firm the sanctity of the family life, which is the ultimate victory of Christianity. Therefore, the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection is grasped through acts of faith.
Christ is risen from the Dead!
Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ, our Lord!
The resurrection of Christ our Lord is the call for a new life which helps us bear within us the presence of God, the spirit of our Christian identity, the love for our Motherland, the respect for human values, the selfless spirit of service and the vision of the sanctity of a family. These are the most important spiritual values which are catered to Christ’s flock by the Church. We are the living stones of the Church through our faith in the Resurrected Christ, for in Him is the new life.
Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ, our Lord! Amen. Â
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
Primate
Easter 2017Â
