“The Risen Christ is the hope of the Ukrainian people,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav Greets Ukrainians on Easter
Today, we see Christ triumphantly rising from the tomb—Christ, who conquered death by death and granted life to those in the grave. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, emphasized this in his Easter video message.
Greeting Ukrainians on Easter, the Head of the UGCC noted that “the feast of the Resurrection of Christ is not only an event but also a journey, a path. It is an event that opens new horizons for humanity—its dreams, its life—and leads us beyond the limits of earthly existence, beyond the grip of death.”
“Easter is a journey. Today Christ invites each of us to walk with Him. He calls us to follow this path that leads to the Resurrection. To walk the road of the Risen Christ is a symbol—synonymous with Christian faith. To be a Christian means to walk with Christ on the path to the Resurrection,” explained the Patriarch.
He continued, “On this road, there are those who have gone before us—saints, martyrs, confessors, witnesses to the Christian faith and the Resurrection of Christ. We have our heroes—the heroes of our national liberation struggle—who lead us on this path to which Christ calls us today.”
The Primate noted, “Today we feel we are on the right road, the good road. We are moving toward the triumph of good over evil, life over death, Christian hope over human despair.”
“On this bright day of Christian life, of the Christian journey and the Christian way, I greet all of you—those near and far, those at home and those scattered across the world, beyond the threshold of their homes,” said the Head of the UGCC.
“Today, we especially envelop our heroes—Ukraine’s defenders on the front lines—with our prayers, support, and care. We pray for our brothers and sisters in the occupied territories. We ask Christ to visit those in Russian captivity, just as He once shattered the chains of prisoners and opened prison doors. May He, who leads us to the light of the Resurrection, help us find all who are missing. May the Risen Christ heal our wounds—even our helplessness,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized.
“I wish you joy, peace, optimism, and light—all that each of us so desperately needs in these trying times. May the Risen Christ visit each of you, every grieving heart, every home touched by sorrow or wounded by loss,” the Patriarch said.
“The Risen Christ is the hope of the Ukrainian people. Today we greet one another with this ancient apostolic proclamation: Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!” the Father and Head of the UGCC proclaimed.
The UGCC Department for Information
