"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Beloved in the Risen Lord, children of our Holy Church,
In the morning of the Holy Easter to all corners of the universe again spread the glad tidings of the Risen God-man, of the victory and triumph of life. And our joy is complete, and our hope - bright because "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept," (1 Corinthians 15:20).
In that unclouded hope and immutable faith in the risen Lord Jesus from the dead we live and save ourselves, though them we witness to the world that "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:11), that by God's grace we-created “the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come" (Articles of Faith, 11-12). The pledge and the first-fruit of our resurrection is the resurrection of Christ. As Baptists participants in the sacramental life of the Church, we become witnesses of Christ and in witnesses of His glorious Resurrection. Although the subject of human infirmities, there is the rescue hope of resurrection and eternal life in the kingdom of the Father, lying before us. While still in thrall to "the spiritual forces of wickedness" we live free from the power of evil and death. With pure hearts and thoughts confess to the world and here the Christ is Risen, "the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last ... inexplicable beginning and unattainable end "(St. Melito of Sardis, Homily on Passover), that" Christ is risen” (St. John Chrysostom, Eulogy for Passover).
In order to bring that life to grant us with it, the Saviour experienced suffering and death on the cross. He has buried with us in the cold and dark grave to lead us on the way of light and life. He suffered all that solely because of love, because, as reported by the Divine Evangelist: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
That is why the Church at all times believed and confessed that this all-encompassing love of God not only lies at the heart of God's creative impulse, but also a driving force of God's providence and economy of the creation. "Because - again the words of the evangelist - God sent his Son into the world to condemn the world but the world should be saved through him" (John 3:17).
As followers of Christ the Savior - His life sufferings on the cross, death and resurrection - we are also called to show the love with which He loved us and sacrificed himself for us. Do not judge, but to forgive and to love people.
Brothers and sisters,
Resurrection of Christ is the light that "light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5). It shines the deepest and impenetrable darkness, from it we invariably draw strength for life - even when all hope seems extinguished. It illuminates our path and in the darkest night, distracts even in the deepest distress, removes all desolation. It is the only true basis and our faith and our hope. Let us therefore live as worthy witnesses of the Risen from the dead and adduced us from death to life - our Lord Jesus Christ, and to become participants in His Resurrection!
On the morning of the Holy Pascha we paternally greet all the faithful children of our Holy Orthodox Church - within the borders of our country and beyond – we wish spiritual peace and overflow Paschal joy in the Risen Lord and Savior!
The grace of the Risen Jesus Christ from the dead to be with you all!

Christ is Risen!

CHAIRMAN of ST. SYNOD
† MAXIM
PATRIARCH of BULGARIA and METROPOLITAN of SOFIA
MEMBERS of ST. Synod:
† Vratsa Metropolitan KALLINIK
† Sliven bishop JOANIKIJ
† Vidin metropolitan DOMETIAN
† Varna and Veliki Preslav Metropolitan KIRIL
† U.S., Canada and Australia, Bishop JOSEPH
† West and Central European Metropolitan SIMEON
† Veliko Tarnovo Metropolitan bishop GREGORY
† Ruse Metropolitan NEOFIT
† Nevrokop Bishop NATHANIEL
† Pleven Bishop IGNATIUS
† Stara Zagora Metropolitan GALAKTION
† Lovech Bishop GABRIEL
† Plovdiv Bishop NIKOLAY
† Dorostol Bishop AMBROSE