The Resurrection and Reconciliation

The Resurrection and Reconciliation *
Metropolitan Kyrillos of Rhodes

“Beholding Your immeasurable compassion, those held fast in the chains of Hades hastened toward the light, O Christ, with rejoicing feet, celebrating the eternal Pascha.”

CHRIST IS RISEN!

The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified to reveal to us His infinite compassion and love. Thereafter, He descended into the depths of Hades, where the hearts of people lay in darkness, bound in the chains of confusion and madness. He comes risen to meet us, inviting us to rise with Him—to run toward the light, to partake of true and unshakable joy, and to celebrate, “the eternal Pascha.”

How can we remain indifferent and unmoved before our Risen Lord? How can we remain stagnant and unchanged in the way we live, when Christ has opened before us a new path, leading us toward eternity? How can we not accept His call and follow Him into a new way of being? How can we not be overwhelmed by the love of the Risen Christ—this love that descends even into Hades, that raises humanity and reconciles us with God, with one another, and with our very selves?

Through His Crucifixion and Resurrection, God reconciled us to Himself and granted His peace to the world—a peace without end. He reconciled the world to Himself without counting human transgressions against us, and entrusted to us the mission to act as His ambassadors, proclaiming not only the fact of the Resurrection, but also the Gospel of reconciliation and peace. He calls us to be reconciled with Him, to become His friends. Moreso, He calls us to celebrate the day of the Resurrection being embraced together, becoming friends with one another, having forgiven those who hate, reject, or despise us.

Today, more than ever, there is a need for us to be ambassadors of peace. It seems that the message of the Resurrection is, in essence, ignored or even rejected, as neither peace nor reconciliation prevail in our world. For the very foundations of a stable and healthy world are under threat. Lives and civilizations are being destroyed by a frenzied drive for displays of power and the acquisition of control. The beauty of nature and the life it offers are being degraded through excessive and improper exploitation of natural resources, driven by human greed. There are a profound upheaval of social values and a general instability in political life worldwide, generating various and dangerous disturbances. The inner world of each person is shaken by fear. Fear gives rise to destructive anger, which in turn breeds a lack of trust. This lack of trust creates even greater insecurity and reinforces defensive behaviors. When a person remains rooted in misanthropy, anger, greed, and fear, they cannot experience the joy and life of the Resurrection.

Jesus Christ the Lord, Risen in glory, goes through every obstacle today in order to overcome fear, calm anger, and end the pain caused by hatred and abuse, so as to unite Himself with every human being. After His Resurrection, He meets His disciples, who were gathered “behind closed doors” out of fear, and says to them: “Peace be with you.” He does not appear to accuse or demand explanations, but comes as a presence of love, life, and resurrection. The Resurrection is not simply a continuation of the Crucifixion. It is the beginning of a new life that brings an end to all retaliation and revenge. Above all, it brings an inner peace to each of us. What is this peace? It is the assurance that the Risen Christ will never abandon us; for, as He Himself assures us: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the time.” This is not a customary message. It is a living presence, a participation in communion in the mystery of God’s eternal love and compassion. And this presence becomes for us life—a life that conquers hatred, dissolves every form of war, dispels fear, heals every relationship, and leads us into eternal communion with Him.

Christ is risen, brothers and children in the Lord.

We pray that the light of the Resurrection may illumine our existence, shine throughout the world, and dispel every form of personal, social, and global darkness. May the Risen Lord grant us abundantly His Paschal gifts—His joy and His peace—and may His grace strengthen us to seek unceasingly, with watchful conscience, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,” so that we may, in a God-pleasing manner, fulfill the dignity of our existence as children of the Resurrection.

Many blessed years, filled with the light of the Resurrection and Paschal joy.

Holy Pascha of the year two thousand and twenty-six of salvation.
A fervent supplicant to Christ the Risen on behalf of us all.

THE METROPOLITAN
† Kyrillos of Rhodes

*Paschal Encyclical 2026

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