“The world suffers from all forms of violence. We see it nowadays with increasing tension, between husbands, parents and children, in groups and factions. But also to peoples, with the recent tragic developments in the Middle East”emphasizes Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Hieronymosin his resurrection message.

“As long as our culture reproduces alienation from God, evil will expand and dominate. It is up to each of us to break the vicious cycle of violence and revenge and follow Christ’s example. Violence did not keep Christ in the tomb. His Resurrection was the result of His communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It was a matter of relationship and society. Problems are not solved by power and authority but by freedom and love”His Beatitude points out.

The Archbishop’s message in detail

“Christ is Risen, my brethren,

and Now is always filled with light, heaven and earth and the heavens!

The Resurrection of Christ showed us what man and creation will be like in the Last Days. And we can rejoice in advance for this, with our participation in the mystery of the Church.

But, History is still captive to evil, violence, death, irrationality. It is the consequences of Adam’s choice that, instead of turning his love to God, he fell into self-love.

Evil did not pre-exist. It does not come from matter. He entered the world because of sin (Rom. 8:20 – 22). Since then mankind has been in the valley of death (Ps. 22:4).

The world suffers from all forms of violence. We see it nowadays, with more and more tension between spouses, parents and children, groups and factions. But also to peoples, with the recent tragic developments in the Middle East.

As long as our culture reproduces alienation from God, evil will expand and dominate. It is up to each of us to break the vicious cycle of violence and revenge and follow Christ’s example.

Violence did not keep Christ in the tomb. His Resurrection was the result of His communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It was a matter of relationship and society. Problems are not solved by power and authority but by freedom and love.

Christ is Risen”