Paschal message of the Head of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan

Right Reverend Archpastors!

Most honorable fathers!

Dear brothers and sisters, residents of the land of Kazakhstan!

 

On this saving Pascha of God, which the Lord has made (Ps. 117:24), let us, being filled with spiritual joy, proclaim with one voice and one heart the apostolic hymn of life:

 

CHRIST IS RISEN!

 

From the age of the Gospel until this very day, these words solemnly proclaim among all nations and peoples the glad tidings that the Savior truly rose from the dead, loosing the bonds of death, for it was not possible for death to hold Him (Acts 2:24), and that whoever believes in Him shall never die (Jn. 11:26). By proclaiming this brief greeting, we bear witness to both near and far of the truth and power of our faith. In it is the essence of the New Testament message, the manifestation of the unwaning Heavenly light, and the source of our hope.

 

Now, as the Paschal Canon proclaims, everything is filled with light: heaven, earth, and the underworld; all creation rejoices in the rising of Christ, in Whom it is firmly established. By the Cross and Resurrection, the Lord has united Heaven and earth, the Eternal and the temporal, the Creator and creation, God and man. Christ, as the spotless and pure Lamb of God (1 Pet. 1:19), has taken upon Himself the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29) and reconciled humanity with the Heavenly Father.

 

The Resurrection of Christ reveals the mystery of the universal resurrection, for the Lord is the beginning of the renewed human race: “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). In the trials and tribulations that befall us, we are strengthened by the Paschal joy of the Risen Savior. The eminent Byzantine preacher Joseph Bryennios exclaims: “Pascha is the passage from darkness to light; Pascha is the ascent from earth to the heavenly; Pascha is the transition from death to life; Pascha is the true life of the faithful; Pascha is the joy of the whole world; Pascha is the glorification of the Divine Trinity.” Our Pascha, Christ, Who was sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7), vivifies those who believe in Him with His love, delivers from fear and despondency, heals both soul and body, sustains us in hardship, comforts us in sorrow, and helps us follow the saving path that leads to eternal life.

 

According to Saint John Chrysostom, the Paschal feast is celebrated “not only by the angels and all the hosts of heaven, but by the very Lord of angels together with us.” The joy of the Resurrection of Christ is like the inexhaustible radiance of the sun, which gives life to all, rising alike “on the evil and on the good” (Mt. 5:45), shedding its light upon the righteous and the unrighteous, the zealous and the slothful, the faithful and those still seeking their path to God. Like the myrrh-bearing women who became the first witnesses of the Resurrection, we are called to proclaim this great joy to those near and dear to us and to those around us at work and in daily life. In response to the Savior’s love, we are called to show “love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith” (1 Tim. 1:5); in response to His mercy — to do good to others; in response to His forgiveness — to forgive those around us and be lenient toward their shortcomings; in response to His providence — to shape our surroundings according to the Gospel ideals.

 

Celebrating the saving Pascha of God, we become the invited guests of the feast of faith, partakers of the fruits of Christ’s redemptive Sacrifice, and drink from the water that flows unto eternal life (Jn. 4:14). Let us remember that our unity with the Lord must not be limited only to participation in divine services or the observance of a home prayer rule. Faith in the Risen Savior and living communion with Him must be reflected in every aspect of our life. Look around—beside us are many who have not yet found the meaning of life, who suffer, grieve, are lonely, impoverished, or ill. It is our sacred duty to ensure that the name of the Risen Savior is glorified everywhere, so that people, seeing good deeds done to the glory of the Creator, may draw near to Orthodoxy and turn their hearts to the Father Who is in Heaven (Mt. 6:9). Let us draw strength for this from the grace-filled liturgical life of the Church, regularly participating in the Sacraments of Confession and Communion. The Lord Himself calls us to the immortal banquet of the Most Holy Eucharist, bearing witness to Himself: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My Flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jn. 6:51).

 

I greet all of you with the greatest feast—the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5). May the grace-filled Paschal joy touch the hearts of all the people of Kazakhstan. May the steadfast and living faith in the Risen Christ, the Giver of Life, help each of us be uplifted in spirit, strengthened in truth, and confirmed in goodness, so that nothing may separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:39). Glory be to Thy holy Resurrection, O Lord!

 

Once again I greet the God-loving faithful of Kazakhstan with the sacred and eternally living words of the Gospel hymn:

 

CHRIST IS RISEN!

TRULY HE IS RISEN!

 

Calling down the blessing of the Risen Savior,

 

HEAD OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN KAZAKHSTAN

METROPOLITAN ALEXANDER OF ASTANA AND KAZAKHSTAN

 

Almaty, April 20, 2025