His Grace Bishop Iov

The Paschal Epistle
of His Grace Iov, Bishop of Kashira,
Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada

Христос Воскресе!  - Воистину Воскресе!

Christ is Risen! -  Indeed He is Risen!

Beloved in the Lord, honorable brothers and sisters! 

"The day of Resurrection, let us be radiant, o peoples! Pascha, the Lord's Pascha; for Christ God has brought us from death to life, and we sing the triumphal song".

Let us cleanse ourselves, our feeling, that we might be worthy of that celebration and be prepared to perceive that eternal light. The poet who wrote the Paschal Canon exclaims: "Let the heavens, as is fitting, rejoice and let the earth be glad. Let the whole world, both seen an unseen, keep the feast: for Christ has risen, our eternal joy". As Moses once brought forth water from a rock, so Christ has come forth from the tomb as the Fountain of Immortality. Let us fortify ourselves in Him.

If only people would comprehend the meaning of the Resurrection - Pascha, at least like the Myrrh-bearing Women, they would be the first to run towards Christ. The women came earlier to the tomb and, instead of Christ, heard the voice of the Angel: "Why do you seek among the dead He Who is alive?"

"Dance now and be glad, O Sion, and rejoice O Jerusalem, Christ the Lord comes forth from the tomb victorious".

 May the Lord Who rose on the third day be generous to you and your through His great and abundant mercies!

            With love and esteem in the Risen Lord,

+Iov,

Bishop of Kashira,

Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes

 of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada

Holy Pascha, April 27, 2008