Pope Tawadros congratulates the Copts in Diaspora on Easter
On the occasion of Easter 2018, The Coptic church published the Papal Encyclical of the Glorious Feast of the Resurrection, which reads:
Ekhristos Anesti, Alithos Anesti. Christ is risen, Truly, He is risen. I congratulate you my beloved for the Glorious Feast of the Resurrection. The Feast of the Resurrection is the epitome of our feasts and the most joyful of our joys. I congratulate everyone everywhere. I congratulate all fathers the Metropolitans, Bishops, hegumens, presbyters, monks, deacons, all elders, the members of church boards in all dioceses, all people, youth, servants, all families, and young children. I congratulate you on the Glorious Feast of the Resurrection, which is known by three names: We call it the “Feast of Passover”, meaning to pass from darkness to light. This is the night before the Resurrection Liturgy, the Apocalypse night, when we enter the church in darkness and conclude with the holy liturgy on the Bright Saturday in the light. We also call it the Feast of the Easter. This word is derived from the word “East”. It is an eastern feast, and the east is always associated with light. I also congratulate you by its third name, Sunday. It is the feast of Sunday, which means day of the light. This is the day of light, Feast of the Light. In the various events of the glorious resurrection, occurring during the week of Pascha, we encounter several characters. The resurrection is the biggest event in the history of mankind and implants hope for humanity. We are faced with two types of people. One kind of human being causes pain while another implants hope. In the Arabic language, both words “Pain” and “Hope” have exactly the same letters, but are arranged differently. There are those who cause pain and suffering in the lives of men, and others who implant hope and optimism. The resurrection is the greatest earthly event implanting hope in men s souls. Let us take some few examples. When we read in the beginning of the New Testament, we read about King Herod. A man who caused pain. He was responsible for the killing of the children of Bethlehem. These were younger than two years old. His intent was to kill the child Jesus. He caused and nurtured pain that resulted in crying and lamentations that filled the land because of children s slaughter. More examples of people who caused pain for men are the Jews who crucified the Lord Christ. The sufferings of crucifixion were enormous physically, psychologically and emotionally. They included the pain of mockery, nails, crown of thorns, and the cross itself. There were the screams of the crowd present, their wrath, insults, and harsh words directed to the Lord Christ on the cross. These extreme sufferings were inflicted by the Jews who crucified the Lord Christ. They culminated by the death of Christ on the cross. Another example of those who caused pain in the lives of men was Judas, the traitor disciple. He was a disciple selected by Christ, with his brothers the disciples. He lived among them, watched the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ and listened to His teachings. But his inferior personality allowed him to compromise Christ with money, causing extensive pain by betraying and selling Him cheaply. This concluded by hanging and suicide.