It’s a time of celebration and FUN… this is the central day for all real Christians. This is what our faith is all about. Don’t have a long face… this is a joyous time. That’s why so many people reject Christianity; it looks as though some believers were not only weaned on pickles, they’ve been their constant diet ever since. SMILE and pass the pierogies… we’re Christians… that’s what we do! … Yes, I WILL have seconds on the galumpkis, if you please.
BMD
On this chosen and holy day, when the entire world, both visible and invisible (from Canon of Holy Pascha), praises the Author of Life and the Victor over Death, I warmly greet you all with the Paschal exclamation:
Year in, year out, the good news of the Resurrection sounds triumphantly, prompting us to praise our God and Saviour, who vanquished death by death, making us partakers of the eternal life to come. As we celebrate this feast of feasts and celebration of celebrations, we remember in a special spiritual way the redemptive feat of the Saviour of the world, His sufferings on the cross, and Easter Sunday. Easter isn’t just some beautiful legend, it isn’t theoretical theology, nor is it a tribute to folk customs rooted in the distant past. It’s the very essence and core of Christianity. It’s a victory, granted to us by God.
Since the times of the Apostles to the present day, the Church preaches Christ’s Resurrection as the greatest miracle in the history of mankind. The Church teaches that this miracle isn’t only a fact attested by the Gospel, but… this is especially important… it’s a fundamental event for everyone who takes hold of Easter’s glad tidings. This holiday is particularly relevant to each of us; for in the Resurrection of Christ, the perfect Lord redeemed our fallen world… this is the greatest joy that a person can experience. No matter how difficult our life, whatever worldly adversities we face, whatever anguish we get from people, and the suffering we have from the imperfections of the world… all this is nothing compared to the spiritual joy that the hope of eternal salvation from God gives us.
According to the Apostle St Paul, who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in us (cf. Epistle of St Paul to the Romans 8.11). On the bright day of the Resurrection of Christ, the souls of millions of believers are filled with gratitude to our Creator, giving our earthly existence real meaning. Christ’s Pascha is a great celebration of life, a celebration of victory over death, carrying love, peace, and spiritual transformation. Every time that we celebrate Easter, it opens a new period of our lives, because the Risen Lord renews our human nature, strengthens us in trials, and gives us the fervour to perform good deeds.
The Easter tidings changed the subsequent course of world history; today, they lead us to moral transformation and spiritual renewal, which are essential to modern society. They remind all people about Christianity’s origins, as well about the future eternal kingdom, where God will be all in all (First Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians 15.28). In these bright days of Easter celebration, we’re called to share our joy with our family and friends, to show them active love and mercy. This is a time-honoured tradition… if we do this, we bear witness to the legacy of Christ, and we show that we believe that the Lord is risen indeed.
Now, as always, the Church carries out its lifesaving mission with diligence and zeal, persistently proclaiming God’s truth, affirming the continuing importance of the Evangelical commandments, calling for peace and harmony, and serving the spiritual unity of the peoples under the pastoral care of the Moscow Patriarchate. Our special prayer today concerns the Russian and Ukrainian peoples, that peace may prevail in the hearts and minds of brothers and sisters by blood and by faith, to rebuild lost connections, and to reinvigorate much-needed coöperation. Proclaiming the love of God (cf. Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians 3.19), Christianity unites people across national, cultural, and state boundaries; for the light of Christ enlightens all (cf. Gospel according to St John 1.9).
May the Risen Lord grant us all for the benefit of our souls to continue our earthly pilgrimage, bearing in mind our high calling of Christian responsibility and vocation to build strong belief and confidence in those about us, in sincere love and unwavering hope. May the joy of this holiday strengthen and inspire us to do good deeds, give us the courage and strength in the midst of the surging waves in the sea of life to keep balance and calm, to resist temptations and seductions, to overcome, according to St Sergei of Radonezh, the hateful strife of this world. May the life-giving light of the glory of Christ’s tomb be with us and illumine our hearts, extending to all near and far, to all who need our care and support.
I greet all of you on the feast of Holy Easter; I prayerfully wish you generous spiritual gifts, good health, and the grace of divine help in the victorious march of Christ. Amen.
His Holiness Kirill GundyaevPatriarch of Moscow and all the Russias
19 April 2014
Patriarchia.ru
MP official website
http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/3625847.html
The Shining Resurrection of Christ… Easter… is the Feast of feasts and the Celebration of all celebrations. Why? Easter defeated the two main enemies of mankind… sin and death. In the Risen Christ, all mankind can now pass through previously impervious obstacles on the path of freedom and eternity. No one had ever overcome these barriers… not the highest wisdom of philosophers and scientists, nor the elegant works of artists and poets, nor the power of rulers, nor the art of diplomacy. However, Christ overcame them… He raised mankind to the divine glory; He abolished all that prevented us from becoming the same as He is.
Shortly before His crucifixion, in his farewell discourse with his disciples, Christ said, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another (Gospel according to St John 13.34). What is this novelty? Yes, from now on, God is sovereign in His highest court, but not according to the norms of formal piety, but as a man to His fellow-man He carries them joy, peace, and goodness, or, on the contrary, discord, hatred, and enmity. That’s because He took on humanity… and now as He’s risen from the dead, God isn’t only a Judge, He’s also a Saviour. He’s the way and the truth and the life (Gospel according to St John 14.6). Christ isn’t only the sovereign in the court; He also becomes the protector of any sinner who turns to Him in faith. The most important stipulation in the New Testament is that people love one another, no matter what differences might be between them. After all, a deficiency of love destroys human love, divides families, and destroys society and the state.
In these days of Easter, we pray to God for the people of the Ukraine, to reconcile the warring parties, to end the violence, so that they could grant mercy to one another… so that all of their differences and whatever obstacles stood between them wouldn’t prevail. The Ukraine is a part of our One Church… it’s a part of our heart, given over to the pain and suffering of the Ukrainian people. During these Easter days, along with millions of Orthodox believers, I fervently pray for peace in the Ukraine.
A Christian is NOT someone who knows about the historical Jesus from a book, they’re someone who feels His presence in their life. For those who haven’t yet felt this presence, I’d like you to find the joy of meeting the Risen Saviour, so that you’d really feel the effect of the transforming action and power of God in your own experience.
To the Feast, my dear friends!
20 April 2014
Patriarchia.ru
MP official website
http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/3630334.html
Voices from Russia 
THEY DO IT AGAIN! Junta Desecrated Holy Easter… Launched Attack on Points in Slavyansk… Allow Right Sector and Svoboda Uniate Terrorists to Run Amuck
Tags: Donetsk, Kiev, political commentary, politics, Russia, Russian, Slavyansk, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin
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Rossiya-24 TV stated that five people died and one wounded in an attack on a checkpoint in Slavyansk, saying, “Unidentified gunmen who attacked a checkpoint in the north of the town shot and killed three residents of Slavyansk. They wounded another person, who’s in hospital in critical condition. Several cars drove up to the checkpoint and those inside the cars open fire. The opolchenie promptly reacted, returning fire, killing two attackers”. The opolchenie seized two cars. They found emblems of the Right Sector terrorist group, many standard-issue Ukrainian Army firearms, as well as plastic explosives, smoke pellets, American-made night-vision devices, and maps based on aerial photographs in the cars. The patriots are in the process of identifying the attackers.
Editor:
This speaks volumes of the junta, the Right Sector, and their American puppeteers. The bastards desecrated Holy Easter. Full stop. Viktor Yanukovich wouldn’t have done that. However, it IS acceptable to the USA and to John McCain. It IS acceptable to Yuliya, Turchinov, and Yatsenyuk (the last-named is a stinking Scientologist, a cultist of the worst-possible sort). How much lower can they sink?
BMD
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On Sunday, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, People’s Mayor and opolchenie commander in Slavyansk said that return fire injured or killed up to seven gunmen who attacked a local checkpoint overnight. He confirmed that the shootout killed one opolchenie fighter and injured two others. Eyewitnesses told RIA-Novosti that they saw the gunmen taking both killed and injured people away with them. Ponomaryov said that four cars drove by the checkpoint at around 02.00 local time (16.00 PDT. 19.00 EDT 19 April. 00.00 BST. 03.00 MSK. 13.00 AEST) and opened fire at the opolchenie, who were celebrating Easter Sunday. Later, 20 opolchenie arrived at the scene and exchanged fire with the gunmen. The patriots seriously damaged two cars in the shootout. The MVDU and SBU have no comment as of yet.
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The armed incident that occurred early Sunday morning in Slavyansk outraged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID), which said, “The so-called Right Sector violated the eastern ceasefire in Slavyansk on 20 April through an armed attack, in which innocent civilians died. Local residents seized the vehicles of the attackers in which they discovered arms, aerial maps of the area, and Right Sector paraphernalia. This militant provocation enrages the Russian side, as it’s a sign that the authorities in Kiev are reluctant to bridle and disarm nationalists and extremists. It’s surprising that the tragedy occurred after the signing on 17 April in Geneva of the final statement of the quadrilateral meeting of representatives of Russia, the USA, the EU, and the Ukraine, which called for refraining from any violent actions, intimidation, or provocations. The Russian side insists that the Ukrainian side strictly fulfil its commitments on the de-escalation the situation in southeast Ukraine”.
Editor:
Lawlessness reigns in junta-controlled areas… law and order reign in the People’s Republic areas. One of these things is not like the other. The USA supports the anarchists… fancy that. If most Americans knew the truth of the matter, it’d outrage them… the USA is against the side that respects the cops and lawful order (do note that the opolchenie treats the cops with honour, and the cops reciprocate), and it supports the side that uses brutal goons as its “muscle”… think on that, if you will.
BMD
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On Sunday, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, People’s Mayor and opolchenie commander in Slavyansk said that a curfew is now in force after an overnight shootout which injured two passers-by. The curfew will run from 00.00 to 06.00, people should stay off the streets. The move came after unknown gunmen opened fire in downtown Slavyansk, which has been under siege since last weekend when the junta announced an “anti-terrorist operation” against patriot elements in the southeast. Both people injured in the attack are in satisfactory condition, doctors at the central hospital in Slavyansk said.
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On Sunday, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, People’s Mayor and opolchenie commander in Slavyansk, asked Russia to send peacekeepers to the eastern Ukraine to protect civilians from National Guard and Right Sector terrorists. At an emergency press conference in the wake of last night’s armed clashes he said, “They kill our people. They don’t talk to us; they just kill us. The town is actually under siege by the Right Sector. Only Russia can protect civilians from the Right Sector, which is why I decided to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to send peacekeepers to Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts”.
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An aide to the commander of the opolchenie told RIA-Novosti that his fighters captured one of the gunmen who attacked a checkpoint in Slavyansk early on Sunday. The young man lost contact with his group and tried to get out of Slavyansk by trying to hitchhike towards Kharkov; the 22-year-old suspected gunman is a member of the far-right Right Sector terrorist movement.
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On Sunday, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, People’s Mayor and opolchenie commander in Slavyansk, told ITAR-TASS that the opolchenie in Slavyansk are on alert over reports about plans to stage attacks on checkpoints and administrative buildings occupied by the Donetsk People’s Republic, saying, “We have information that they plan to attack our positions soon. We’re getting prepared to defend ourselves”. Ponomaryov stated that intel came in since the morning about movements of armed people around the town. Attempts to start talks failed. It isn’t yet clear whether these people are regular army personnel. Donetsk Republic officials believe they’re Right Sector terrorists. Earlier on Sunday, opolchenie sources said that they arrested Irma Krat, a Euromaidan terrorist suspected of subversive activities. According to other reports, a Right Sector terrorist, a young man from Vinnitsa in the western Ukraine, strayed from his group and surrendered to the Slavyansk opolchenie.
Editor:
The Right Sector might be carrying out CIA orders, to destabilise the situation, to bring down the unthrifty junta, so that Langley can put more-complaisant toads in place… that’s what they did with Diem, after all. Langley isn’t known for any humanity… “Bring us food or be food yourselves” is its real motto.
BMD
20 April 2014
Voice of Russia World Service
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_20/Five-killed-in-attack-on-block-post-in-eastern-Ukraine-TV-report-8246/
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_20/Up-to-seven-gunmen-killed-in-Ukraines-Slavyansk-self-defense-forces-5644/
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_20/Moscow-outraged-by-incident-in-Slovyansk-insists-on-Kiev-fulfilling-Geneva-agreement-Russian-FM-5992/
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_20/Curfew-announced-in-Ukraines-Slavyansk-after-deadly-attack-2957/
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_20/Slavyansk-mayor-asks-Russia-to-send-peacekeeper-5232/
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_20/Suspected-gunman-held-after-attack-on-Slavyansk-checkpoint-self-defense-forces-5858/
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_20/Peoples-volunteer-corps-in-Slavyansk-put-on-alert-over-threats-of-attack-2028/