PASCHAL EPISTLE OF ARCHBISHOP SOFRONIY

“As you now have sorrow; yet will I see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” Gospel of John 16:22

Millennia have passed, the empire has disappeared, new states have appeared, new generations have arrived. How much time will the Lord give to this world, is not known to anyone, no matter how hard we seek to predict. 

So, “watch, because you know neither the day nor the hour, in which the Son of Man will come.” Watch, because you do not know either the day, or the hour explains everything that He said, i.e. and about two who were on the field, and about the two women millers, and about the householder who entrusted his own property to his servant and about ten virgins  (Matt 24:36-25:30); And these parables foretell that since we all do not know the day of the judgment, we should carefully prepare ourselves with good deeds lest the Judge come while we are in a careless state. In the present time, we are left with one of the not easy, but joyful tasks of WATCHFULNESS and the reward will be to have such joy that no one may take it from us. 

All the reverend pastors, monastics and laity of our diocese, we greet you with the echo of the joy that awaits us — Christ is Risen!

Pascha of Christ   2021

+ Sofroniy, Archbishop of St. Petersburg and Northern Russia