ARCHBISHOP'S EASTER MESSAGE - UNITY IS NEEDED FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR STRUGGLE - APPEAL AHEAD OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO AVOID POLITICAL IMMATURITY - Filenews 12/4
For the success of the struggle for the liberation of our homeland, the unity and unanimity of all Greeks is needed, says Archbishop George of Cyprus in his Easter encyclical. At the same time, he notes that "if today we stop fighting and accept the crucifixion, we will be led to our final national death."
"Through the message of the Resurrection of Christ and the certainty of eternity, we are called to people to realize the value of our lives, to understand our destiny and, therefore, to shape, accordingly, our lives. Not as temporary, but as eternal, without the fear of wickedness and death", says – among other things – Archbishop George, noting that "the Resurrection of Christ also brought to humanity the message of faith and persistence in the struggle for higher ideals".
"Christ, with His Resurrection, assures us that at the end of all suffering there is the victory of justice, there is redemption and justification," he points out, adding that "the history of our nation is very similar to the earthly life of Christ."
"In its historical course, our Nation has risen many times to the martyred Golgotha. He lifted, repeatedly, the cross of cruel enslavement and horrible tortures. But he never stopped on the cross. He managed, always with the help of God, to move towards the resurrection," the Archbishop emphasizes.
"That is why, throughout the centuries, the Resurrection of Christ took on national significance for us Greeks. He gave us the courage, in the tragedies of our Historical adventures, not to sink into pessimism, but to always look ahead. To fight with the certainty of the transience of suffering, anticipating resurrection and victory," he adds.
At the same time, Archbishop George points out that "we should not be discouraged by the 52 years of the occupation of our homeland and the crucifixion of our people", noting that "the Resurrection of Christ assures us that the day of our own resurrection will come".
"Injustice cannot prevail forever. And let this be our response to some who have lost their courage and hope. To those who have been seduced by the enemy's propaganda and talk about realities, about bi-zonal realities, about the renunciation of our land, of our sacred and holy things, of the graves of our fathers", he says. "Let it be a response to some who call on us to submit to our fate, that is, to make permanent and legitimize the crucifixion of our homeland and its permanent stay in the grave," he adds, stressing that "if today we stop fighting and accept the crucifixion, we will be led to our final national death."
"For the success of our struggle, in addition to the firm faith in the intended purpose, which is none other than the liberation of our homeland, the unity and unanimity of all Greeks, of the entire Nation, is necessarily needed," notes Archbishop George, greeting, with great satisfaction, the recent arrival in Cyprus of two frigates of the Greek Navy and four warplanes to protect against the dangers of the war conflagration in the area. At the same time, he expresses the wish that the presence of Greece "continues and intensifies, in order to protect us from the other, the greatest, for us, danger, which is the continuation of the Turkish occupation and the threatened conquest of the whole of Cyprus".
At the same time, it expresses the wish for an end to the wars and deaths of innocent people in the Middle East, Ukraine and around the world" and for peace and justice to prevail everywhere.
Referring to the foot-and-mouth disease that broke out in Cyprus, the Archbishop expresses his sympathy and support for those who are hard affected by it, as well as the wish that Christ "will soon relieve our people from this suffering as well".
In addition, in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Archbishop appeals to "not show political immaturity" and "let any protest vote become a vote for the best, and not for the uneducated and indifferent to social problems."
"The duty requires us to think about the functioning of the institutions and the survival of the homeland even after the elections. And also, to think about how we will be evaluated by those from whom we ask for help to continue our national struggle", he underlines.
