In a festive and devout atmosphere, according to the everlasting ecclesiastic tradition, the Resurrection of the Lord was celebrated at the Center of Orthodoxy.
On Holy Saturday, at midnight, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided the Service of the Resurrection at the Patriarchate, assisted by Archpriests and a crowd of faithful from Constantinople and abroad, and addressed the Easter Message, as is customary.
Expressing his Blessings, Ecumenical Patriarch wished everybody: “Happy Easter! The Holy Church of Christ never ceased and shall never cease to affirm this joyful Easter message!”
Bartholomew continued as follows: “Our Ecumenical Patriarchate fights all these years, especially lately, against alleged prophets who wish our end. Because, as they claim, the Patriarchate has no civil power, has no powerful congregation, has no accumulated treasures on earth. Thank God for that! Thank God that it is the Church of the poor. This is the authenticity of the Church of Constantinople, the best proof that it follows Christ’s road, who had absolutely nothing. You may have read that there shall be at most two more Ecumenical Patriarchs and then they shall come here, at Constantinople, to watch the end…
This is their obvious wish and ambition! They forget, though, that although those that sealed the Grave of Christ to prevent his pupils from stealing His holy body, He Resurrected! My brothers! This Protothrone Church of Orthodoxy, with God’s blessing, to whom it remains faithful, and does not become secular and political and never drifts away from its original destination, our own Church, stands for many centuries firm and immovable, anchored at Bosporus, as a rock against the waves. And it welcomes you as a caring and tender mother, with the nobleness of a Nation, and embraces you with blessings and shouts along with you: ‘Christ has risen!’”.
