Georgian Patriarch Ilia II laments global turmoil, urges peace and blessings upon peacemakers in Easter Epistle

In his annual Easter Epistle, Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia’s Orthodox Christian Church, highlighted the complex and rapidly changing global landscape, marked by conflict, instability, ecological challenges, constant stress, and wars.

The epistle noted that while the desire for peace was strong among many, achieving it was not an easy task.

The Patriarch's message urged everyone to reflect more deeply on the essence of life and eternal values in the face of the current situation.

“Today, the world is undergoing numerous difficult processes. Time itself seems to have accelerated; events and perceptions are changing swiftly. Confrontation, instability, ecological problems, constant stress, and wars have become part of our shared reality”, the Epistle reads.

“May God bless the peacemakers, may He grant peace to the world! The current circumstances should prompt everyone to reflect more deeply on the meaning of life and on eternal values. We are created for eternal bliss. Here, in our earthly existence, we are meant to live through the connection between the temporary and the everlasting, the earthly and the heavenly - always striving toward eternity, which is primarily achievable through the Church”, the Patriarch said.

The Epistle stressed that among all church holidays, Easter was holding the most prominent place, as it foreshadows the bestowal of eternal life upon us in heavenly incorruptibility.

The Patriarch emphasised that the faith in returning to eternal bliss gives meaning to the way of life taught by the Lord, which includes serving others, humility, patience, compassion, support, morality, peacemaking, purity of heart, spiritual strength, generosity, and self-sacrifice.