Cardinal Claudiu-Lucian Pop, Major Archbishop of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, delivered a powerful message of hope, light and faith in his Easter Pastoral Letter, saying that "before our very eyes, a litany of despair unfolds daily," yet the Church reminds us that light cannot be overcome by darkness.
"Let us therefore follow the exhortation of the Holy Apostle Peter to always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us for the reason for our hope (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15)! And our testimony will be truly convincing insofar as those around us can see that we do not merely speak about light, but that the very light of the Risen Christ shines in our thoughts and deeds. Such a mission, in today's world, seems impossible to fulfil. How can we still bear witness to God's love at a moment in history when the world, which Pope Francis called 'our common home', seems consumed by hatred and violence? How can we speak of light when darkness creeps everywhere, invading every space of life and settling over consciences like a shadow that refuses to withdraw? And above all, how can hope still find its way in a world torn by wars around us and within us, by economic, moral and existential crises, by deep anxieties and an increasingly oppressive lack of perspective? Before our very eyes, a litany of despair unfolds daily, amplified on every screen by images and news that may tempt us to believe that evil has the final word. And yet, the Church teaches us that the power of light cannot be destroyed by darkness, because God is with us even when everything seems lost. He kindles the flame of hope precisely in times of trial," the cardinal said in his Pastoral Letter for the Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ 2026.
He also called for prayer for "our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and the Middle East."
"If the light of stars long extinguished still travels across the vastness of the universe to shine in our sky and bring us joy, and if the light of the wisdom and deeds of our forebears reaches us across the ages to inspire and guide us, how much more will the divine light of Christ pour out upon us and dispel every shadow. Therefore, for the whole world, but especially for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and the Middle East, our prayer must rise unceasingly, so that the Good God may grant them the strength not to give in to despair and help them glimpse, amid the dark clouds of suffering, the faint glimmer of hope," he said.
The hymn "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life" must rise today from our lips with holy joy, but above all become the echo of the church within our souls, the cardinal stressed.
"In that inner sanctuary, where God awaits us, we are invited to descend each day. There, in the warmth of pure prayer, in the unfading light of Holy Scripture and under the life-giving breath of the Holy Spirit, the flame of faith received at baptism will grow and shine ever more brightly, warming our hearts. And when our hearts burn with this holy fire, the eyes of our mind will also be enlightened, enabling us to see more clearly what often escapes human sight. We will be able to understand the saving plan that God has for us and for the whole world, beyond any illusion and beyond all the smokescreens that attempt to conceal and suffocate the truth," Cardinal Claudiu added.
In conclusion, he addressed the faithful with a message of blessing.
"I entrust you all to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the intercession of the Blessed Martyr Bishops, wishing you all to celebrate the Holy Feast in peace and to remain always in the light of the Lord! Christ is risen!" said Claudiu-Lucian Pop, Major Archbishop of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic.
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