Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia congratulates all Orthodox believers on Christ’s resurrection and urged them to be optimistic as “the holiday of Easter celebrates the victory of life over death, for the Resurrection of Christ the Saviour granted resurrection from the dead to all of us”.

“No matter what hardships of mundane life we go through, our perception of the world should be calm and joyful because Christ has risen,” the patriarch said in his Easter message on Saturday, April 23.

He stressed, “Evangelic motivation of our actions, both professional and public, can change ourselves and the world around us dramatically.”

“God does not demand impossible deeds from us” and appeals to the soul of each person, Kirill said. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light,” the patriarch cited the Gospel of Matthew.

Christ teaches “us to do good to our neighbour and to those far away from us, to repay no one rudeness for rudeness, evil for evil, a lie for a lie, censure for censure”, the patriarch said. And “this feeling of satisfaction can grow into a joyful and optimistic state of mind if good deeds done not for lucre but with all one’s heart becomes a part of our life,” Kirill said.

In his last year’s message, Patriarch Kirill urged Russians to rise above immediate needs and understand the “greatness of Divine love”.

“The ability to look at history in light of Christ's Resurrection is especially important in the current era where a news-based outlook prevails and where man's needs and aspirations are limited to immediate chores,” Kirill said.

“Living by the day's news, fears and needs we intend to forget the main thing - the salvation of the soul, Divine Providence, the good and the perfect,” he said.

The patriarch urged Russians to think of the meaning of Easter - Christ's Resurrection, which should help “rise above the vanities of everyday life in order to see the true greatness of Divine love”.

“It is important to understand that God's Resurrection renovates human nature and gifts every Christian with the ability to fortify internal strength in his service to the Church, the country, society, the family and the next of kin,” the patriarch said.

He called on believers to “work hard for the prosperity of the countries” where members of the Russian Orthodox Church live.

Kirill prayed for “a peaceful and prosperous life” for all people.