Easter message by Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

This Easter is the first in the new century and in the new millennium, and "it is significant that the whole Christian world should be celebrating it together, on the same day," says an Easter message from Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II. "May the joy of the holiday reinforce us in the Christian faith and give us courage and strength to withstand all temptations and inducements of the world," the message notes. "For its great patience the Russian people, who has lived through so much in the past 20th century, is worthy of a better fate in the 21st. The Church is doing all it can to help the sufferers, it is fully open to joint efforts with state authority and secular society", the Patriarch emphasised. Alexy has called for praying that the joy of Christ's joyous resurrection should always be with Russia, that the new century should become a peaceful and prosperous period for the people, and that enmity should end for ever.

Visit www.rian.ru for RIA 'Novosti' news.