His Holiness Vladimir, Metropolitan Bishop of Chisinau and all Moldova, addressed a pastoral letter on the occasion of Easter, which says that during these days of Resurrection, we must cheer up and thank God and ask his blessing and assistance for the Church, country and people, IPN reports.

“The whole liturgical practice of our Orthodox Church is nicely imbued with the praise and commendation connected with the Resurrection of our God Jesus Christ. There is no liturgical day whose services will not evoke the paschal joy. Each liturgical week ends with the day of Sunday, the weekly Easter, while the liturgical year ends with the Feast of all the Feasts,” said His Holiness Vladimir.

The pastoral letter also says that each Orthodox Christian must learn from the Church, like the son from the mother, to have the heart penetrated and embraced by the Light of the Revived God. One cannot be Orthodox Christian without feeling the paschal joy. There is no Orthodoxy without Resurrection.

“Only living in love and doing good things by the wish of the Holy Father, reading the Scriptures and taking the communion in memory of the one who died and returned to life for our salvation can we reach the moment of union with him,” said His Holiness Vladimir.

On Easter night, the Orthodox Christians, by tradition, come to church with candles. The officiating priest lights his candle from the Holy Fire, goes out of the Holy Altar and tells the faithful “Come and take the light!” The Holy Fire will be brought to Chisinau in the evening of April 15, between 7pm and 8pm. From the square of the Metropolitan Cathedral, it will be distributed to priests and parishioners.