“I Am The Light Of The World. He Who Follows Me
Shall Not Walk In Darkness, But Have The Light Of Life.” (John 8:12)
The season of Great Lent once again reaches its triumphant fulfillment in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the celebration of the greatest feast of the Christian world—the Feast of the Resurrection. This holy day dispels the darkness of our souls, drives away evil from our lives, and offers an unfading dawn to all who believe in and follow Christ, becoming “children of the light” of Him who has overcome the world.
Jesus Christ came into the world for the salvation of humanity and declared to those who believe in Him: “In the world you will have tribulation; but take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Who among all who have lived could speak such words? Which commander, king, or ruler in history has ever made such a claim? Kings have risen and fallen, empires have flourished and faded, and every earthly authority has passed away—yet the burdens of this world have remained.
Only the crucified Christ, in the final days of His earthly life, endured suffering for all humanity and for our sins. He bore humiliation and was lifted upon the Cross. Yet, on the third day after His death, He rose from the dead, emerged from the tomb, and ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father, the Almighty God. In doing so, Jesus Christ conquered death itself—a reality feared by the strong, the wealthy, and even those deemed invincible—yesterday, today, and forever.
Yes, beloved, all those who have not chosen Jesus Christ as the guide of their lives will continue to fear death. Glory and praise to the Risen Christ, who conquered death, revealed to us the path to eternal life, opened the eyes of our souls to the truth, and promised us a new life in eternal joy: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Dear faithful, the One who has conquered death is our supreme Teacher and Savior, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Many of His followers have endured the hardships of this world, and even today, many among us—though we bear Christ within us—face trials of many kinds. Who among us is not troubled by the conflicts and wars unfolding around the world?
Yet when we carry within our souls the light of Christ, we must not despair. Rather, we are called to be strengthened by the words of our Lord, to pray without ceasing, and to remain steadfast in hope. As our forebears lived—believing in Him, praying, and hoping—so too are we called to persevere. Though they walked through darkness, they did not remain in it; guided by the light of Jesus Christ, they stood unwavering in their faith. Many even embraced martyrdom, placing their love and devotion to Christ above all the passing things of this world.
Though all the saints and martyrs throughout the ages who gave their lives for Christ were mortal like us, their souls were filled with the light of Jesus Christ—a light that never fades, but leads into eternal life. There, there is no pain, no suffering, no illness, no evil, but only unending peace, joy, radiant light, and the everlasting brightness of a new dawn.
Beloved faithful, in eternal life there is no sunset, no cold or darkness, no night—only light. It is this very light that begins to dwell within our souls when we carry Jesus Christ in our hearts. The Feast of the Resurrection is the divine power that transforms the darkness of this world into heavenly light and leads us into newness of life.
Let us, on this glorious Feast of the Resurrection, open our hearts fully to Jesus Christ, so that all that is dark within us may be transfigured into radiant light. Let us become worthy heirs of the supreme blessing: to live in eternal joy through Him.
On this Holy Feast of the Resurrection, with filial love, we extend our blessings to His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. We warmly congratulate our Pontiff on the Feast and prayerfully wish him many years of health, strength, and faithful service.
We also extend our heartfelt congratulations to the clergy of the Western Prelacy, our parish communities, the families and bodies of our Prelacy Armenian schools, our organizations, unions, national institutions, and all the faithful members of our community. Renewed in the light of Christ, we proclaim:
CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD,
BLESSED IS THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
With Prayer,
Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, Prelate
Western Prelacy of the United States
April 2026
Los Angeles, United States
