“Jesus,” the patriarch added, “has unhinged the gates of the kingdom of death with the only weapon that death cannot resist, which is love. If we remain in love, we are no longer prisoners of death. If we love, we are free, we are risen.”
These words introduce the third moment of the liturgy of this day, which is the renewal of baptismal promises. On the north side of the edicule of the Holy Sepulcher, the patriarch blessed the water by immersing the Easter candle in a very evocative rite.
After blessing the priests and the faithful, the Mass continued with the Eucharistic liturgy, in which the faithful participated in the table prepared by the Lord himself through his death and resurrection.
“What I wish you all,” the patriarch said, “is to stop seeking among the dead he who is alive (cf Lk. 24:5)” but “like the women of the Gospel, may we have a renewed desire to look up. May today’s Easter be an invitation to set out, to seek the signs of his presence, which is a presence of life, love, and light.”
At the conclusion, following the solemn blessing, the patriarch extended Easter greetings and bid farewell to all those present.
Born and raised in Italy, Marinella Bandini has been a professional journalist since 2008. She works for several news agencies and online newspapers in the Catholic space. Currently based in Jerusalem, she collaborates with the Custody of the Holy Land.