Sermon by His Grace Bishop Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, on the Glorious Holy Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – Easter Eve

(April 19, 2025, Holy Etchmiadzin, Mother Cathedral)

“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”

(1 Corinthians 15:14)

 Brothers and sisters,

Today, April 19, 2025, the Armenian Church, illuminated by the glow of blazing candles, joyfully welcomes the Feast of the Holy Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Two thousand years later, the Glorious Resurrection of the Lord continues to captivate human souls, instilling unwavering hope and faith in the hearts of Christians. It is the core and pinnacle of the Christian faith—an undeniable testimony to the Divinity of Jesus Christ. For this reason, the Holy Apostle, writing to the newly converted Christians in the city of Corinth two decades after the Savior’s Resurrection, declares with unwavering conviction:

“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14)

Yes, through the Holy Resurrection, the salvific mission of the Son of God is fulfilled, and the purpose of His earthly ministry is revealed.

In the days leading up to the Savior’s Resurrection, we Christians have relived the cosmic yet tragic events of the Lord’s earthly life.

With the disciples, we sat at the table with the Lord in the Upper Room, participated in the establishment of the Holy Sacrament of Communion, witnessed the betrayal and treachery of Judas Iscariot, followed the schemes of the Jewish high priests and the violence of the Roman soldiers. We were shaken by the torment Christ endured. On the road to Golgotha, we suffered as the Lord stumbled and fell; with the Mother of God and the faithful women, we wept with sorrowful hearts before the crucified Savior. We heard His groans of agony and His final, anguished cry:

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

It seemed that with the death of Jesus, another chapter in human history had simply come to an end. It seemed that what always happens had happened once again—death had claimed yet another victim.

Thus, the story of Christ and Christianity would have ended in obscurity and without glory, had death triumphed over life, and had the stone of the tomb remained sealed. It would have ended—if not for the angelic proclamation that pierced through the darkness:

“Christ is risen from the dead!”

Through His Resurrection, Jesus fully revealed His Divinity. Through His Resurrection, the persecutions and sufferings He endured gained meaning—as did the mysteries of His crucifixion, death, and burial. By the Resurrection of Christ, death ceased to be an insurmountable barrier before life; instead, it became a doorway to eternity. For this reason, Christ says:

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)

The cosmic magnitude of Christ’s Resurrection, however, does not diminish the value of earthly life. Rather, it transforms it into an antechamber of eternity. Without the Resurrection, earthly life is doomed to become an arena where perishable matter, fading beauty, weakening strength, and crumbling power are the only prizes.

Without the Resurrection, the boundaries between sin and virtue, good and evil, light and darkness, become blurred. Without the Resurrection, there are no limits and no guiding principles—no goals, and no means to reach them. Ultimately, there is no life—only a frantic and meaningless rush toward the pit of the grave.

Thus, the denial of the Resurrection destroys life and drives humanity toward self-deification and the absolutization of personal desires and rights. But in the light of the Resurrection, every stage of life—from birth to death—becomes a link in the chain of salvation leading to eternity. In the light of the Resurrection, the deeds of the earth echo into eternity; earthly efforts become treasures in heaven.

And once again, the words of the Holy Apostle ring true:

“And if Christ be not risen, your faith is vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:17)

Countless times, our people have walked through the valleys of death and fear, bitterly drinking from the cup of sorrow, bravely battling calamities. At times, in utter despair, we have sought to escape tragic reality; and at other times, we have even doubted the truth of the Resurrection and the very existence of God.

Even today, we continue to bear the consequences of genocidal acts. We see the aged faces of children orphaned once more. We see the dry eyes of mothers who have lost their sons, writhing in pain. We see the faded gazes of the people of Artsakh, exiled from their homeland. We see prisoners held and tortured unlawfully. We see people crushed by helplessness and poverty in their own land.

 At the same time, today—two thousand years after the Holy Resurrection of Christ:

 • We see souls indifferent to human pain and need, who, in pursuit of personal glory and comfort, abandon their very identity.

 • We see eloquent speakers on high platforms who, under the guise of realism, preach betrayal of the homeland, denial of historical memory, and self-negation.

 • We see manipulators of language who use the guise of freedom and modernity to promote moral laxity.

 • We see self-proclaimed enlighteners who, in loud parades of ignorance, peddle “knowledge and civility.”

And all of them boast in that which should bring shame, and are ashamed of that which should bring pride. In this way, honor and respect—past, present, and even future—are being auctioned off at the dark altar of materialism.

Doesn’t the Holy Resurrection seem diminished in the face of such sorrow? How can we believe that the mystery of the Savior’s Holy Resurrection can bring life and salvation to us—even today?

I have no words to convince you of the truth of the Resurrection. I have no phrases to assure you of the reality of eternal life.

But I have a conviction—that life cannot be limited to a meaningless and tragic death.

I have a conviction—that life cannot end in tears and suffering, and that the grave cannot be the full essence and purpose of life.

I have a conviction—that Jesus truly is risen—and that is precisely why He is God. God cannot die.

If God is dead, then not only our preaching and faith, but our entire life is meaningless, and our entire journey is aimless.

But since our life is not aimless, then Christ’s Resurrection is true, and God’s existence and presence in our lives is undeniable. And finally—it is easier to believe that God has truly risen than to believe that God remains dead.

So, let us turn our trials into strength of will. Let us reject doubt and skepticism. Let us rise after falling, remain warriors of the Resurrection even after sinning, and not surrender to hopelessness after despair. Let us fight against sin—first within ourselves, and then all around us. Let us fight for life and dignity, for our faith and identity, for progress and growth.

Where there is no struggle, death is everywhere.

But the Resurrection is present—everywhere and at every hour—when God becomes the center and guide of our lives.

The Resurrection is there where there is no hatred or enmity.

The Resurrection is there where the barrier of evil is broken.

The Resurrection is there where unity and harmony reign—and where love is enthroned.

So, let the Holy Resurrection of the Lord be blessed. May the grace of the Savior’s Holy Resurrection abundantly fill the souls of all people and permeate the entirety of Armenian life—now and forever and ever. Amen.

“Christ is risen from the dead. Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ.”