When the words of the Lord had been fulfilled, that He had come to give His life for the salvation of many (cf. Matt. 20:28), then His disciples wavered in their faith. Forgotten were His words, that after His suffering, on the third day He would rise. With sorrow the disciples of Christ said: And we had hoped that He would save Israel (Lk. 24:21) As it seemed, darkness had conquered light forever, the darkness of sin had conquered the Light of Truth. But at the very time when visible victory was still on the side of the enemies of Christ, Christ in actuality had already overthrown the foundations of hell and freed its captives, had conquered death and risen from the grave. Thus not a few times the Lord has permitted His Church too to undergo diverse trials, during the course of which it seemed that her end and ruin had come. But after these trials even brighter did victorious TRUTH shine out! The Roman emperors persecuted the Church, Julian the Apostate mocked, the iconoclasts destroyed. Their dominion ended in infamy, while the Church of God attracted to herself ever new followers, enlightening whole peoples and shining with eternal glory! Now too the Orthodox Church is undergoing terrible trials, especially the Orthodox Russian people. In truth, as it was on Golgotha, the sun has been eclipsed over Holy Russia! They divided My garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots (Ps. 21:19). But have not her sons, perhaps, been sent over the whole surface of the earth for a purpose—so that all ends of the earth might turn to the Lord? Must we not yet more burn with zeal for true Christian life, so that the light of Orthodoxy may shine before men, and they may glorify our Father Who is in Heaven?! The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Church of Christ! (cf. Matt. 16:18). Death, where is thy sting, hell, where thy victory? (1 Cor. 15:55). God will arise, and His enemies will be scattered (cf. Ps. 67:2)! Let us only take care that we ourselves be not numbered with those enemies. Let us preserve true faith and un-hypocritical love toward Christ, imitating John the Baptist and the myrrh-bearing women, who remained the whole time faithful to Christ, and not those who fled from Him at the time of danger, renounced Him, and betrayed Him for silver. Let us rather suffer, remaining in the truth and leading a righteous life, than possess the temporary sweetness of sin! (cf. Heb. 11:25). Let us suffer together with Christ so that we may experience the true joy of His Resurrection! Let us endure everything so that we may reign with Him! (cf. 2 Tim. 2:12).And together with our Mother Church let us cry out: “Yesterday O Christ, I was buried with Thee, and today I rise with Thy arising. Yesterday I was crucified with Thee. Glorify me, O Savior, with Thee in Thy Kingdom” (Paschal canon).