Zmaj.info
At Easter Mass on Sunday in the Cathedral of St. Anastasia, Zadar Archbishop Milan Zgrablić called on believers to resist the anxieties of the modern world, stressing that Christian hope must prevail over contemporary fears, global crises and the uncertainties brought by rapid technological change.
Speaking before the congregation, Zgrablić urged the faithful to become “carriers of peace, reconciliation and solidarity” at a time marked by war, social fragmentation and growing mistrust. He warned that fear should not be allowed to dominate personal or collective life.
“We are invited to look at our lives from a new perspective,” he said, noting that even the most difficult situations can gain deeper meaning when anchored in lasting values rather than shifting circumstances.
Reflecting on divisions within families, communities and nations, the archbishop pointed to the example of Christ’s transformed wounds after the Resurrection — not as symbols of pain, but as signs of victory. He emphasized that past wounds should not become barriers but motivations for forgiveness.
“Forgiveness is not weakness,” Zgrablić said. “It is an act that liberates and enables the rebuilding of community where it has been damaged by egoism and distrust.”
He added that Christian life is authentic only when belief and action are aligned, calling for humility, service to others and active engagement in building a more just society.
Zgrablić also urged special attention to society’s most vulnerable — the sick, people with disabilities and all those carrying heavy burdens — and extended Easter greetings to emergency and security service workers who safeguard public wellbeing.
The message echoes similar Easter appeals from other Croatian church leaders, who in recent days have highlighted the need for peace, dialogue and solidarity in a world unsettled by conflict and rapid change. (Hina/N1)
