Bishops of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BK BiH)—Msgr. Tomo Vukšić, Archbishop of Vrhbosna; Msgr. Petar Palić, Bishop of Mostar-Duvno and Apostolic Administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan; Msgr. Željko Majić, Bishop of Banja Luka; and Msgr. Miro Relota, Military Ordinary in Bosnia and Herzegovina – sent a joint Easter message. Today, Archbishop Tomo Vukšić held a public reading of the message at the Archbishops’ Residency in Sarajevo.
In their message, the bishops of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina stated that, in times marked by tension, conflict, uncertainty, and many divisions, the Easter message calls us to return to the source of true peace.
We often, like the disciples after Good Friday, lock ourselves in spaces of fear, insecurity, and disappointment. The Resurrected Christ enters these closed spaces in our lives. His presence brings light to the darkness of our hearts, restores lost trust, and gives peace that frees us from the paralysis of fear. Meeting the Resurrected Christ prepares us not to be hopeless, but hopeful. It helps us recognize, in the light of the Resurrection, the possibility of new beginnings and to build bridges of unity where divisions threaten.
The Christian faith has drawn strength from this enduring truthfor centuries. Throughout history, the Church has repeatedly observed Christ’s Resurrection as a source of light for each new generation of believers. In him, we recognize God’s firm and lasting “yes” to humanity and to life. The Resurrected Lord affirms that love never ends and has the final word. There is no darkness so deep that God’s light cannot illuminate it, or a wound his mercy cannot heal. For this reason, Easter remains a lasting foundation of our hope and strength, guiding us through all the challenges of our time.
The message from the bishops of BK BiH states that Easter is not only a holiday we celebrate in liturgical worship – it is a constant call to a new way of life.
“The encounter with the Resurrected Christ does not end with the joy of Easter morning, but continues in the daily lives of those who believe in his victory over death. The Resurrected Christ sends his disciples to be witnesses of his peace in the world. That call begins in the closest spaces of our lives: our hearts, families, parish communities, workplaces, and the society in which we live. Where the spirit of Gospel is lived, Christ’s peace becomes a true strength that transforms relationships and opens the path to new faith.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, our homeland, carries a deep experience of a wounded history and, at the same time, a strong longing for peace, justice, and mutual trust. For this reason, the Easter message carries special strength and responsibility. Christ’s peace is not a sign of weakness or an escape from reality. It is strength with the power to transform human hearts. This is a peace that does not remain silent before injustice but heals it with forgiveness, tearing down the walls of estrangement and uniting us in one human family. He teaches us not to see an enemy or a stranger, but a brother or sister with whom we share the same human path and the same dignity as children of God,” the message stated.
Easter reminds us that Christian hope is not just blind optimism, or simply waiting for better days to come. It is a deep trust in God, who leads history and never abandons humanity.
The resurrected Christ is at the start of every new beginning. Where people open themselves to God and to their neighbors, a “new spring” of life is born: trust is rebuilt, solidarity is strengthened, and hope that it is possible to build a more just and humane world awakens again. This is why Easter repeatedly invites us to be people full of Easter hope, those who believe that good prevails, and who are ready to confirm their faith through acts of love and peacemaking.
“As our hearts stand united, we pray to the Resurrected Christ that the light of Easter morning illuminates our lives and the path we follow as believers and as people. In these times of fragile peace and ongoing conflicts, we ask Him that His silent yet strong light enters this world, our families, communities, and our homeland. We pray that the strength of faith and the warmth of mutual closeness shine where the shadows of fear, distrust, and indifference loom. As we celebrate the victory of life over death, we are aware that Easter joy is not a feeling that passes after one day, but a gift that follows and shapes us throughout the entire year.
The Resurrected Christ invites us to be bearers of His peace and witnesses of hope in a world aspiring for reconciliation and renewed trust. May He grant us wisdom of heart to recognize the path of good and the strength to follow it, led by faith that carries us even through the greatest trials of our time.
May the joy of Easter fill your hearts, homes, and families, and may the peace of the Resurrected Lord accompany and comfort you in every day of your lives. Happy and blessed Easter!” said Tomo Vukšić, Bishop of Vrhbosna and Metropolitan; Msgr. Petar Palić, Bishop of Mostar-Duvno and Apostolic Administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan; Msgr. Željko Majić, Bishop of Banja Luka; and Msgr. Miro Relota, Military Ordinary in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
