Archbishop's Easter Letter 2026

"Jesus rises from the tomb, white burial cloths covering his lower body, with a bright halo behind his upper body and head. Beside him, an angel leans on the tombstone that has been removed from the grave and looks at the risen Jesus."

Which will win, good or evil? The struggle between good and evil has been and continues to be a central theme for the whole of humanity.  It creates a tension that marks human life, is seen in politics and international relations, and provides the plot for novels and films. If there’s a happy ending, good emerges victorious; if the story ends in disaster, evil proves to be stronger.

We often see the struggle between good and evil as a confrontation between two forces of equal power. For a while one has the other by the throat; then the roles switch. In many stories human ingenuity alone can prevent evil triumphing. Neither good nor evil is inherently stronger than the other; it is the situation that determines which emerges victorious.

On Good Friday it is evil that triumphs. Jesus of Nazareth, the proclaimer and fulfilment of hope and love of neighbour, suffers and dies because false evidence has been presented against him. His message has not been understood. Instead, it has provoked envy and fear among those in power. On the cross at Golgotha Jesus is still to be heard praying for forgiveness for his persecutors, but even that voice falls silent eventually.

Good Friday is a catastrophe for the followers of Jesus. Their yearning for a brighter future is quelled as Jesus’s body is placed in the tomb. Everything about Jesus that they have learned to trust and believe in lies in ruins. Good seems weaker than evil now.

The message of Easter is bright and powerful. The resurrection of Jesus reveals that good and evil are not equal; evil doesn’t have the final word. It also reveals that not even sin can erase the truth that God made everything good in the beginning. Good has been reality’s default since the beginning of time, and Easter reminds us of its power.

For those who follow Jesus the message of Easter has always been one of hope, which gives us strength to see beyond difficult times. It makes us more confident that even if the future is overshadowed by clouds, the sun still shines behind them – the sun of the resurrection.

Evil cannot and will not define reality. Christ is risen from the dead and has conquered death.

“I was dead, and see, I am alive for ever and ever.” Rev. 1:18

I wish you a joyful Easter!

Archbishop Tapio Luoma’s Easter Letter 2026 (pdf)