King Charles has issued his Easter message in which he discusses the "paradox of human life" and the humility of Jesus that was witnessed on Maundy Thursday.
In his <a href="https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2025-04-17/the-king-has-shared-an-easter-message-to-all-who-celebrate"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">Easter message</mark></a>, addressed to "all who celebrate", notes the official website of the British Royal Family, the King describes how “this paradox of human life runs through the Easter story". It can also be seen, he says, "in the scenes that daily come before our eyes – at one moment, terrible images of human suffering and, in another, heroic acts in war-torn countries where humanitarians of every kind risk their own lives to protect the lives of others”.
Noting how the heroism of humanitarian workers is contrasted with terrible scenes of suffering in war, the King says: "One of the puzzles of our humanity is how we are capable of both great cruelty and great kindness."
He goes on to describe how “on Maundy Thursday, Jesus knelt and washed the feet of many of those who would abandon Him" and that this "humble action was a token of His love that knew no bounds or boundaries and is central to Christian belief".
The Kings continues: “The abiding message of Easter is that God so loved the world – the whole world – that He sent His son to live among us to show us how to love one another, and to lay down His own life for others in a love that proved stronger than death."
The King is known for his efforts to build bridges between different faiths, and in his Easter message he praised the kindness found in other religions such as the Jewish and Islamic faiths.
“The love [Jesus] showed when he walked the Earth reflected the Jewish ethic of caring for the stranger and those in need, a deep human instinct echoed in Islam and other religious traditions, and in the hearts of all who seek the good of others.” <br><br>The King ends his message by saying that there are "three virtues that the world still needs – faith, hope and love. And greatest of these is love. It is with these timeless truths in my mind, and my heart, that I wish you all a blessed and peaceful Easter."
The King's Easter message was given ahead of the traditional Maundy Service that he and Queen Camilla attended this year in Durham Cathedral, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2kvn4502kgo"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a> the <em>BBC</em>. <br><br>During the service, specially minted coins – the Maundy Money – were presented to 76 men and women, a number that corresponds to the the King's age during this Holy Week. It is one of the oldest royal ceremonies, dating back at least as far as the 13th century and the reign of King John. The Royal Maundy gifts are reported to recognise the recipients' exceptional Christian service and their contributions to their local communities.
The King missed last year's Maundy Service because of his cancer treatment, with the Maundy Money given out on his behalf by Queen Camilla.
This year's Maundy coins will include a £5 one commemorating the Queen Mother and a 50p commemorating World War Two, with the recipients being people who have helped their local churches and community.
King Charles has long been regarded as a man of faith, and the <em>BBC</em> reports that according to Palace officials he was deeply moved by the religious mosaics he saw in Ravenna during his recent state visit to Italy. During the trip, the King and Queen Camilla also unexpectedly met Pope Francis.
<a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/king-and-queen-get-surprise-audience-with-pope-francis/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color"><strong><em>RELATED: King and Queen have surprise audience with Pope Francis</em></strong></mark></a>
<em>Photo: King Charles III waves as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (Hollie Adams/Pool Photo via AP)</em>
