Archbishop Sotirios of Canada has released his New Year Encyclical for 2026, focusing on the themes of Time, Eternity, and Salvation. In his message, the Archbishop highlights the theological meaning of time and humanity’s responsibility in how it is used, stressing that “time is neither good nor bad; everything depends on how a person uses time.”
Rejecting the view that human existence ends with death, he emphasizes that eternity concerns all people, though with different outcomes, noting that “the righteous and faithful will inherit eternal life, while the evil and unbelieving will go away into eternal punishment.”
Concluding his encyclical, Archbishop Sotirios calls for self-examination and repentance as the new year begins, urging the faithful to live “redeeming the time,” and extends his wishes for peace, freedom, and salvation throughout the world.
Read below the Encyclical of Archbishop Sotirios of Canada:
Time – Eternity – Salvation
By Archbishop Sotirios of Canada
Let us leave the philosophers to dispute whether time is a reality – something tangible – or a concept. For our subject this will be of no benefit whatsoever. Whatever time may be, it is a creation of God. It is placed at the disposal of the human person.
We may also say that time is neither good nor bad. Everything depends on how a person uses time. If we make good use of time, the results for us are good. If we make bad use of it, the results are bad.
Every moment is time. And eternity is time. There neither was nor will there be time without God. God has neither beginning nor end. And time has no end. What meaning would the words “life everlasting” have, if time had an end?
Some people have a mistaken idea about human life in eternity. They do not believe in life after death. They think that for the human being everything ends at the cold slab of the grave. Their slogan, and their way of life as well, is: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” How greatly mistaken they are!
Others again think that only the righteous will inherit eternity. They too are mistaken. Eternity belongs both to the good and to the evil. There is, however, one great, very great difference. The righteous and faithful will inherit eternal life: life with happiness, life with God. The evil and unbelieving “will go away into eternal punishment.” They will live far from God. They will live in eternal hell, that is, in eternal punishment and misery.
Every person who has correctly grasped both the meaning and the purpose of life knows that here he is temporary, a sojourner and a pilgrim. He also knows that eternal life and happiness, or hell, depend on his earthly life; on his faith in the true God and on the good or bad use of time.
Our glorious and noble ancient ancestors admonished us: “Be sparing of time.” And our Creator and Father God, through Scripture, commands us to live “redeeming the time” that is, to make good use of time.
The time of our life on earth, compared with eternity, is less than a drop in the ocean. And yet, upon this infinitesimal fraction of time depends our happy or unhappy life in eternity. By human reasoning this seems irrational. For this reason, many end up believing in the restoration of all things. They follow Origen. But our Church condemned Origen and rejected his theory. Just as the good use of time in childhood has such good results for the rest of a person’s earthly life, so too, and even more, the good use of the time of our earthly life has essential consequences for our life in eternity. Every moment that is lost is lost forever. It is irreparable damage. We can never relive the moment that has passed.
The loss of time and its bad use are corrected by only one thing: repentance. And this is the greatest gift of God. We could safely say that our salvation and our eternal life depend entirely on our faith in the Triune God, on the good use of time, and on our repentance.
We have closed behind us the door of the old year. We stand before the new year. God opens His door to us. A quick glance at the old year convinces us that we could have used it better. Let us look at our successes and our failures. Let us evaluate ourselves. Above all, let us repent and put our repentance into practice, “redeeming the time.” Thus we shall pass through death into eternity. Thus we shall live now and forever with God.
My beloved children, understand correctly the meaning and the value of time, especially while you live on earth. Make good use of it, so that you may live forever with God. I wish you a blessed New Year with Christ and His peace in your hearts. May God bring peace to the whole world, freedom to those in bondage, and salvation to every soul.
With fatherly love and blessings in the Newborn Christ,
ARCHBISHOP SOTIRIOS
GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF CANADA
