In his Easter message, the King reflected on the "great cruelty and great kindness" that "daily come before our eyes" and said that the "virtues of faith, hope, and love" should be emphasised to the world.
The King also made sure his message wasn’t just addressed to the Christian congregation. He wrote: “The love He (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.”
His statement precedes his attendance at Thursday's Royal Maundy ceremony at Durham Cathedral, where he will be joined by the Queen. In his role as head of the church, the monarch will present the Maundy money to 76 women and 76 men, reflecting his age. Each recipient will receive two purses — one red and one white — containing specially minted coins. The red purse will include a £5 coin honouring the Queen Mother and a 50p coin featuring stories from World War Two.
The ceremony continues the tradition of expressing gratitude to individuals recognised for their contributions to their communities, a practice rooted in the biblical account of Jesus washing his disciples' feet at the Last Supper.
Here’s the full Easter message:
King Charles’ 2025 Easter message in full:
King Charles wrote: “One of the puzzles of our humanity is how we are capable of both great cruelty and great kindness. This paradox of human life runs through the Easter story and 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. A few weeks ago, I met many such people at a reception in Buckingham Palace and felt a profound sense of admiration for their resilience, courage and compassion.
“On Maundy Thursday, Jesus knelt and washed the feet of many of those who would abandon Him. His humble action was a token of His love that knew no bounds or boundaries and is central to Christian belief.
“The love He 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.
“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.
“There are three virtues that the world still needs — faith, hope and love. ‘And the 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.”