Christ is Risen from the Dead
Categories: friends, hymns, food, feast-days
Date: 19 April 2009 07:07:11
The Paschal Troparion:
Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling down death by death,
And on those in the tombs
Bestowing life!
Χριστὸς ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν,
θανάτῳ θάνατον πατήσας,
καὶ τοῖς ἐν τοῖς μνήμασι,
ζωὴν χαρισάμενος!
المسيح قام من بين الأموات
و وطئ الموت بالموت
و وهب الحياة
للذين في القبور
Christ is Risen! A blessed and joyous Pascha [Passover: Greek] to all!
Truly a most wonderful set of services yesterday and last night: the expectation, hope and longing, which has been present through the Great Lent and Holy Week services, has been reached: Christ is Risen, and has smashed the gates of Hades. The Paschal Homily of St John Chrysostom, read last night, does indeed sum it all up: I commend it to you for reading.
Though I felt lazy at times, drained others, confused or unsure at others, reaching Pascha, the Great Feasts of Feasts, was all I could've hoped for and more. The journey through Great Lent and Holy Week does indeed make the joy and light of Pascha all that more intense. During this week, named Bright Week in Eastern Orthodoxy, I hope to share with you some of the hymns from last night's services.
Today was spent enjoying milk [which has never tasted so good! :)], indulging in a delicious Yum Cha [Dim Sum] with friends, and I am off soon to the Paschal Vespers of Love, at which I will read the Gospel appointed in German [we have Greek, Arabic, French and Serbian as far as I am aware also...oh -- and English! :)]
A blessed Bright Week to all Orthodoxen, and a blessed new journey to the Ascension and to Pentecost for all.
Christ is Risen!