Christ is risen from the dead!
Categories: orthodox-life, hymns, feast-days
Date: 14 April 2012 22:28:41
Christ is risen from the dead,
trampling down death by death,
and on those in the tombs bestowing life.
Christ is Risen!
After the Lenten and Holy Week journey, last night all our longing and expectations were fulfilled, as we celebrated Christ's triumph over death and Hades, in word and action, on the Feasts of Feasts, Pascha. One of the most moving parts of the service is the close to the beginning of the Paschal night services. It is the proclamation -- by hymn and action -- that Christ has conquered the darkness, as St John wrote in his Gospel, "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:1-17 is our Paschal Gospel reading later in the Divine Liturgy for Pascha). In action, as, in the darkened church, the priest brings out a solitary lit candle, from which we all light our candles, so that the darkness is overcome; in hymn as during this we chant, "Come receive the light from the Light, that is never overtake by night; and glorify Christ, Who is risen from the dead!"
Looking at the icon above, named variously the Harrowing of Hades or the Resurrection, you again can see that Orthodox icongraphy is theology in a visual form. Christ is pulling up Adam and Eve from the depths of Hades, standing on the smashed doors of Hades, which are in the form of a cross indicating His triumph through the Cross. The righteous of the Old Testament are shown risen, for through Christ they are; King David and King Solomon on our left, with St John the Forerunner (the Baptist) also: as he was the forerunner of Christ on earth, proclaiming His coming to all, we also believe he was Christ's forerunner in Hades, preaching to all there the Good News of the eternal God the Word becoming Man for our salvation. Hades is depicted as a man, bound for Christ has led his captives out. In other icons I have seen broken chains and locks also, again symbolising Christ's freeing of all those trapped in Hades. As we chanted in the Holy Saturday Vesperal Liturgy:Today Hades cried out groaning: "My authority is dissolved; I recieved a mortal, as one of the mortals, but this One I am powerless to contain; with Him I lose all those over which I had ruled. For ages I had held the dead, but, behold, He raised all up." Glory O Lord to Your Cross and Your Resurrection!There is much more that could be said, but I will leave more reflections until later; I will say charcoal chicken has not tasted as delicious as it did last night as we feasted together in church after the Divine Liturgy. :) Now I am off to a cafe to enjoy some pancakes to celebrate. Christ is Risen!
O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown! Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen! Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is risen, and life reigns! Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave! For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen. from the Paschal Homily of St John Chrysostom, which is read during the Paschal services