By St John Chrysostom (from
here) (H/T Andrei)
- If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let them enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival.
- If anyone is a grateful servant, let them, rejoicing, enter into the joy of his Lord.
- If anyone has wearied themselves in fasting, let them now receive recompense.
- If anyone has labored from the first hour, let them today receive the just reward.
- If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let them feast.
- If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let them have no misgivings; for they shall suffer no loss.
- If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let them draw near without hesitation.
- If anyone has arrived even at the eleventh hour, let them not fear on account of tardiness.
- For the Master is gracious and receives the last even as the first; He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has labored from the first.
- He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one He gives, and to the other He is gracious.
- He both honors the work and praises the intention.
- Enter all of you, therefore, into the joy of our Lord, and, whether first or last, receive your reward.
- O rich and poor, one with another, dance for joy!
- O you ascetics and you negligent, celebrate the day!
- You that have fasted and you that have disregarded the fast, rejoice today!
- The table is rich-laden: feast royally, all of you!
- The calf is fatted: let no one go forth hungry!
- Let all partake of the feast of faith. Let all receive the riches of goodness.
- Let no one lament their poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
- Let no one mourn their transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave.
- Let no one fear death, for the Saviour's death has set us free.
- He that was taken by death has annihilated it!
- He descended into Hades and took Hades captive!
- He embittered it when it tasted His flesh! And anticipating this, Isaiah exclaimed: "Hades was embittered when it encountered Thee in the lower regions".
- It was embittered, for it was abolished!
- It was embittered, for it was mocked!
- It was embittered, for it was purged!
- It was embittered, for it was despoiled!
- It was embittered, for it was bound in chains!
- It took a body and came upon God!
- It took earth and encountered Ηeaven!
- It took what it saw, but crumbled before what it had not seen!
- O death, where is thy sting?
- O Hades, where is thy 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 a tomb!
- For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the first-fruits of them that have slept.
- To Him be glory and might unto the ages of ages.
- Amen.
I'll greet you all with the Paschal Greeting
ReplyDeleteChrist is Risen!
and when greeted thus in the Paschal Season you should respond
Truly he is Risen!
The custom is to use this greeting in the language of the person you are greeting
So for a Greek you would say
Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! (Christos Anesti!)
Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! (Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη!)
For those of the Slavonic Churches
Христóсъ воскрéсе!(Hristos Voskrese!)
Воистину воскресе! (Voistinu voskrese!)
And for a Romanian
Hristos a înviat!
Adevărat a înviat!
Arabic brethren use this
El Messieh kahm!
Hakken kahm!
This emphasises the unity of our shared Faith, I learned this as a child
It is somewhat disconcerting to hear people wishing one another "Happy Easter"
A long time ago we found ourselves in a provincial New Zealand town one Easter and that year (around 1983 or 1984 I think) , like this the date for Easter was common between the East and the West so we attended a morning service at an Anglican Church across the road from where we were staying
And a mighty fine service it was, joyful and theologically sound but at the end as the congregation departed the vicar greeted everyone at the door - I greeted him with the Paschal Greeting and he looked nonplussed and became tongue tied, which surprised me. So I explained it and he seemed interested by the concept
For some time now I have been trying to find the Paschal Greeting in Maori, without success, maybe some reader will be able to produce it
It is my opinion, you see, if we wish to reclaim the Christian Heritage of these Island we should be emphasizing the Christian origin of our holidays (Holy Days) and the theological message of the Paschal Greeting is clear, simple and succinct and goes the the heart of what today celebrates
Just imagine, if you will, when the TV breaks for ads we were to see the Paschal Greeting, in English and Maori flashed across our screens, in recognition of the season - wouldn't that be wonderful!
This was filmed at a football game in Moscow played on Easter Sunday
Christ is risen!
ReplyDeleteHe is risen indeed.
Thanks for posting the Paschal Homily, Andrei. I will never forget watching on TV the anti-government protesters who joined the May Day procession in Moscow in 1990, which included an Orthodox priest with a great cardboard icon who called out to Gorbachev 'Christ is risen, Mikhail Sergeyevich!' The Praesidium got up and left in disgust. I knew the Soviet Union was finished then.
Paschal Blessings to Peter and all readers of ADU.
Christos Anesti!
ReplyDeleteIn the midst of death we are in life. Alleluia, Christ is risen, indeed!
We at SMAA, are Rejoicing in Christ's victory over death, while grieving the passing of our belover priest and pastor, Father Andrew Starky. (See next post)
I'm very sorry to hear of this - remembering you and the church family in prayer from this end of the world.
ReplyDelete(Ron, we were in London three weeks ago for the marriage of our daughter in All Souls, Langham Place, and I thought of you as we passed near All Saints. Didn't you used to serve there? I used to drop in there years ago when we lived in London.)
Thank you, Brian, I deeply appreciate your condolences.
ReplyDeletere your question about All Saints Margaret Street. I was living in London in 1972, where I managed a travel business. I was fortunate enough to attend ASMS under the leadership of Fr.Michael Marshall (and 3 other full-time clergy!), where I became part of the wonderful Institute of Christian Studies. That year was a significant milestone in my Christian formation - before joining SSF in Australia and N.Z. and then becoming a priest in ACANZP.
Thanks for your prayers.
Easter Blessings to you and yours; en Christo.
Christ is Risen, Alleluia. He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia, Alleluia!