Christos Voskrese!

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from before his face! As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish; as wax melts before the fire, So the sinners will perish before the face of God; but let the righteous be glad. This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! 

Christos voskrese!  iz mertvych, smertiju smert poprav,
i suscim vo hrob'ich zivot darovav.

Christos voskrese!  iz mertvych, smertiju smert poprav,
i suscim vo hrob'ich zivot darovav.

Christos voskrese!  iz mertvych, smertiju smert poprav,
i suscim vo hrob'ich zivot darovav.

The angel cried to the Lady Full of Grace:

Rejoice, O Pure Virgin! Again I say: Rejoice! 

Your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb! 

With Himself He has raised all the dead! 

Rejoice, all you people! 

Shine! Shine! O New Jerusalem! 

The Glory of the Lord has shone on you! 

Exalt now and be glad, O Zion! 

Be radiant, O Pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection of your Son!

"...You that have kept the fast, and you that have not, rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith. Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again, for forgiveness has risen from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.

He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hades when He descended into it. He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh. Isaiah foretold this when he said, "You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with. It was in an uproar because it is mocked. It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed. It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated. It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive. Hell took a body, and discovered God. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated! Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down! Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is Risen, and life is liberated! Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead; for Christ having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be all Glory and Power unto ages of ages.  Amen!"

....from the Resurrection Homily of St. John Chrysostom

Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission.

Christos Voskrese!