CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN! GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA, MAY 1, 2005

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/chrysostom-easter.html ^ | 400 AD | St. John Chrysostomos

[Kolokotronis]

The Pascal Sermon of St. John Chrysostomos

Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Is there anyone who is a grateful servant? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first hour, let them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour, let him with gratitude join in the Feast! And he that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss. And if any delayed until the ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that toiled from the first. To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows. He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor. The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! First and last alike receive your reward; rich and poor, rejoice together! Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

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 Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!

The icon is from Atelier Saint Andre

[Kolokotronis]

“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tomb He has given life”.

http://goarch.org/en/multimedia/quicktime/Christ_is_risen.asp

[Kolokotronis]

Christ Is Risen PING!

[jocon307]

That's beautiful! Did you write it? It's wonderful, really.

I'm full of questions tonight, here's another: why is Orthodox Easter so much later than Roman (however one should say it) Easter this year?

[Kolokotronis]

"That's beautiful! Did you write it? It's wonderful, really"

Good heavens, no. It was given by St. John Chrysostomos on Pascha in Constantinople more than 1600 years ago.

[jveritas]

The Catholic and Protestant Churches follow the Julian calender where as the Orthodox Church follow the Gregorian calender. That is what makes Easter so far apart in some years. In fact every four years all the Churches celebrate Easter at the same time, and the largest time difference between the two "Esters" is five weeks as in the case this year.

[jveritas]

Truly Risen.

Christos Sanesti.

[jocon307]

Oh yes, I realized that after I posted my comment! Sorry, for the error, but keep the compliment for yourself anyway, great post! make it. But you haven't explained the divergence in the dates of Easter, I'm still very confused about that. It is over one month's difference, can you explain it?

[jocon307]

I'm like, the most annoying person on this thread, sorry.

But I thought Easter was determined by the equinox, or somesuch, I'm surprised it could vary so much. It was ridiculously early this year, for "us", I think the Orthodox folks had it right this time.

[sionnsar]

St. John of the Golden Mouth, indeed -- even in translation!

[jveritas]

You are not annoying at all.

I got my information regarding the differences in the two Easters when I was going to Sunday schools, but I may be mistaken in thois regard. It may be that the Catholic and Protestant Churches use the equinox to determine the time of Easter and this may be what the Julian calender is based on.

[jocon307]

"It may be that the Catholic and Protestant Churches use the equinox to determine the time of Easter..."

Ah! I hadn't thought of that.

Well, I'm not sure if you are right or wrong about Easter, but your tagline is 100% correct!

[Kolokotronis]

Orthodoxy calculates Pascha as occuring on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox calculated by the Julian calendar but always after Passover. The standard was set by the First Ecumenical Council in 325 AD. Time for bed!

[jveritas]

Please see the link below that talks about he date difference of Catholic and Protestant Easter and Orthodox Easter.

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/easter.html

I had in reverse, it is the Catholic/Protestant Churches that follows the Gregorian Calender, and the Orthodox follow the Julian Calender. I apologize for the mistake :)

[monkfan]

Christ Is Risen PING!

Indeed, He has risen!

I go pass out now.

[MarMema]

Alithos Anesti, my dear brother in Christ!!

[MarMema]

Christ is Risen!! Love to you, my brother in Christ!!

[MarMema]

Christ is Risen!!!

[MarMema]

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

[cyborg]

happy easter marmema

[Agrarian]

As Kolokotronis points out, the main thing that makes the difference between Orthodox Pascha and western Easter is that our celebration must happen after the 7 days of Passover.

Thus, sometimes our Pascha is the same Sunday as Western Easter, but it is never earlier. As to how often that happens, it varies a lot. Sometimes it will happen several times in a decade, other times there will be a longer period between it falling on the same date.

It was set by the 1st Council of Nicea, thus when a number of the Orthodox churches changed to the Gregorian calendar (technically a "revised Julian calendar,") no church changed the calculation of Pascha, and we all celebrate it together, with a couple of vey minor exceptions in Finland and one of the Netherlands' jurisdictions, where the observance is apparently mandated by the state to coincide with the Western Easter. (Never did understand that one.)

Anyway, it's 4 AM, I just got home, and am still running on adrenaline. I remarked to my college-age son as we were driving home: "big night!" To which he responded: "Yeah, and it seems to get bigger every year..."

It's like Christmas, Easter, New Year's, and the 4th of July rolled into one... and then some.