Pascha, the Orthodox feast of feasts

Pascha - The Resurrection (Anastasis) of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Pascha

Christ the Bridegrooom

Christ Crucifixion

Jesus Ressurection (Anastasis)

(click here for the calendar of the Great Fast 2008)

Just before midnight the Orthros of Great Saturday is chanted. It is festive in nature, with the "God is the Lord" at the beginning. It ends with the Great Doxology. The choirs begin the Canon after the chanter has completed the recitation of Psalm 50. The Holy Doors, according to custom, are closed when the Canon begins. At midnight, in total darkness, when the Canon is concluded the Holy Doors are opened. The priest stands before the Holy Table holding a lighted candle. He now proclaims the immortal first verse of the First Stasis. “Come receive the light from the never ending light and Glorify Christ, who is risen from the dead.” At the Third Stasis when the verse “early in the morning the myrrh-bearers came to Thee and sprinkled myrrh upon Thy tomb" is chanted the priest sprinkles the Epitaphios with rosewater.

The Pascha procession of the Epitaphios takes place at the conclusion of the Doxology. Led by the clergy, chanters, altar boys and the congregation, the people leave the church building singing "Agios O Theos - Holy God" throughout the procession. The procession circles the church building and returns to the front of the church. This procession of the Christians on Pascha night recalls the original baptismal procession from the darkness and death of this world to the light and the life of the Kingdom of God. This is Pascha, the Passover from death unto life.

The Great Paschal troparion is sung for the first time. “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.” The verses of Psalm 68 which will begin all of the Church services during the Easter season are also chanted. “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from before his face!” Followed by, “This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!”

As we enter the church fully lit we see it decorated with flowers. The Icon of the Resurrection stands in the center of the church showing Christ destroying the gates of Hades and freeing Adam and Eve from the chains of death. It is the image of the Victor "trampling down death by death." The people proclaim over and over again “Christ is Risen! / Truly He is Risen!”

At the end of the Hours, before the Divine Liturgy, the priest solemnly proclaims the famous Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom as it has been done for 1600 years.

If any man be devout and loveth God,
Let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast!
If any man be a wise servant,
Let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord.

If any have laboured long in fasting,
Let him how receive his recompense.
If any have wrought from the first hour,
Let him today receive his just reward.
If any have come at the third hour,
Let him with thankfulness keep the feast.

If any have arrived at the sixth hour,
Let him have no misgivings;
Because he shall in nowise be deprived therefore.
If any have delayed until the ninth hour,
Let him draw near, fearing nothing.
And if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour,
Let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness.

For the Lord, who is jealous of his honour,
Will accept the last even as the first.
He giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour,
Even as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour.
And He showeth mercy upon the last,
And careth for the first;
And to the one He giveth,
And upon the other He bestoweth gifts.
And He both accepteth the deeds,
And welcometh the intention,
And honoureth the acts and praises the offering.

Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord;
Receive your reward,
Both the first, and likewise the second.
You rich and poor together, hold high festival!
You sober and you heedless, honour the day!
Rejoice today, both you who have fasted
And you who have disregarded the fast.
The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously.
The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith:
Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.

Let no one bewail his poverty,
For the universal Kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one weep for his iniquities,
For pardon has shown forth from the grave.
Let no one fear death,
For the Saviour's death has set us free.
He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.

By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive.
He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh.
And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry:
Hell, said he, 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 slain.
It was embittered, for it was overthrown.
It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains.
It took a body, and met God face to face.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and thou art 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.

The Liturgy of St John Chrysostom begins, crowned in Holy Communion. After 40 days of fasting and prayer the faithful wait in anticipation to receive the Paschal Eucharistic meal. Pascha in the Orthodox Church is not merely a historical reenactment of the event of Christ's Resurrection. It is the day of rebirth, the day of revelation; Christ is truly resurrected once again on this day.

Χριστός Ανέστη Хрiстосъ Воскресе! Christ is Risen Kristus aq ungwektaq Xris-tusaq Ung-uixtuq

Христос Вaскрсе Христос Возкресе Христос Воскресe !المسيح قام! حقا قا Kristus prisikėlė

Notes:

"Pascha" is used instead of the Western term "Easter" to describe the resurrection of our Savior. "Easter" comes from the pagan spring festival in honor of Eástre, the Roman goddess of fertility. Pascha means Passover, the eternal Passover from death to life and from earth to heaven. It is the word that was used by the early church and has not changed through the centuries. Orthodox, worldwide, refer to this day as "Pascha" regardless of what language they speak.

Likewise, "Great Fast" is used instead of "Lent" or "Great Lent". To fast in the Orthodox church is to bear witness to Christ. To "bear witness" in the original Greek is the word we know of as "martyr". To martyr one's self is to bear witness to Christ. This could be in the form of suffering and death, as with the great martyrs and saints. However, those that fast also martyr themselves for Christ. The Paschal fast which leads to the feast of feasts is therefore called the "Great Fast" as it is the strictest fast of the Church year, leading to the greatest feast day of the Church year -- Pascha. The Word "Lent" is derived from old English and refers to the progression of daylight as spring arrives which coincided with the Paschal fast. It bears no root in ancient tradition or the original church.

(Home)

Audio clips in Greek from Holy Week in mp3 format

Lamentations of Holy Saturday morning

Come Receive the Light

Gospel reading of the Resurrection

Christ is Risen

Let God Arise

Entire Resurrection Service [16mb file]

Holy Pascha

Paschalion
(Dates of Pascha thru 2099)

Fasting Calendar Pascha 2009

Theotokos