| ~ Paschal Greetings in many of the world's languages ~ "Christ's Harrowing of Hell": an ancient Christian Sermon ~ "The Lamb that was Slain has delivered us from Death" by Saint Melitos of Sardis (2nd century) ~ "The Weakness of God is Stronger than Men" Resurrection Homily by Saint John Chrysostom (5th c.) ~ The Paschal Homily of Saint John Chrysostom ~ Hymn on the Resurrection of our Lord, by the Armenian Catholicos Saint Nersess the Grace-filled (12th c.) ~ Orthodox Thoughts on the Resurrection ~ Why did Jesus have to die? by Rev. Sub-Dn. Lazarus W. Der-Ghazarian ~ Return to Looys Kreesdosee Home Page |
| The ancient Churches (Orthodox & Catholic) celebrate our Lord's Resurrection for a total of forty days in remembrance of the forty days He remained on earth teaching His chosen Apostles. After our forty day period of spiritual preparation (The Great Fast) and then our week of meditation upon the Lord's last days (Great Week) leading up to His Crucifixion, we regard the Resurrection as the Festival of festivals and far too glorious to be celebrated by a single day. The English word Easter, according to the Modern Catholic Dictionary, comes from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre, the name of the Teutonic goddess of dawn and spring. As the Germanic peoples were evangelized, they retained the use of this title of their pre-Christian, pagan spring festival because it coincided with the festival of the Resurrection. Since the evangelization of Greeks, Armenians and Latins pre-date Christianity's spread to Anglo-Saxon lands, these Churches use the primitive title of the feast of the Resurrection, Pascha, which comes from the Aramaic word for Passover. In the New Testament the Greek word Pascha is rendered into Armenian by the word Zadeeg (cf. 1 Cor 5:7). The Orthodox Study Bible explains, "Originally Pascha designated the Jewish Passover: now, it is the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ. Christ is the Lamb of God whose sacrifice delivers the faithful from death, as the sacrifice of the passover lamb delivered the ancient Jews from slavery and death in Egypt (Ex. 12; 13; 1 Cor. 5:7, 8)." Thus, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, "Passover remains a Christian theme of observance" (#1170). Our family would like to pass on to you the following messages announcing the triumph of our Lord over Death and to wish you all a very Holy Easter-Pascha and Soorp Zadeeg! What follows are Paschal greetings, ancient Christian homilies and hymns, and other documents which illuminate the ancient Christian understanding of Christ's Resurrection as the ultimate and final Passover. Happy Easter, a Blessed Pascha, and a Holy Christian Passover, -Rev. Sub-Deacon Lazarus & the Der-Ghazarian Family |
| Christ is Risen from the dead! He trampled down Death by death and through His resurrection He granted life unto us - Glory unto Him unto the ages. Amen |
| "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." -The Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to St. John 11:25-26 |
| Soorp Zadeeg: The Holy Pascha of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ -from death unto Life! For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the festival.. -St.Paul's 1st Epistle to the Church of Corinth 5:7-8 |
Description of the Paschal Icon: The Icon of the "Harrowing of Hell" above shows Christ standing over the broken gates of Hades (depicted as coffin lids in the form of the Cross). Christ pulls up Adam and Eve out of Hades by their hands. On Christ's left, Moses, Isaias & Elias look on. On His right are the Old Testament kings David and Solomon along with the Baptist, St. John the Forerunner. Below Christ's feet, Death (personified) is trampled upon. "After, He willingly came to suffer and be crucified and died in the body, yet lived in His divinity." "His body was placed in the grave united with His divinity; and, with His spirit undivided from His divinity, He descended into Hades. He preached to the souls in Hades, destroyed Hades and delivered them." "After three days, He rose from the dead and appeared to the disciples." -from the Creed of St. Gregory of Datev |
