Saturday, April 23, 2011

Easter Saturday

From an Eastern Orthodox friend at another blog.


The main icon (illustration) for Pascha (Easter) is a depiction of Christ in Hades, standing on its shattered gates. Squashed under the ruins of the gates is a wormy little creature, Satan himself, utterly defeated. Christ is shown grabbing two people by their wrists and dragging them out of Hades. These two people are Adam and Eve. Around, also being rescued, are various righteous people from the OT such as David, Abraham, Isaiah- and John the Baptist. (The thief on the cross would be in the crowd of rescued people, too.)


Here is a song we’ll be singing later on tonight:
Today hell cries out groaning
I should not have accepted the Man born of Mary.
He came and destroyed my power.
He shattered the gates of brass.
As God, he raised the souls that I held captive.

Glory to the cross and resurrection, O Lord!

Today hell cries out groaning.
My dominion has been shattered.
I received a mortal man as one of the dead
But against him I could not prevail.
But behold, He raises all
Because of him do I perish.

Glory to thy cross and resurrection, O Lord!

Today hell cries out groaning.
My power has been trampled upon
The Shepherd is crucified and Adam is raised
I have been deprived of those I have ruled
Those I have swallowed in my strength I have given up
He who was crucified has emptied the tomb
The power of death has been vanquished.

Glory to they cross and resurrection, O Lord!