The Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Part V)

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

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THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST (Part V)
By His Eminence Metropolitan of Nafpaktos HIEROTHEOS

Christ's Resurrection should not be celebrated as historical or social event, but as existential, which means that it should be a participation in the grace of the Resurrection. The fasting which precedes the feast during the whole of Lent, the ascetic struggle, aims at the bet participation in the mystery of the Resurrection. In order to be successful, however, this requires, as all the Holy Fathers teach, purification of the senses of both body and soul. Saint John of Damascus sings: "Let us purify our senses and we shall behold Christ, radiant with the Light ineffable of the Resurrection, and shall hear him say, in accents clear: Rejoice! as we sing the song of victory". Thus purification is a necessary precondition for vision of God and communion with God. Saint Gregory the Theologian says: "Therefore first one must be purified, then one must converse in purity.

The purpose of the spiritual life is for one to be united with the Risen Christ, to see Him in one's heart. Christ is risen in our heart, mortify the passionate thoughts which are present under the influence of the demons and overcoming the impassionate representations and preoccupations of sin, just as then He overcame the tomb (Saint Maximos the Confessor). Therefore it is not a question of an outward symbolic celebration but of an inner and existential one. In this light Saint Gregory the Theologian recommends that we should not celebrate in a festive and worldly (secular) manner, but in a godly and heavenly manner.

Participation in the mystery of the Resurrection is an expression of deification (theosis). He who has been initiated into the ineffable power of the Resurrection has realized from experience what Christ's purpose was in creating the world (Saint Maximos the Confessor). In reality, man was created in order to attain deification (theosis), and the world to share in the sanctification through man. Then he who is initiated into this ineffable power of the mystery of the Resurrection attains deification (theosis) and fulfills the purpose of his existence. Thus he acquires greater knowledge.

The holy Apostle Paul commends this experience of life, and therefore he writes that we have been buried through holy Baptism with Christ into death, "that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). This rebirth is essential because otherwise, man will die spiritually, according to the words of the holy Apostle Paul: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13).

Christ's Resurrection is the greatest event in history. It is a matter of deification (theosis) and resurrection of the human nature and of a hope for deification and resurrection of our own person. Since the medicine has been found, there is hope of life. Through Christ's Resurrection, both life and death acquire another meaning. We do not regard as life the whole of the events of history, but communion with God. And we do not regard as death the end of the present life, but man's withdrawal from Christ, while separation of the soul from the body is not death, but a temporary sleep. The holy Apostle Paul, precisely because he feels united with the Risen Christ, can confess: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

In a catechetical oration of Saint John Chrysostom which is a triumphal hymn of victory, he says that through Christ's Resurrection all human problems have been overcome.

No one should weep about poverty and in general about deprivation of necessary material goods, because the common Kingdom has appeared".

No one should bewail the sins which he has committed, because forgiveness has risen from the tomb".

No one should fear death, because "the death of the Savior has freed us".

This "no one" is the absolute, which the Resurrection of Christ creates. As far as we are closed to the relative and do not enter into the absoluteness of "no one", to that extent we weep and bewail and fear.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in Our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

The Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Part IV)

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

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THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST (Part IV)
By His Eminence Metropolitan of Nafpaktos HIEROTHEOS

So far we have seen the Resurrection of Christ was a cause of joy and gladness in men, since by it conquered the rule of death, the devil and sin. But we must stress the fact that Christ's Resurrection was also good for the Angels, all the noetic spirits.

In his Paschal Homily Saint Gregory the Theologian spoke of the Angel's words to him: "Today is salvation come unto the world, to that which is visible, and to that which is invisible". This is about the salvation of the Angels. In what sense should it be taken?

We know that after the fall of Lucifer the Angels became slow-moving in evil, which means they could not think evil, but they had not also attained immutability. Saint Nicetas Stethatos says that at the Resurrection of Christ the Angels threw off this slow-movingness and attained immutability, so that now they are not afraid of deterioration and a turn for the worse and the loss which comes from the change. So also the Angels attained immutability, and they have it, not by nature, but by the grace of God.

After this, the Angelic Powers rejoiced at Christ's Resurrection, on the one hand because the fallen luciferian order has been restored, making the words apply "the upper world has been filled", and on the other hand because mankind has been saved. For if, as Christ said, there is great joy in heaven for each man who repents, this is much more true for the salvation of the whole human race (Zonaras).

Saint Gregory the Theologian says that he is persuaded that on the day of the Resurrection the Angelic Powers also feast and celebrate together because they are lovers of God and man. Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, with those words in mind, says that it is really out of place for the Angels to rejoice over our salvation and for us who have been saved not to rejoice and with the Angels keep this saving, world-saving feast.

The Day of the Resurrection is also called Pascha. This word is repeated in many troparia (hymns) of the Church and gives spiritual joy to Christians.

According to Saint Gregory the Theologian, the Greek word 'Pascha', derives from the Hebrew word 'Phaska', which means 'crossing'. It is well known that the Hebrews' feast of 'Pascha' celebrates the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. To be sure, as Saint Gregory the Theologian says, there are some who think that the word 'Pascha' comes from 'to suffer', that is to say, from Christ's suffering for us. However, the former interpretation is better.

Just as the Israelite people celebrated the crossing of the Red Sea and the gaining of their freedom, so too the new Israel of Grace (the Church) celebrates the new crossing from death to life. This interpretation is given by Saint Gregory the Theologian in his homily on Pascha. Saint John of Damascos, taking almost identical texts from Saint Gregory the Theologian, writes: "The Day of Resurrection! Let us be illumined, O ye people! The Passover, the Passover of the Lord! From death unto life, and from earth unto heaven hath Christ our God brought us over, singing a song of victory!"

Celebrating the day of the Pascha Feast, Joseph Vryenios, disciple of Saint Gregory Palamas and teacher of Saint Mark Evgenikos, analyzes the theological meaning of the feast. Pascha is the crossing from darkness to light, coming forth from Hades to the earth, rising from earth to heaven, changing from death to life, resurrection of fallen mortals, recalling of those banished from Eden, deliverance of those in captivity to corruption, the true life of the faithful, delight of all the world, honor of the divine Trinity. The names of Pascha are insatiable, for its grace is many times what they indicate. Pascha is a refreshment of souls, harmony of minds, unburdening of bodies, light for the eyes, sweetness for throats, delight, warmth, peace, joy.

If the feast of Christ's Resurrection is the annual Pascha, there is also the weekly Pascha. Every Sunday the man of faith celebrates Pascha. And indeed the Divine Liturgy and Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ enables him to participate in Pascha. Saint John Chrysostomos says characteristically: "For Pascha is not a fast, but an offering and sacrifice the gathering one by one." "For every time we come together for a Eucharistic gathering, with the necessary ecclesiological preconditions, the powers of Satan are put down (Saint Ignatius Theophoros) and we have the feeling that death has been conquered."

Not only the feast is called Pascha, as a change from death to life, but so is Christ Himself! Moreover, man's salvation is not known apart from the Godman, since He is the way, the truth and life. He is man's resurrection. Therefore in the Canon of the Pascha feast Saint John of Damascus ascribes to Christ the characterization "Passover, Pascha." He writes, "O Christ, the Passover great and most Holy! O Wisdom, Logos/Word and Power of God!"  This characterization is related to the holy Apostle Paul's words: "For indeed Christ, Our Passover, was sanctified for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Therefore through Christ, Who is the Living Passover, we too can experience the Passover, which is the crossing from death to life. (Source: The Feasts of the Lord)

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in Our Risen Lord, God, Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

The Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Part III)

My beloved spiritual children  in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

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THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST (Part III)
By His Eminence Metropolitan of Nafpaktos HIEROTHEOS

One of Christ's appearances to His Disciples happened in the Sea of Tiberias, at the same time when they were fishing in the open water of the lake (St. John 21:1-14). The circumstances and the manner of His appearance will not be given, but some interesting points will be emphasized.

The first is that the Disciples did not recognize Christ, "yet the Disciples did not know that it was Jesus". This is explained by the fact that Christ's appearances are really not simply His presence, but revelations, manifestations. Saint John the Evangelist says clearly: "After these things, Jesus showed Himself again". Christ manifested Himself when He wished. We have many transfigurations and manifestations of Christ before the Resurrection and after it.

Secondly, Christ's manifestation happens according to men's spiritual condition. For after the miraculous catch the first to recognize Him was Saint John, who made it known to Saint Peter, "That Disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Then Peter put on his tunic and plunged into the sea in order to reach Christ more quickly. Here it seems that the beloved Disciple, who is an expression of the vision of God, recognizes Christ, and the repentant Peter, who is still in the state of action, because of his denial and repentance, rushes towards Christ. Saint Gregory Palamas says that John was "readiest compared to the others for spiritual knowledge", while Peter was "most ardent again and readiest for action compared to the others". So Saint John is readiest for the vision of God and Saint Peter is most ardent and readiest for action. Sometimes action precedes and vision follows, and at other times from vision follows action which creates spiritual knowledge.

Thirdly, when the Disciples came to land they saw "a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread". According to Saint Gregory Palamas the "fire of coals" means a kind of leather which wayfarers use for a table. So they see a fish which was not caught in the lake but was created out of nothing, as well as a loaf of bread. The fact that He invited them to taste and He Himself offered to eat shows that He will be the giver and distributor of the future delight, which will be realized after the fishing of the Apostolic net, after the preaching and gathering of all into the True Religion.

After Saint Luke's account of an appearance of Christ to the Disciples, it seems that Christ ate in front of them a part of a fried fish and honey from a honeycomb. To be sure, Christ's Body after the Resurrection did not need food, but Christ did this in order for the Disciples to be assured that He was not a ghost, but had a spiritual and transfigured body. Naturally, since Christ's Body after the Resurrection did not have a digestive system, this food was consumed by the divine energy and was not changed in the way customary in men. Just as fire consumes wax, so also the Divinity of Christ consumed the food which He took. This example is used by accommodation and has not an absolute application, because the fire which melts wax is made of combustible material, while spiritual bodies, are not maintained by nourishment (Saint Gregory Palamas).

The fact that Christ ate part of the fried fish and part of a honeycomb is symbolic sign which points to the mystery of His Person. Human nature is like the fish, which swam in the dampness of the pleasurable and passionate life. Christ assumed this nature, united it to His hypostasis, purified it of every passionate disposition by the fire of Divinity (fried fish) and made it godlike and red-hot, ardent. In the same way, the honeycomb with honey is like our own human nature, because just as honey exists in the honeycomb, so also in our body there is the treasury of reason and, especially in those who have faith, there is the grace of the Holy Spirit in their soul and body. Christ eats of these things because He regards as His food the salvation of each one of us (Saint Gregory Palamas).

Similarly, the use by Christ, after His Resurrection, of the elements of bread and fish shows His Person and His work for the salvation of man. Chiefly it manifests the Mystery (Sacrament) of the divine Eucharist, because in it man is partaking of the living bread and the living fish which is the Godman Christ Himself, Who assumed our own human nature, and because He deified it He is giving himself to us, for us to be deified (theosis) as well. To be sure, deification (theosis) through the mysteries (sacraments), and especially through the Mystery (Sacrament) of the Divine Eucharist, does not happen mechanically and magically, but in accordance with the spiritual state in which we find ourselves. Thus the Mystery (Sacrament) of Divine Communion operates in accordance with our spiritual state. (Source: The Feasts of the Lord)

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Divine Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Homily for the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women (Gospel of St. Mark 15:43-16:8)

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

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HOMILY FOR THE SUNDAY OF THE MYRRH-BEARING WOMEN
By Saint Gregory Palamas

The Resurrection of the Lord is the regeneration of human nature. It is the resuscitation and recreation of the first Adam, whom sin led to death, and who because of death, again was made to retrace his steps on the earth from which he was made. The resurrection is the return to immortal life. Whereas no one saw that first man when he was created and given life--because no man existed yet at that time--a woman was the first person to see him after he had received the breath of life by Divine inbreathing. For after him, Eve was the first human being. Likewise, no one saw the second Adam, who is the Lord, rise from the dead, for none of his followers were nearby and the soldiers guarding the tomb were so shaken that they were like dead men. Following the resurrection, however, it was a woman who saw Him first before the others, as we have heard from Saint Mark's Gospel today. "After His resurrection, Jesus appeared on the morning of the Lord's Day (Sunday) to Mary Magdalene first."

It seems that the Evangelist is speaking clearly about the time of the Lord's Resurrection - that it was morning - that He appeared to Mary Magdalene, and that He appeared to her at the time of the Resurrection. But, if we pay some attention it will become clear that this is not what he says. Earlier in this passage, in agreement with the other Evangelists, Saint Mark says that Mary Magdelene had come to the tomb earlier with the other Myrrh-bearing women and that she went away when she saw it empty. Therefore, the Lord had risen much earlier on the morning on which she saw Him. But wishing to fix the time more exactly, he doesn't say simply "morning," as is the case here, but "very early in the morning." Thus the expression "and the rising of the sun" as used there refers to that time when the slightest light proceeds from the east on the horizon.

According to Saint John, she did not come to the tomb alone, even though she left the tomb without yet having seen the Lord. For she ran to Peter and John, and instead of announcing to them that the Lord has risen, told them that He had been taken from the tomb. Therefore, she did not yet know about the Resurrection. It is not Mary Magdelene's claim that Christ appeared to her first but that He appeared after the actual beginning of the day. There is, of course, a certain shadow covering this matter on the part of the Evangelists that I shall, through your love, uncover. The Good News of the Resurrection of Christ was received from the Lord first, before all others, by the Theotokos. This is truly meet and right. She was the first to see Him after the Resurrection and she had the joy to hear His voice first. Moreover, she not only saw Him with her eyes and heard Him with her ears but with her hands, she was the first and only one to touch His spotless feet, even if the Evangelists do not mention these things clearly. They do not want to present the mother's witness so as not to give the nonbelievers the opportunity of this feast moves us to explain what is relative to the Myrrh-bearers. Justification is given by him who said: There is nothing hidden that shall not be made known, and this also will be made known.

So you see that even before Mary Magdalene, the Mother of God saw Him Who for our salvation suffered and was buried and rose again in the flesh.

Saint Mark says that this appearance happened in the morning, the indisputable beginning of the day when the dawn had passed. But he does not contend that the Resurrection of the Lord occurred at that time, nor that it was his first appearance. Therefore, we have information concerning the Myrrh-bearers that is exact and the general agreement of the Four Evangelists as a higher confirmation. But even with all that they had heard on the same day of the Resurrection from the Myrrh-bearers, from Peter and even from Luke and Cleopas that the Lord lives and that they had seen Him, the Disciples showed disbelief. That is why He castigates them when He appeared to all of them gathered together. When, however, He showed them many times through the witness of many that He was alive, not only did they all believers but they preached it everywhere.

Their voice poured out on all the earth and their words spread to the ends of the earth, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by signs that accompanied it. For until the teaching is preached to all the earth, the signs were indispensable. Exceptional signs were needed to represent and certify the Truth of the message. But excellent signs are not needed for those who accept the word through firm belief. Who are these (who have firm belief?) They are those whose deeds bear witness (to the faith). "Show me your faith in your deeds," he says. "Who is faithful? Let him manifest it with the deeds of his good life."

(Translated by Fr. Hierodeacon Photios Touloumes from MIGNE P.G. Vol 151, pp 236-248 on the Feast of the Holy Annunciation, 1976)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

The Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Part II)

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

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THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST (Part II)

The question is what exactly do we mean when we speak about Hell and the descent of Christ into it. There are many passages in both the Old and New Testaments which refer to Hell. I shall not quote them all here, because the purpose is to present the teaching about the deadening and destruction of Hell.

One passage which presents Christ's words is characteristic: "And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down of Hades" (St. Matthew 11:23). Here clearly Christ is using the image of Hades in opposition to heaven, which is identified with the glory of Capernaum, which was granted to see the Godman Christ, while Hades means its utmost humility and downfall because it did not prove worthy of this great gift.

The word 'Hades' in the New Testament corresponds to the Hebrew word 'Scheol', which is interpreted as a cave, a chasm, an abyss, and points to the dark and boundless kingdom of the dead, that is to say, the place of the spirits of the dead.

In the Old Testament, it is considered as a place in the lowest part of the earth, but this must be understood symbolically, in accordance with the concepts of that time...So the image of Hades is used symbolically by Holy Scripture to point to the power of death and the devil. The holy Apostle Paul's words are characteristic: "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise share in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Therefore in the Orthodox Christian Tradition Hades is not simply a particular place, but the dominion of death and the devil. We say that the souls of those people who are in the power of the devil and death are in Hades. It is in this sense that we must regard the Church's teaching about the Descent of Christ into Hell, that is, that Christ entered the realm of death, accepted to die, whereupon by the power of His death He conquered death, made it completely powerless and weak, and gave every person the possibility, by His power and authority, to escape the dominion, the authority, and power of death and the devil.

We have a witness of the Descent of Christ into Hades from the General Epistle of the holy Apostle Peter, in which it says: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison" (1 Peter 3:18-19). Here it can be seen clearly that Christ, with His Divinity, descended into the prison of the spirits, of their souls, that is, and preached repentance. Another place in the same letter says the same: "For this reason, the gospel was preached to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit" (1 Peter 4:6).

In the Holy Tradition of the Church much is said about the Descent of Christ into Hades in the sense that He came down into the realm and kingdom of death. The troparia (hymns) sung at Pascha Vespers which begin with the phrase "today Hades groans and cries aloud" are shocking. They present Hades calling out with groaning. Among other things it is said that his authority was destroyed, for Christ released all those whom he had held for centuries. These words are characteristic: "my dominion has been swallowed up; the Shepherd has been crucified and He has raised Adam. I am deprived of those whom once I ruled; in my strength I devoured them, but now I have cast them forth. He Who was crucified has emptied the tombs; the power of death has no more strength.

Also very meaningful for this point is the Catechetical saying of Saint John Chrysostom which we read at the Divine Liturgy on Pascha Sunday. Among other things it says that when Hades encountered Christ "it was angered...it was abolished...it was mocked...it was slain...it was overthrown...it was fettered in chains." Then it says that through Christ's death on the Cross, Hades took a mortal body, and found itself face to face with God. It took earth, and encountered heaven, it took what was seen, that is to say, the human body, human nature, and fell upon the unseen, that is to say, the Godhead.

The Church's teaching about Christ's Descent into Hell was described by Saint John of Damascus in a a troparion (hymn) of the Paschal Canon. I shall quote it entirely because it is very well known: "Thou didst descend into the nethermost parts of the earth, O Christ, and didst shatter the bonds eternal which held the prisoners in captivity, and after three days thou didst rise again from the grave, like Jonah from the whale". (Source: The Feasts of the Lord by Metropolitan of Nafpaktos Hierotheos)

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

The Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

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THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

The Resurrection of Christ is the greatest event in history. It is what distinguishes Christianity from every other religion. The other religions have mortal leaders, while the Head of the Church is the risen Christ. The Resurrection of Christ is the renewal of human nature, the recreation of the human race, the living eschatological reality. When we speak of the Resurrection, we do not separate it from the Cross, for the Cross and the Resurrection are the two poles of the redemptive experience, just as we pray in the Church, "through the Cross is joy come into all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, let us sing His Resurrection", or just as we sing "We venerate Thy Cross, O Master: and we glorify Thy Holy Resurrection."

In the Church, we constantly speak of Christ's Resurrection, which has great significance for the life of the believer  We do not believe in a social revolution, because the greatest good in the world came from the Resurrection and not from any human revolution. Even if we correlate the Resurrection with true revolution, we find ourselves in the truth, from the point of view that through Christ's Resurrection man returned to his original position from a verb which means to come back to the former position. This rectification, the restoration of man took place through the Resurrection of Christ.

The holy Apostle Paul clearly proclaimed: "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17). The truth and power of faith is to the shining fact of the Resurrection of Christ. Without this, the Christian are "of all men the most pitiable" (1 Corinthians 15:19).

The Resurrection of Christ is celebrated by the Church from the moment of His descent into Hell, where He freed the souls of the righteous of the Old Testament from the power of death and the devil. It is in this way that our Church celebrates it. In the liturgical texts, it is seen clearly that the celebration of the Resurrection begins from Holy and Great Friday, as we see in the Holy and Great Saturday service of Orthros (Matins), in which the funeral procession takes place. And the homilies of the holy Fathers on Holy and Great Friday are actually homilies of resurrection and victory.

This is also seen in the holy iconography of the Resurrection. The Church decided to regard the descent into Hell as a true icon of the Resurrection. To be sure, there are also holy icons which depict Christ's appearing to the Myrrh-bearing women and the holy Disciples, but the holy icon par excellence of the Resurrection is the shattering of death, which took place at Christ's descent into Hell when His soul with its Divinity descended into Hell and freed the souls of the righteous people of the Old Testament, where they were waiting for Him as their Deliverer.

The portrayal of the Resurrection by the Descent of Christ into Hell is done for many and serious theological reasons. First, because, no one saw Christ at the moment when He rose, because He came out of the tomb of the sepulchre "of a sealed tomb". The earthquake which happened and the descent of the Angel that lifted the tombstone took place in order for the Myrrh-bearing women to be assured that Christ had risen. Secondly, because when Christ's soul with its Divinity descended into Hell, it crushed the power of death and the devil, because by His death He conquered death. It can be seen clearly in the Orthodox Christian Tradition that by Christ's death the power of death was completely destroyed. Moreover, in the Church we sing "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death..." His triumphal victory over death took place precisely at the moment when Christ's soul, united with divinity, abolished death. Thirdly, by His Descent into Hell Christ released Adam and Eve from death. Thus, just as by Adam came the fall of the whole human race, because he is our first ancestor so through the raising of Adam we taste the fruits of the Resurrection and salvation. Because of the unity of human nature, what happened to the forefather happened to the whole of the human nature.

For these reasons the most characteristic image of the Resurrection of Christ is considered to be His Descent into Hell, because furthermore, as we shall also see in what follows, the essence of the feast of the Resurrection is the death of death and the destruction of the devil: "We celebrate the death of Death, the annihilation of Hell", we sing in the Church. The destruction of Hell and the death of death is the deepest meaning of the feast of the Resurrection. (Source: The Feasts of the Lord by Metropolitan of Nafpaktos Hierotheos)

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in Our Risen Savior Jesus Christ,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George