Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.
Synaxarion From the Pentecostarion.
On the Holy and Great Sunday of Pascha, we celebrate the life-bearing Resurrection of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.
Verses
Christ descended to do battle with Hades alone;
He ascended after taking many spoils of victory.
Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! Ἀληθῶς Ἀνέστη!
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
Христос Воскрес! Воистину Воскрес!
Kristus (ir) augšāmcēlies! Patiesi viņš ir augšāmcēlies!
ქრისტეაღსდგა! ჭეშმარიტადაღსდგა!
Le Christ est ressuscité! Vraiment Il est ressuscité!
Hristos a înviat! Adevărat a înviat!
Cristo ha resucitado! Verdaderamente, ha resucitado!
Kristos (İsa) dirildi! Gerçekten dirildi!
Christos E Anviat! Adeverat Anviat!
Al-Masih-Qam! Hakkan Qam!
«Rejoice!». «Peace be unto you!»
Every place may become the place of the Resurrection. It is enough that you live the humility of Christ.
Mother Gabrielia
Christ is Risen from Paradise… by our beloved Papa-Fotis the Fool for Christ!!!
Father N. is a simple Levite and above all one who is in dire straights, with many personal problems, but he was a dear friend of Papa-Fotis Lavriotis the Fool for Christ. Many times when he saw him, Papa-Fotis teased him, because Father N. is a very simple soul, pure, childlike I would say… and Papa-Fotis found comfort in such souls!
This year (2020) he received an order from the Bishop to officiate on Bright Tuesday in a church in another village, as he did. On his way home, he had to pass by the cemetery where Papa-Fotis is buried, and he was thinking about it.
When he got very close, he saw Papa-Fotis standing in front of him, dressed in a white priestly garb, and very radiantly smiling and greeting him!
Father N., as he is a simple and sincere soul, got scared, as he shyly admits, and stepped on the gas of the car!
Moving further down, to a small church where Papa-Fotis used to go and officiate, he saw Papa-Fotis alive again in that bright priestly garb greeting him joyful and bright! Father N. believed it was his imagination, and for fear of being teased, he didn’t say anything.
At night as he fell asleep, he saw Papa-Fotis again in his sleep, telling him teasingly:
“What were you afraid of, blessed one? It was me and I wanted to wish you Christ is Risen and greet you! Why didn’t you stop?”
This was the happiest… the most grace-filled… the most resurrectional Christ is Risen!
“Think about it,” said Father N. “I was told that Christ is Risen from Paradise!”
He shed tears of Resurrection Joy and loving nostalgia for his beloved Papa-Fotis, who always supported him in his difficulties.
May we have the blessing of the holy papouli!
Christ is Risen! … from Paradise!
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
***
I became all light!
Saint Iakovos of Evia
Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou
When Elder Iakovos of Evia was serving in the army before he became a monk, he was granted permission to take all of Holy Week and Pascha off.
But during the week, he noticed one of his fellow soldiers was very depressed. And he asked him, “Why are you so sad, George?”
“Iakovos, you with your religiosity, managed to convince the commander to give you the entire week off. You will be fine with your chanting, your monastic practices, but how about me? I also want to go to my village to spend Pascha with my fiance.”
“Okay, George, you want the day of Pascha off – do you also want a couple of other days off?”
“Well, it would be good to have Great Friday off, and even Thursday, so I can get to church and hear a couple of Gospels.”
“Don’t worry George, I will take care of it.”
This man of God, who lived for these services – this was his life, these hymns were his breath – he sacrificed it all for his fellow man, and he stayed inside the barracks – Holy Thursday, Holy Friday, Holy Saturday and Pascha Sunday.
Out of curiosity I asked him, “Very well, Elder, how did you pass these days?”
“I was serving guard duty, and I was on a hill watching the citizens of Athens going to their churches, and I was trying to repeat the Prayer of Jesus. And on the night of Pascha, when I heard the joyous bells, I sighed and I said, ‘O my Christ, now our Christians are receiving Your Holy Light.’ And as I said this, the Holy Light came to me as well!”
“How did this happen, Elder?”
“Well, my child, a light came from on high and rested on me, and I became all light!”
The man of God had sacrificed the created light of the Paschal candle, and he received the uncreated Light of Divinity. This was Elder Iakovos. This was inside his nature – the willingness to sacrifice even his prayer and his personal effort and struggle, for the love of his neighbor.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
***
The Easter of Saint George Karslides in prison
The imprisoned monks and clergy asked permission at Pascha to go to church. Having been denied this, they fervently prayed for continued strength in the struggle. As they chanted, “Christ is risen,” the prison shook and the doors opened of their own accord. The inhabitants of that area hastened to see what was happening and beheld three holy figures who, chanting “Lord have mercy” and holding a cross, were processing in a circle above the prison. The vision lasted until dawn, when the captives were prepared for execution. They were tied together and led to the edge of a cliff. The firing squad took aim and fired. Three bullets hit Symeon, but only grazed him, and did little harm. He was dragged off the cliff, however, by the weight of the others. Miraculously, he fell without being killed and this escaped death.” (Middleton)
Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
O, resurrected Lord, place us among the resurrected citizens of Your eternal kingdom.
Christ by His Resurrection did not cross us a river, a gorge, a canal, a lake, or even the Red Sea. He brought us over an abyss that no human being could cross on his own. Our Christ passed from death to life! St. Porphyrios the Kapsokalyvite
https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2022/04/23/christ-by-his-resurrection-did-not-cross-us-a-river-a-gorge-a-canal-a-lake-or-even-the-red-sea-he-brought-us-over-an-abyss-that-no-human-being-could-cross-on-his-own-our-christ-passed-from-death/
The profound faith, the prayer and the simplicity resurrect the dead!!! Why should this incident seem strange? Didn’t Christ resurrect the dead? Lazarus, the widow’s son, Jaerus’ daughter? Didn’t the Apostles resurrect the dead?… Haven’t we read so many wonders in the lives of the saints? Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2021/10/09/the-profound-faith-the-prayer-and-the-simplicity-resurrect-the-dead-why-should-this-incident-seem-strange-didnt-christ-resurrect-the-dead-lazarus-the-widows-son-jaerus/
Paschal Troparion tone 1
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, * let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, * the only sinless One. * We venerate Thy Cross, O Christ, * and Thy holy Resurrection we hymn and glorify. * For Thou art our God, * and we know none other beside Thee; * we call upon Thy name. * O come, all ye faithful, * let us worship Christ’s holy Resurrection, * for, behold, through the Cross joy hath come to all the world. * Ever blessing the Lord, * we hymn His Resurrection; * for, having endured crucifixion, ** He hath destroyed death by death.
The angel cried to the Lady Full of Grace: Rejoice, O Pure Virgin!Again I say: Rejoice! Your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb!With Himself He has raised all the dead! Rejoice, all you people!
Shine! Shine! O New Jerusalem!The Glory of the Lord has shone on you!Exalt now and be glad, O Zion!Be radiant, O Pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection of your Son!
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