on great and holy paska orthodox
christians celebrate the resurrection of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ it's
the most important event of all time an
event of universal and cosmic
significance whereby death is destroyed
and all of creation is renewed Christ
having taken on our nature through the
Incarnation was crucified the earth
quaked the veil of the temple was torn
in two and darkness came upon all the
land but in Hades the abode of the Dead
everlasting light was just now shining
through every crevice and in every
corner as Christ made his triumphant
entrance the moment is captured in the
icon of the resurrection also known as
Christ's descent into Hades or shield
while Hades is thought of as a spiritual
reality and mode of being after death
its true nature is beyond the grasp of
our perception and intellectual powers
thus the iconographer uses forms and
images that we are familiar with in
order to convey the action and meaning
of the event
let God arise and let his enemies be
scattered and let those who hate him
flee from before his face while Christ's
body remained entombed his soul
descended into Hades to fight for the
souls of the dead we arrived at the
moment of victory Christ stands
triumphantly in the center of the icon
and is surrounded by the uncreated light
which shines forth into the darkest
regions of Hades his white robe flows
upward to show that he was descending
beneath him are the gates of Hades the
iron bars rent asunder by the lightning
flash of his divinity the locks and keys
are scattered in the chasm below to
emphasize that the gates of Hades will
remain open for eternity death
personified by a figure bound and cast
into the deep abyss no longer has
dominion over mankind
among the dead we see Adam the first man
humbly stretching forth his arm from the
tomb Christ grabs Adam by the wrist and
pulls him up from the open Sepulchre
through this action we are reminded that
just as Christ pulled Adam up to bestow
upon him everlasting life
so too does Christ's resurrection open a
path to salvation for all mankind
Eve stands behind Adam as do several
other righteous figures from the Old
Testament such as Abel with a shepherd's
staff in hand Abraham and Moses the dead
shall rise up and those in the tomb
shall arise those in the earth shall be
glad for your Dew is healing for them
but the land of the ungodly shall come
to an end
King David and Solomon stand on the
opposite side along with st. John the
forerunner and Baptist one of the living
apostles is also portrayed to emphasize
that Christ's Redemption transcends
space and time this is further
emphasized with the angels seen in the
heavens above holding the cross the
spear that pierced Christ's side and the
hyssop branch and sponge that was used
to give him sour wine to drink these
were once the tools of torture but are
now seen as the instruments of victory
you are supremely blessed Oh Virgin
Theotokos for through him who from you
became incarnate was Hades taken
prisoner and Adam has been summoned back
the curse has been neutralized and Eve
has been liberated death has been put to
death and we have been brought to life
therefore extolling we cry out oh Christ
our God you are blessed for so was your
good pleasure glory to you
Christ's very being an entire life
transfigures and transforms the entire
cosmos in the promise of new creation
through his life-giving resurrection we
celebrate the defeat of death and the
victory that came through the cross
Christ has broken the bondage of sin and
through faith now offers us restoration
transformation and eternal life Christ
is risen from the dead and has become
the firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep for since by man came death by
man also came the resurrection of the
Dead for as in Adam all die even so in
Christ all shall be made alive
Christ is risen truly He is risen
Christ is risen from
my day
Trombley
Oh
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and to
the tools he has granted
you