Mary Magdalene, and the other women who were present at the
burial of our Saviour on Friday evening, returned from
Golgotha to the city and prepared fragrant spices and myrrh,
so that they might anoint the body of Jesus. On the morrow,
because of the law which forbids work on the day of the
Sabbath, they rested for the whole day. But at early dawn on
the Sunday that followed, almost thirty-six hours since the
death of the Life-giving Redeemer, they came to the
sepulchre with the spices to anoint His body. While they
were considering the difficulty of rolling away the stone
from the door of the sepulchre, there was a fearful
earthquake; and an Angel, whose countenance shone like
lightning and whose garment was white as snow, rolled away
the stone and sat upon it. The guards that were there became
as dead from fear and took to flight. The women, however,
went into the sepulchre, but did not find the Lord's body.
Instead, they saw two other Angels in the form of youths
clothed in white, who told them that the Saviour was risen,
and they sent forth the women, who ran to proclaim to the
disciples these gladsome tidings. Then Peter and John
arrived, having learned from Mary Magdalene what had come to
pass, and when they entered the tomb, they found only the
winding sheets. Therefore, they returned again to the city
with joy, as heralds now of the supernatural Resurrection of
Christ, Who in truth was seen alive by the disciples on this
day on five occasions.
Our Lord, then, was crucified, died, and was buried on
Friday, before the setting of the sun, which was the first
of His "three days" in the grave; observing the mystical
Sabbath, that "seventh day" in which it is said that the
Lord "rested from all His works" (Gen. 2:2-3), He passed all
of Saturday in the grave; and He arose "while it was yet
dark, very early in the morning" on Sunday, the third day,
which, according to the Hebrew reckoning, began after sunset
on Saturday.
As we celebrate today this joyous Resurrection, we greet and
embrace one another in Christ, thereby demonstrating our
Saviour's victory over death and corruption, and the
destruction of our ancient enmity with God, and His
reconciliation toward us, and our inheritance of life
everlasting. The feast itself is called Pascha, which is
derived from the Hebrew word which means "passover"; because
Christ, Who suffered and arose, has made us to pass over
from the curse of Adam and slavery to the devil and death
unto our primal freedom and blessedness. In addition, this
day of this particular week, which is the first of all the
rest, is dedicated to the honour of the Lord; in honour and
remembrance of the Resurrection, the Apostles transferred to
this day the rest from labour that was formerly assigned to
the Sabbath of the ancient Law.
All foods allowed during Renewal Week.
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the
Plagal of the First Tone
Christ is risen from the dead,
trampling death by death, and bestowing life on those in the
graves.
