“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!” (Ancient Christian Hymn for Easter.)
The words from the above hymn, which go back to the 4th century, are chanted every Easter in every Orthodox Christian Church in every land throughout the world. For the early Christians, as for the Orthodox today, this hymn exemplifies the meaning of Pascha (Easter). We live today in what has been called “a culture of death;” and yet, we are more afraid of death than ever. Death, the Bible tells us, is “the last enemy” (1 Cor 15:26).
Hence it was God's plan from the beginning to confront death and destroy it. With the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – God in the flesh – death has been conquered. And now Christians look ahead to the return of the Lord and the resurrection of all. Christ came so that we may have abundant life (John 10:10), a life free from sin and the fear of death in this life, and an eternal life with our Lord in the age to come.
With this firm hope, we hold the light of Pascha in our hearts. May this light dispel the darkness in our lives, in our nation, and in the whole world. Christ is risen, truly He is risen!