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Christ is risen!

Truly, He is risen!

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Today's feasts

May 7:

Commemoration of the Apparition of the Sign of the Precious Cross over Jerusalem in 351 A.D.; Saint Nilos, Wonder-worker of Sora; Martyr Acacius the centurion at Byzantium; Saint John of Zaden in Georgia, and 12 disciples: Saints Shio, David, Anthony, Thaddeus, Stephen, Isidore, Michael, Pyrrhus, Zeno, Jesse, Joseph, and Abibus; New-Martyr Pachomius of Patmos; repose of Hieromonk Eulogius of Valaam; repose of Saint Nilus, Abbot of Sora; opening of the relics of Saint Nilus the Myrrh-gusher of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos; Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem; Priest Alexis Toth, Confessor and Defender of Orthodoxy in America; Saint Domitianos, Bishop of Maastricht; Saint Liudhard, Bishop at Canterbury; Martyrs Codratos and companions; Martyr Maximos; Saint John the Confessor, of Psychaita; repose of Venerable John of Beverly, Bishop of York; "Zhirovits" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos

Featured article

The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom is read at the end of Orthros (Matins) at Pascha, the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, universally throughout the Orthodox Church. It was composed sometime during his ministry in the late 4th or early 5th century.

"If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival...He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one he gives, and to the other he is gracious. He both honors the work and praises the intention...He descended into hades and took hades captive!...:For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the First-fruits of them that slept..."

This sermon is a fine example of the "Christ Victorious" model of the atonement that was the dominant image of the work of Christ among early Christians and among the Orthodox today. Orthodoxy sees chiefly Christ the Victor and interprets the Crucifixion primarily as an act of triumphant victory over the powers of evil. This is the reason for the festal hymn of the Resurrection being Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

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