Homily I on the Holy Pascha · §4 · Hesychius of Jerusalem

The Lord Risen and Enthroned

…in a womb of flesh, and then in the womb of the earth: in the one, sanctifying those who are born, through his being carried in the womb; in the other, giving life to the dead, through his resurrection. 'For pain and sorrow and sighing have fled away' (Isaiah 35:10). 'For who has known the mind of God, or who has been his counselor?' (Romans 11:34; Isaiah 40:13) Who, except the Word, who became flesh, was nailed to the wood, rose from the dead, and was lifted up into the heavens?

This day is the good news of joy. For on this day the Lord rose, and raised with him the flock of Adam. For he was born for the sake of man, and he rose in man.

Today, through the one who rose, paradise has been opened, Adam is given life, Eve is comforted, the calling is multiplied, the kingdom is made ready, man is saved, and Christ is worshipped. For he trampled down death, took the tyrant captive, and plundered Hades, and then he went up into the heavens as a victorious king, as a glorious commander, as a charioteer never overtaken, saying to the Father, 'Here am I, and the children whom you have given me, O God' (Hebrews 2:13; Isaiah 8:18), and the rest. And he heard from the Father, 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet' (Psalm 110:1).

To him be the glory, now and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Greek

μὲν ἐν κοιλίᾳ σαρκός, ἔπειτα δὲ ἐν κοιλίᾳ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου μὲν ἁγιάζων τοὺς γεννωμένους διὰ τῆς κυήσεως, ὅπου δὲ ζωογονῶν τοὺς τεθανατωμένους διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως· «Ἀπέδρα γὰρ ὀδύνη καὶ λύπη καὶ στεναγμός.» «Τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν θεοῦ, ἢ τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο», ἀλλ' ἢ ὁ Λόγος ὁ σαρκωθεὶς καὶ ξύλῳ προσηλωθεὶς καὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστὰς καὶ εἰς οὐρανοὺς ὑψωθείς; 6 Αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα χαρᾶς εὐαγγελισμός· ἐν τῇ γὰρ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἀνέστη ὁ κύριος συνεγείρας τὴν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἀγέλην· ἐγεννήθη γὰρ διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀνέστη ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ. Σήμερον διὰ τὸν ἀναστάντα παράδεισος ἀνέῳκται καὶ Ἀδὰμ ζωογονεῖται καὶ Εὔα παρηγορεῖται καὶ κλῆσις πληθύνεται καὶ βασιλεία ἑτοιμάζεται καὶ ἄνθρωπος σῴζεται καὶ Χριστὸς προσκυνεῖται· καταπατήσας γὰρ τὸν θάνατον καὶ αἰχμαλωτίσας τὸν τύραννον καὶ σκυλεύσας τὸν ᾅδην, ἀνέβη εἰς οὐρανούς, ὡς βα σιλεὺς νενικηκώς, ὡς ἡγεμὼν ἔνδοξος, ὡς ἡνίοχος ἄλειπτος, λέ-γων τῷ Πατρί· «Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι δέδωκας, ὦ θεός», καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ ἤκουσεν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός· «Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου.» Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα, νῦν καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 2

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Hesychius of Jerusalem’s first homily on the holy Pascha, on the night of victory and the wood of the cross that opened heaven, in a fresh English translation from the Greek.

Hesychius, a presbyter of Jerusalem (fl. c. 412–450), preached this homily for the holy night of Pascha. It is his first homily on the holy Pascha; the second is a separate work.

He begins with the night itself, lit up less by the stars than by joy, because our God and Savior has conquered: "Take courage," he says, "I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Since God has conquered the invisible enemy, his hearers too will win the victory over the demons, so he calls them to stay beside the saving cross and keep the holy night with torchlight and song.

He then praises the wood of the cross, which opened the doors of heaven. Rome glories in it, and Paul was not ashamed of it. Moses' rod drove off the plagues of Egypt, but the cross puts an end to the sins of humankind. The thief's prayer, "Remember me, Lord, in your kingdom" (Luke 23:42), becomes the hearers' own. The day itself speaks of the opened tomb and the King ascending, and the homily ends with the risen Lord called to sit at the Father's right hand.

A fresh English translation made from the Greek text printed in PG 93.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 93 (Greek)

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Greek on any section to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

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