An excerpt from the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom:
May you all have a blessed Pascha 2022!...
Enter ye all into the joy of your Lord;
both the first and the second, receive ye your reward.
Ye rich and ye poor, with one another exult.
Ye sober and ye slothful, honor the day.
Ye that have kept the fast and ye that have not, be glad today.
The table is full-laden, delight ye all.
The calf is fatted; let none go forth hungry.
Let all enjoy the feast of faith, receive all ye the riches of goodness.
Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom hath been revealed.
Let no one weep for his transgressions, for forgiveness hath dawned from the tomb.
Let no one fear death, for the death of the Saviour hath set us free.
He hath quench by it,
He hath led hades captive,
He Who descended into hades.
He embittered it, when it tasted of His flesh.
And foretelling this, Isaiah cried:
"Hades," he saith, "was embittered when it encountered Thee below."
It was embittered, for it was abolished.
It was embittered, for it was mocked.
It was embittered, for it was slain.
It was embittered, for it was overthrown.
It was embittered, for it was fettered.
It received a body and encountered God.
It received earth, and met heaven.
It received that which it saw, and fell to what it did not see.
O death, where is thy sting? O hades, where is thy victory?
Christ is risen, and thou art cast down.
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen, and life flourisheth.
Christ is risen, and there is none dead in the tombs.
For Christ, being risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of them that have fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
