Песнь 1. Глас 1. Ирмос:

(Literal translation) Resurrection day, let us be enlightened, people: Easter, the Lord's Easter, for from death to life and from earth to heaven Christ God has translated us, singing the song of victory. (Slavic text) Resurrection day, let us enlighten people, Easter, the Lord's Easter, from death to life and from earth to heaven, Christ God has led us, singing in victory. (Translation by Lovyagin) Resurrection day! Let's enlighten ourselves, people! Easter! The Lord's Easter! For from death to life and from earth to heaven, Christ God has led us, singing the song of victory. It is the custom of rhetoricians to dispense with some words of praise without a preface and immediately proceed to the upcoming subject of their speech. Therefore, the same name of grace, John of Damascus, rhetorician of rhetoricians and panegyrist of panegyrists, imitating them, begins the real canon of the luminous day, without an acrostic, which in the canons in some way occupies the position of a preface. John, brilliant in life, most brilliant in word and extremely brilliant in soul, would like to make the bright day of the Resurrection of the Lord shining, worthy of the shining of this day, with two brilliant things. Firstly, he adorns this bright day with no other voice, but the first, because it is a voice that has a direct, swift and noble melody. This voice originates in its singing from the Dorians, who are now the inhabitants of Monemvasia in the Peloponnese, and therefore the voice itself, as musicians say, is called Doric, four-voice and Naos for the reasons they consider. And I will say in general: just as the day of Easter is a holiday of holidays, and a triumph of celebrations, and a day more brilliant than others, so the first voice sung on this day is a voice more brilliant than all other voices. Therefore, in accordance with the general opinion of all musicians, it is considered worthy to take first place among all voices, as evidenced by its inscription: The art of creating chants, honoring your sounds, Gives you first place - oh dignity! Secondly, the brilliant singer adorns the brilliant day with the brilliant sayings of the most brilliant panegyrist Gregory the Theologian, so that from the words of the brilliant panegyrist, with the help of a brilliant hymnist, through a brilliant voice and with the help of brilliant sayings, the brilliant singer brilliantly composes a brilliant melody, in accordance with the double agreement between all of the above. And it is worthy of surprise that he not only takes from the Theologian the subjects of his sermon, but also uses his expressions verbatim. See, for example: the simple and unadorned beginning of the first song is drawn from his theological source, for in his word on his own delay 3 he makes the following beginning: “Resurrection day,” and then says: “And let us be enlightened by triumph.” In the word for Easter he literally writes the following: “Easter, the Lord’s Passover” and again in the same word, interpreting what the word Easter will mean, he says this: “This word (that is, Easter) denotes a transition, historically - flight and migration from Egypt to the Canaanite land, and spiritually - an exit and ascent from the lower to the highest and to the land of promise.” So, the singer, having linked these three sayings into one irmos, makes the theme of the previously indicated creation of the Theologian the theme of his own irmos, saying this: “The day of Resurrection, therefore on this day let us be enlightened, all Orthodox people of the Church.” Then he accordingly names the reason for such great enlightenment - because it is the Lord’s Passover. The singer repeats the word “Easter” twice in order to show the extreme rejoicing of his soul, for those who rejoice repeat the names of those things and those names that they rejoice in, because the strongest joy prompts them to do so. And the Theologian repeats the word “Easter” three times in honor of the Holy Trinity, as he himself says about it: “Easter, the Lord’s Easter, I will say again - Easter, in order to honor the Trinity.” Accordingly, the singer then gives an interpretation of the word “Easter”, presenting it as the reason why we should be enlightened, and indicates how to be enlightened: in justice, we, the Orthodox, should be enlightened today and celebrate Easter, since the Lord Christ did not transfer us from land to land, that is, from the land of Egypt to the land of promise and from an inhabited place to the desert of Sinai, as He translated ancient Israel, but transferred us from death to life and from earth and earthly things transferred us to Heaven and heavenly things. Therefore, we sing in this way to the Lord who has blessed us, that truly victorious song that the Israelites sang after crossing the Red Sea: “We sing to the Lord, gloriously we will be glorified” (Ex. 15:1). Look, beloved reader, and marvel at the wise technique that the divinely inspired singer uses in this irmos, for he composed this irmos both from the theme of Sunday and from the theme of the first song. After he said: “Let us be enlightened, people,” he deliberately brought up the word “Passover” and called it a transition, in order to thereby make us remember the passage that the Israelites made through the Red Sea, and thus connect the first song with the Passover holiday and let us understand that that sensual transition of the Israelites was an image of our mental transition and that their Fasc was an image of our Passover. For from the word “Chamfer,” which means transition, Easter got its name by transforming the thick sound F into a simple P alternating with it and a simple K into a thick X alternating with it, as the Theologian Gregory says: “Some, taking this as the name of saving suffering (that is, the word “Easter”, from the suffering (toà pasce‹n) that Christ endured for us), then adapting the sounds to the Hellenic language, after changes F to P and K to X, called this day Easter. And the acquired habit made the word more commonly used, because it became close to the ears of many, as a more pious saying” (Word for Easter 4. Beautiful and solemn words of praise are given to the title “Easter” by Joseph Bryennius, who exclaims: “Easter is the transition from darkness to light; Easter - the descent from hell to earth; Easter – ascent from earth to heaven; Easter is the transition from death to life; Easter is the resurrection of fallen mortals; Easter is the proclamation of those expelled from Eden; Easter – liberation of those captive to corruption; Easter is the true life of the faithful; Easter is the delight of the whole world; Easter is the veneration of the Divine Trinity. The naming of Easter does not satiate, because the grace expressed through it is manifold: it is the rest of souls, it is the joy of minds, it is the relief of bodies, it is the enlightenment of the eyes, it is the delight of the lips, it is pleasure, it is warmth, it is peace, it is joy” (Word 3 on the Luminous Day, vol. 3). (Literal translation) Let us clear our senses and see how Christ shines with the impregnable light of the Resurrection and how “Rejoice!” says - we will clearly hear, singing the song of victory. (Slavic text) Let us purify our senses and see with the impregnable light of the Resurrection of Christ shining and Rejoice, crying out clearly, let us hear you singing in victory. (Translation by Lovyagin) Let us purify our senses, and we will see Christ shining with the unapproachable light of the resurrection and we will clearly hear “rejoice” from Him, singing (the song) of victory (Matthew 28:9; 1 Timothy 6:16). Since a person is made up of soul and body, he has two kinds of feelings - five mental and five bodily. The senses of the soul are as follows: mind, reasoning, opinion, imagination, ability to perceive; and the bodily senses are sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch. So, the sacred singer calls on us to keep the mental feelings of our soul pure from bad desires and anger, from blasphemous, evil and shameful thoughts, and simply put, from all passions called spiritual. In the same way, he encourages us to keep our bodily senses pure. Our eyes should be kept clean from theatrical and song performances, amusements and other shameful and bad sights that excite the sting of carnal pleasures. Our hearing must be kept pure so as not to hear worldly songs and foul language. In a similar way, Damascus encourages us to keep our other senses from harmful objects, since through the senses, as through certain windows, spiritual death enters, according to what is written: “Death appears through the windows” (Jer. 9:21). It seems that the singer borrowed these reflections from Gregory the Theologian, who says: “It is observed until the fifth day (the lamb sacrificed at Easter, which typifies Christ); perhaps because my sacrifice is a cleansing one for the (five) senses from which my fall and in which there is battle, since they receive the sting of sin within themselves” (Word for Easter). So, if we are purified in relation to the feelings of the soul and body, and especially in relation to the mind and vision, then we will certainly be honored to see with the intelligent eyes of the soul the Lord Christ, who, having risen from the grave, shines brighter than the sun with such a great and superior light of the Resurrection that it is impossible to approach this light because of its brightness. For the Lord also said affirmatively: “Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). And the singer borrows the word “impregnable” from Paul, who says: “Alone having immortality, we are unapproachable in the living light” (1 Tim. 6:16). In the same way, if we purify ourselves by the inner and mental hearing of the soul and by the outer hearing of the body, then, undoubtedly, we will definitely and clearly hear how the risen Christ says to us, as myrrh-bearers: “Rejoice!” What am I saying? If we purify ourselves not only in relation to these two senses - sight and hearing, but also in relation to all senses in general, we will taste the intelligible grace of the Risen Lord: our mental sense of smell, being purified, should smell the intelligible fragrance and fragrance of the world emitted by the Risen Lord, as it is written: “The stench of your world is more than all the aroma” (Song. 1, 2). In a similar way, our intelligent taste will taste the intelligible goodness of the One who rose from the dead, according to the words of Scripture: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 33:9). Likewise, our intelligent sense of touch will feel the intelligible embrace of the Risen One, according to what is written: “His body is under my head and his right hand will embrace me” (Song. 2:6). Therefore, the divine Gregory of Sinai said: “He who does not see, does not hear and does not feel spiritually is dead” (chapter 97). Likewise, Saint Callistus, who is spirit-bearing and has an exalted mind, explains a certain saying, entirely preserved in manuscripts, in which he shows that God, through his love for mankind, becomes accessible to every intelligent feeling. If a person can taste the intelligible grace of the risen Christ with all the mental and bodily senses, then how does the divine John here mention only two - spiritual vision (that is, the mind, for what the eye is to the body, the mind is to the soul, according to the divine Damascene) and bodily vision, likewise mental and physical hearing? To resolve this confusion, we say: only these two feelings are mentioned by the singer, firstly, because they are the first, basic and most important, unlike the others; secondly, because at the Resurrection of the Lord, the myrrh-bearing women brought into action only these two feelings, for through the sight of their eyes they saw the Risen Christ, and through their hearing they heard those sweetest words that the Risen Jesus spoke to them after the Resurrection. If Mary dared to activate her sense of touch, it, however, remained ineffective, for she heard that the Lord forbade her to do this, saying: “Mary, do not touch Me” (John 20:17). So, if we purify ourselves in relation to feelings, especially these two, we will taste the grace of the Risen One, as we said above; if we remain unclean in relation to them, then we will not be honored to see Christ or hear His voice, since, according to Solomon, “wisdom does not enter into an evil soul; it dwells below in a body guilty of sin” (Wisdom 1:4). And Gregory the Theologian said: “The ointment is not entrusted to a corrupt vessel” and again: “An unclean person is not allowed to touch a pure thing” and after: “Therefore one must first cleanse oneself, and then talk about the pure” (First Homily on theology). What can I say? If we are unclean in sight and hearing, we not only will not see the exalted and all-desired face of the Risen Master and will not hear His sweetest voice, but we will also be convicted by Him when He tells us these words of the prophet Isaiah: “By hearing you will hear and not understand, and by seeing you will see and will not see” (Is. 6:9). He who is unclean in the feelings of soul and body is also unclean in heart, and an unclean heart does not accept the Sacraments of God. Therefore, the Lord said that not those who have an unclean heart, but those who are pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8). (Literal translation) Let the heavens rejoice according to their dignity, and the earth rejoice, let the world celebrate, both visible and invisible, for Christ has risen, eternal joy. (Slavic text) Let the heavens rejoice worthily, let the earth rejoice, let the world celebrate, all visible and invisible, Christ has risen, eternal joy. (Translation by Lovyagin) Let the heavens rejoice worthily, let the earth rejoice, and let the whole world, visible and invisible, celebrate; for Christ has arisen - eternal joy (Psalm 95:11; 1 Cor. 15:20). And this troparion, with its laudatory thought, is connected with the previous one and is borrowed from Gregory the Theologian. The expression “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth rejoice” Damascene took from his word on the Nativity of Christ, where he says the following: “And to say together: let the heavens rejoice and let the earth rejoice for the sake of the Heavenly, then the Earthly” (that is, Christ), and the Theologian, in turn, borrows this from David, who says: “Let the heavens rejoice and the earth rejoice” (Ps. 95:11). He took the expression “Let the world, all visible and invisible, celebrate” from the words of the mentioned Theologian on Easter. This word shows an angel appearing to the saint who says: “Now is salvation for the world, visible and invisible!” 5 And the expression “Christ is risen, eternal joy” Damascene borrowed from his own word on Pentecost, for there Christ is called a holiday and joy: “In the Word Himself and in God and our Lord Jesus Christ, the true holiday of those who are saved and joy.” Most likely, the expression “Christ has risen” is taken from the same word of the Theologian mentioned above, for the saint says there immediately after the words “Visible and Invisible”: “Christ is from the dead (that is, risen). “Rise up with Him also,” and Gregory the Theologian took this from the Apostle, who said: “Christ rose from the dead, the firstfruits of those who died” (1 Cor. 15:20). So, the heavens, whom the singer here calls to rejoice, are heavenly angels, likewise the earth, which he calls to rejoice, are earthly people 6. Or, using the technique of personification, Damascus calls upon the soulless elements themselves to rejoice because of the abundance of joy about the Resurrection of the Lord. The same meaning is visible in the following words of the singer: “Let the world celebrate, the whole visible and the invisible,” for he calls people or the entire sensory world the visible world, resorting to the device of personification, and the invisible world the invisible Powers of the holy angels, for Gregory the Theologian says: “Let there be a common triumph of the heavenly and earthly Powers. For I am sure that the heavenly Powers rejoice and triumph with us today; because they love mankind and love God” (Word for Christmas). St. Nicodemus means the word St. Gregory the Theologian “On Easter and about your procrastination”, delivered on the following occasion. When St. Gregory was made a presbyter against his will, with the assignment of assisting in the management of the Nazianzian flock to the bishop, his elderly father; then St. Gregory, out of a sense of humility and because he saw the new appointment as an obstacle to his desire for a contemplative life, retired to Pontus, however, a little later, on the very day of Easter, he returned to Nazianza and uttered the real word. (Translator's Note"). By these reasonings, the Theologian shows that he does not accept this opinion of many, that is, that Easter is named so from the name of saving suffering, but, as he himself says, Easter was renamed from Fasca, and this is true. Firstly, because we see that seventy interpreters changed the word “Chamfer” to “Easter”, and we read in the book of Exodus: “Take it with care, the Passover is the Lord’s” (Ex. 12:11) and also: “This is the law of Passover” (ibid., v. 43), and in many other places. Secondly, because if Easter comes from the word “to suffer” (pasce‹n), then it no longer means “transition” - the singer himself calls this opinion empty and many others say the same. And Chrysostom implies a different understanding of the word “Easter”: “And this very name of the holiday, if interpreted, truly has the greatest advantage - for, on the one hand, Easter, according to the interpretation, is a passing by and means that the destroyer, who struck the firstborn, passed by Jewish houses; and on the other hand, it denotes the actual passing of the destroyer past us, when once and for all he has passed us, restored by Christ to eternal life” (The first word for Easter of eight, the beginning of which is “Earthly Easter”). The salvation of the invisible world, according to Nikita, the interpreter of the Theologian, is either that the lost one of the hundred sheep (Adam and those descended from Adam) was found and what was missing was filled, or, what is more likely and more suitable, is that the angels, being at first difficult to move towards evil, but not immovable, accepted the saving immutability not by nature, but by grace and are no longer afraid of change for the worse and the destruction that comes from it. Why does he say that the whole visible world was saved, when not all people were saved? We answer that this is said according to the purpose of the Savior, because Christ died and rose again for all, and according to the outcome of the matter, only those who believed and kept the commandments were saved. Zonara also says: “Let the Heavenly Powers rejoice over the salvation of people, for if, as the Lord said, there is joy over one sinner who repents, then wouldn’t the heavens rejoice over the salvation of man? They also rejoiced that through those who were being saved, the heavenly order of angels that had fallen from heaven was being replenished, for that upper world should also be replenished and not lacking, as Gregory the Theologian said: “The upper world should be replenished. Christ commands - let us not resist. Let the earthly (that is, people living on earth), having been delivered from the tyranny of demons, rejoice so that the prophecy of Isaiah will be fulfilled, which reads: “God has taken away every tear from the face of the earth” (that is, from every person; see Isa. 25:8).” You might be interested in: