Paschal greeting

Last updated
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after his crucifixion at Calvary. Resurrection (24).jpg
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after his crucifixion at Calvary.
The inscription "Christ is Risen" in various languages (from top to bottom): in Ossetian (Iron and Digor dialects), Latin, Vietnamese, French and Russian. Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, Russia Chyrysti raigas.png
The inscription "Christ is Risen" in various languages (from top to bottom): in Ossetian (Iron and Digor dialects), Latin, Vietnamese, French and Russian. Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, Russia

The Paschal greeting, also known as the Easter Acclamation or Easter Day Greeting, is an Easter custom among many Christian churches, including Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, [1] Methodist, [2] Presbyterian, [3] and Congregational. [4]

One offers the greeting "Christ is risen!" and the response is "Indeed He is Risen!" or "He is risen indeed!" with many variants in English and other languages (compare Matthew 27 -Matthew 27:64, Matthew 28-Matthew 28:6–7, Mark 16-Mark 16:6, Luke 24-Luke 24:6, Luke 24:34). [5] [6]

Theories on origin

Credits for the origin of the greeting vary. However, the phrase "Christ is risen" is likely a shortened piece from Matthew 28:5-6, "The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." [7]

There are two competing theories for the source of the response, "He is risen indeed." The first follows the tradition, not mentioned in the Bible, of Mary Magdalene bringing an egg to Emperor Tiberius. She then greeted the emperor with the words, "Christ is risen." [8] Others believe that the response comes from the Gospel of Luke 24:33-34 "There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, 'It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.'" [9] Regardless of the initial source, the phrase has become part of the Christian tradition. The greeting is used by many to celebrate the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter morning. [10]

Examples

It is used among members of some Christian denominations when meeting one another during Eastertide; some even text or answer their phones with the phrase.

Eastern Orthodox

The greeting and reply are:

Christ is Risen! – Truly He is Risen!

A list in 57 languages is found at the website of the Orthodox Church in America. [13]

In some cultures, such as in Russia and Serbia, it is also customary to exchange a triple kiss of peace on alternating cheeks after the greeting. [14]

Roman Catholic

In the Latin Church, the traditional greeting on Easter morning and throughout the Easter Octave is: Christus surréxit! - Surréxit vere, allelúja (“Christ is risen!” - “He is risen indeed, Alleluia!”). This ancient phrase is similar to the Greek one, and echoes the greeting of the angel to Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, as they arrived at the sepulchre to anoint the body of Jesus: "He is not here; for he has risen, as he said" (Matthew 28:6). [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easter egg</span> Decorated egg for the celebration of Easter

Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian holiday of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are commonly used during the season of Eastertide. The oldest tradition, which continues to be used in Central and Eastern Europe, is to dye and paint chicken eggs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easter</span> Christian commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus

Easter, also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Magdalene</span> Follower of Jesus

Mary Magdalene was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to his crucifixion and resurrection. She is mentioned by name twelve times in the canonical gospels, more than most of the apostles and more than any other woman in the gospels, other than Jesus's family. Mary's epithet Magdalene may be a toponymic surname, meaning that she came from the town of Magdala, a fishing town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in Roman Judea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paschal candle</span> Candle used in liturgies of Western churches during the Easter season

A Paschal candle is a large candle used in liturgies in Western Christianity. A new Paschal candle is blessed and lit every year at Easter. It is used throughout the Eastertide and then throughout the year on occasions such as baptisms, funerals and some other special occasions such as the ordination of priests, taking vows or the Consecration of virgins, when the fire from the Paschal candle is carried with a wick to light another liturgical candle, as for example the baptismal candle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martha</span> Biblical figure

Martha is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem and witnessing Jesus resurrecting her brother, Lazarus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maundy Thursday</span> Christian holiday commemorating the Last Supper

Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday, among other names, is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Washing of the Feet (Maundy) and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, as described in the canonical gospels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Saturday</span> Saturday before Easter Sunday

Holy Saturday, also known as Great and Holy Saturday, Low Saturday, the Great Sabbath, Hallelujah Saturday, Saturday of the Glory, Sábado de Gloria, and Black Saturday or Easter Eve, and called "Joyous Saturday", "the Saturday of Light", and "Mega Sabbatun" among Coptic Christians, is the final day of Holy Week, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, when Christians prepare for the latter.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the feast of the death and Resurrection of Jesus, called Pascha (Easter), is the greatest of all holy days and as such it is called the "feast of feasts". Immediately below it in importance, there is a group of Twelve Great Feasts. Together with Pascha, these are the most significant dates on the Orthodox liturgical calendar. Eight of the great feasts are in honor of Jesus Christ, while the other four are dedicated to the Virgin Mary—the Theotokos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artos</span> Easter bread

An artos is a loaf of leavened bread that is blessed during services in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine rite catholic churches. A large Artos is baked with a seal depicting the resurrection for use at Pascha (Easter). Smaller loaves are blessed during great vespers in a ritual called Artoklasia and in other occasions like feast days, weddings, memorial services etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feast of the Ascension</span> Christian commemoration

The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. It is one of the ecumenical feasts of Christian churches, ranking with the feasts of the Passion and Pentecost. Following the account of Acts 1:3 that the risen Jesus appeared for 40 days prior to his Ascension, Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day of Easter according to inclusive counting, although some Christian denominations have moved the observance to the following Sunday, sometimes called Ascension Sunday. The day of observance varies by ecclesiastical province in many Christian denominations, as with Methodists and Catholics, for example.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easter Vigil</span> Liturgy held in Christian churches

The Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil, the Great Vigil of Easter, or Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil on the Holy Night of Easter is a liturgy held in traditional Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this liturgy that people are baptized and that adult catechumens are received into full communion with the Church. It is held in the hours of darkness between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Day – most commonly in the evening of Holy Saturday or midnight – and is the first celebration of Easter, days traditionally being considered to begin at sunset.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ the Lord Is Risen Today</span> Christian hymn, Easter song by Charles Wesley

"Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" is a Christian hymn associated with Easter. Most of the stanzas were written by Charles Wesley, and the hymn appeared under the title "Hymn for Easter Day" in Hymns and Sacred Poems by Charles and John Wesley in 1739. The hymn eventually became well known for the "Alleluia" sung as a melisma after each line, which was added by an unknown author, probably to fit the commonly used hymn tune, "Easter Hymn". It remains a traditional processional hymn on Easter Sunday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesus Christ Is Risen Today</span> Easter Christian hymn

"Jesus Christ Is Risen Today" is a Christian hymn. It was initially written in the 14th century as a Bohemian Latin hymn titled "Surrexit Christus hodie". It is an Easter hymn referring to the Resurrection of Jesus and based on Matthew 28:6, Acts 2:32, 1 Peter 3:18 and Revelation 1:17-18.

The Paschal troparion or Christos anesti is the characteristic troparion for the celebration of Pascha (Easter) in the Byzantine Rite.

The Latin question Quem quaeritis? refers to four lines of the medieval Easter liturgy that later formed the kernel of the large body of medieval liturgical drama, which is also known as Visitatio sepulchri. It was introduced into the liturgy in the tenth century, as a new genre of liturgical ceremony:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pentecostarion</span> Liturgical book in Eastern Christianity

The Pentecostarion is the liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches during the Paschal Season which extends from Pascha (Easter) to the Sunday following All Saints Sunday.

Christos Anesti may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lent</span> Annual pre-Easter Christian observance

Lent is the solemn Christian religious observance in the liturgical year commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, before beginning his public ministry. Lent is usually observed in the Catholic, Lutheran, Moravian, Anglican, United Protestant and Orthodox Christian traditions, among others. Some Anabaptist, Baptist, Methodist, Reformed, and nondenominational Christian churches also observe Lent, although many churches in these traditions do not.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easter traditions</span> Traditions of the Easter holiday

Easter traditions are customs and practices that are followed in various cultures and communities around the world to celebrate Easter, which is the central feast in Christianity, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus. The Easter season is seen as a time of celebration and feasting, in contrast to the antecedent season of Lent, which is a time of penitence and fasting.

References

  1. ↑ Carson, Emily (23 Apr 2022). "'He is risen' is a greeting for the ages". Rochester Post Bulletin. Post Bulletin and Forum Communications Company. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  2. ↑ "Easter Day Greeting". United Methodist Church Discipleship Ministries. United Methodist Church. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  3. ↑ Hardwick, Rev. Dr. Chip. "Worship Resource 2020" (PDF). psusa.org. Presbyterian Church (USA). Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  4. ↑ "The Art and Practice of the Congregational Church". naccc.org. The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. 3 March 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  5. 1 2 Kovacs, Judith L. (2005). 1 Corinthians: Interpreted by Early Christian Commentators. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 10. ISBN   9780802825773.
  6. ↑ W.H. Withrow, M.A., D.D., F.R.S.C. (1904). Methodist Magazine and Review. 59: 550.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Matthew 28
  8. ↑ Filz, Gretchen. "The Story of Mary Magdalene and the First Easter Egg". catholiccompany.com. The Catholic Company. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  9. ↑ Luke 24:33–34
  10. ↑ Riggleman, Heather. "'He is Risen Indeed' - Meaning and Easter Origin". crosswalk.com. Salem Media Group. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  11. ↑ "ΠΑΣΧΑ". ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΣΤΑΡΙΟΝ. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  12. ↑ "Пасхальная Заутреня" (PDF). Цветная Триодь. Моско́вскій патріарха́тъ . Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  13. ↑ "Paschal Greetings from Around the World". Orthodoxy. Orthodox Church in America. 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  14. ↑ "The Origin and Meaning of the Paschal Greeting". Feasts. The Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist. Archived from the original on 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.