Christ is risen from the dead,
by death trampling death,
and to those in the tombs granting life!
We are entering the fourth week of Easter, and what better way to keep the celebration fresh than with ancient hymns. Today we feature a Byzantine chant called the Paschal troparion, a sublime Greek chant that gave us shivers.
The lyrics of this hymn come from the message brought to Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary” when they arrived at Christ’s tomb. There the angel told them:
“Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:5-6
The hymn is a reminder that all the faithful will one day be raised from the dead to eternal life through belief in Christ. The troparion is most commonly sung at the end of the Easter vigil. Its roots can be traced back to the 5th or 6th century.
The brief stanza is sometimes separated by a recitative of the Psalms. Here, however, the song is performed in its own right for the Easter celebration. The singers produce a large sound in the empty hall with just four men. While little information is provided about the performers, the video’s presence on the Orthodox Finland YouTube channel suggests they could be Finnish.
And today we celebrate...