Where he was resurrected. The place where Christ was resurrected. Why Jesus Christ was resurrected

This week, many were surprised by the news that a quarter of Britons who call themselves Christians do not believe in the resurrection of Christ (BBC data). For those of you planning to celebrate Easter this Sunday, these numbers may come as a shock...

For anyone reading this blog, I offer nine important things to know about the Resurrection.

1. Belief in the Resurrection is a core doctrine of the Christian faith.. If you do not believe in the Resurrection, you do not have a personal relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ.

“For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).

“And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is in vain: you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17).

2. The Resurrection gives hope for eternal life to everyone who has died in Christ. The Bible teaches that since Jesus is now alive as a result of the resurrection, all who have a personal relationship with Him have the hope of eternal life with Him after death.

“But Christ has risen from the dead, the firstborn of those who have fallen asleep. For as death came through man, so also came the resurrection of the dead through man” (1 Cor. 20-22).

Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you also may be” (John 14:2-3).

3. The disciples of Christ, who later became His apostles, at first did not understand the meaning of the resurrection. Jesus spoke to His disciples (His followers during His earthly ministry) about the resurrection, but they did not understand this truth until He was resurrected.

“When they came down from the mountain, He commanded that they should not tell anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. And they kept this word, asking each other what it meant to be raised from the dead” (Mark 9:9-10).

“Then some of His disciples said to one another, “What is it that He says to us: Soon you will not see Me, and again soon you will see Me, and: I am going to the Father?” (John 16:17).

4. Jewish Religious Leaders Feared the Possibility of the Resurrection. These religious leaders did not accept the teachings of Jesus because it threatened their power and undermined their religious system. They feared the risen Messiah and Savior.

“They went and set a guard at the tomb, and put a seal on the stone” (Matt. 27:62-66).

5. The resurrection of Christ became a source of great joy for the disciples and the foundation of their faith. When Jesus spoke to His disciples about His resurrection, He predicted that their grief over His death would then be replaced by a joy that no one could take away from them. The Apostle John recalled these words in his Gospel in order to call the reader to faith in Jesus.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will mourn and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sad, but your sorrow will turn into joy... So now you also have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:20-22).

6. The Resurrection of Christ was witnessed by eyewitnesses. Paul lists many who saw the risen Jesus.

“I remind you, brethren, of the gospel which I preached to you, which you received, in which you stood, and by which you are saved, if you keep what was taught, as I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I initially taught you what I myself accepted, that is, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve; then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, and some have died; then he appeared to Jacob, and also to all the Apostles; and last of all he appeared to me, as to a certain monster” (1 Cor. 15:1-8).

7. The Resurrection Demonstrated that Jesus is the Son of God. Paul saw the Resurrection as proof of the divinity and Sonship of Jesus (Rom. 1:3-4).

“...about His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and was revealed to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, through the resurrection from the dead, in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 1:3-4).

8. The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our salvation. Jesus went to the cross because of our sins because a sacrifice was needed on which God's wrath would be poured out. And the resurrection of Christ became the basis of our justification and salvation.

“... it will also be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus Christ our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our sins and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:24-25.

9. The Resurrection of Christ gives us the power to live a life that glorifies God.. The power of the Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead—as indicated by the fact of the Resurrection—is the same power that resides within us, giving hope for real change in our lives so that we can live a life that glorifies God.

“If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11).

“...and how exceedingly great is the greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens...” (Eph. 1:19-23; cf. Eph. 3 :20-21).

“...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10).

Voice of Truth based on Pastor Kevin's blog

The Holy Resurrection of Christ is the largest and brightest Christian holiday. This holiday is also called Easter of Christ, that is, the Day on which our transition from death to life and from earth to Heaven took place. Easter is the most ancient and important holiday of the liturgical year.

EASTER FOR ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS

Holy Resurrection of Christ - the largest and brightest Christian holiday. This holiday is also called Easter of Christ, that is, the Day on which our transition from death to life and from earth to Heaven took place.

EASTER is the most ancient and important holiday of the liturgical year.

Christ is risen!- and for the entire universe, true spring began, a bright, joyful morning of a new life.

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the first real victory of life over death.

Holy Resurrection of Christ

Here's how it went:

After Saturday, at night, on the third day after His suffering and death, the Lord Jesus Christ came to life by the power of His Divinity, that is, He rose from the dead. His human body was transformed.

He came out of the tomb without rolling away the stone, without breaking the Sanhedrin seal, and invisible to the guards. From that moment on, the soldiers, without knowing it, guarded the empty coffin.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake; The Angel of the Lord descended from heaven. He approached, rolled away the stone from the door of the Holy Sepulcher and sat down on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The soldiers standing guard at the coffin were in awe and became as if they were dead, and then, waking up from fear, they fled.

On this day (the first day of the week), as soon as the Sabbath rest ended, very early, at dawn, Mary Magdalene, Mary of James, Joanna, Salome and other women, taking the prepared fragrant myrrh, went to the tomb of Jesus Christ to anoint His body, since they did not have time to do this during the burial. (The Church calls these women myrrh-bearers).

They did not yet know that guards were assigned to the tomb of Christ and the entrance to the cave was sealed. Therefore, they did not expect to meet anyone there and said to each other: “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” The stone was very large.

Icon of A. Rublev "The Resurrection of Christ" (1408-1410)

Mary Magdalene, ahead of the other myrrh-bearing women, was the first to come to the tomb. It was not yet dawn, it was dark. Mary, seeing that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, immediately ran to Peter and John and said: “They have taken the Lord away from the tomb, and we do not know where they laid Him.” Hearing such words, Peter and John immediately ran to the tomb. Mary Magdalene followed them.

At this time, the rest of the women walking with Mary Magdalene approached the tomb. They saw that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. And when they stopped, they suddenly saw a radiant Angel sitting on a stone.

The angel, addressing them, said: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He's not here; He has risen, as He said while He was still with you. Come and see the place where the Lord lay. And then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead.”

They went inside the tomb (cave) and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. But, looking, they saw an Angel in white clothes, sitting to the right of the place where the Lord was laid; They were seized with horror.

The angel says to them: “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene crucified. He has risen. He's not here. This is the place where He was laid. But go, tell His disciples and Peter (who by his denial fell from the number of the disciples) that He will meet you in Galilee, there you will see Him, as He told you.”

When the women stood in bewilderment, suddenly two Angels in shining clothes appeared before them again. The women bowed their faces to the ground in fear.

The angels told them: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here: He has risen; remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”.

Easter service begins at midnight from Saturday to Sunday e; she is all filled with spiritual joy and jubilation. All of her - a solemn hymn to the Bright Resurrection of Christ, the reconciliation of God and man, the victory of life over death.

On Easter, the breaking of the fast begins after a long period of Lent, and the main attributes of the festive table are colored eggs, Easter cake and Easter (a sweet dish made from cottage cheese with raisins).

Painted egg(previously there were only red eggs) - a symbol of the world, stained with the blood of Jesus Christ and through this being reborn to new life.

Kulich(tall bread made from butter dough) is a symbol of the body of the Lord, which believers should partake of. By the way, all this Easter food is blessed in the church the day before - on Holy Saturday.

The Easter holiday takes place every year on different dates of the month and the time of its celebration “changes” according to its date, but always falls on Sunday.

All holidays calendar-related with Easter (and these are Palm Sunday, Antipascha, Ascension and Trinity) also change their date and are called movable or movable.

Other twelve holidays (Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Candlemas and others) have a constant date and are called immovable or immovable.

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness, we are changing the world together! © econet

Where is our Lord Jesus Christ at the present time, and what is He doing? Christians know that every sincerely repented sin is forgiven to a believer, because once on Calvary the Son of God atoned for the sins of people with His death. But what is the mission of the Savior after His ascension into Heaven?

When contemplating our salvation, where should we turn our attention? Many Christians look to where Jesus Christ is no longer there. Worshipers of icons look at the baby Jesus Christ in the arms of Mary, while He has long grown up. And many look at Calvary, although Jesus Christ has not been there for a long time. Jesus Christ rose again and is seated at the right hand of God in heaven.

An ancient proverb says: “Of everything you need to choose the main thing.” What is the most important thing for us at the moment?

We read from the Apostle Paul: “Now this is the chief thing of which we speak: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and [is] a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man” (Hebrews 8:1, 2 ). Paul goes on to say: “If He had remained on earth, He would not have been a priest” (Hebrews 8:4).

Should we only remember what the Lord has done for us in the past? Has our salvation already been achieved?

If we are saved, then why do we need a Priest in heaven? How does Scripture describe what Jesus Christ is doing today? We read: “He bore the sin of many and became an intercessor for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). “My children! I write this to you so that you will not sin; and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; He is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for [the sins] of the whole world” (1 John 2:1).

It turns out that Jesus Christ is still busy saving us. Currently, our Intercessor, or Intercessor before God the Father, continues the ministry of propitiation for our sins. The Bible says: “Therefore He is the mediator of the new covenant, so that through [His] death, which was for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promise of an eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15).

In the Middle Ages, Catholics, selling indulgences to their parishioners, seemed to “forgive” their sins “on credit.” But the Bible teaches differently. Whenever we commit a sin, we must come to God in repentance and in prayer in the name of Jesus Christ confess our sin to Him. And then the Risen and Living High Priest, Jesus Christ, will appear as an intercessor for us to atone for our sins before the Heavenly Father.

“My children! I write this to you so that you will not sin; and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; He is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the [sins] of the whole world. And we know that we have come to know Him by keeping His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and there is no truth in him; and whoever keeps His word, in him is truly the love of God perfected: by this we know that we are in Him. Anyone who says that he abides in Him must walk as He walked” (1 John 2:1–6).

- the basis of our faith. It is that first, most important, great truth, with the proclamation of which the apostles began their preaching. Just as Christ’s death on the cross accomplished the cleansing of our sins, so His resurrection granted us eternal life. Therefore, for believers, the Resurrection of Christ is a source of constant joy, unceasing rejoicing, reaching its peak on the holiday of Holy Christian Easter.

There is probably no person on earth who has not heard about the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. But, while the very facts of His death and resurrection are so widely known, their spiritual essence, their inner meaning is the secret of God’s wisdom, justice and His infinite love. The best human minds bowed helplessly before this incomprehensible mystery of salvation. Nevertheless, the spiritual fruits of the Savior's death and resurrection are accessible to our faith and tangible to the heart. And thanks to the ability given to us to perceive the spiritual light of Divine truth, we are convinced that the incarnate Son of God actually voluntarily died on the cross to cleanse our sins and was resurrected to give us eternal life. Our entire religious worldview is based on this conviction.

Now let us briefly recall the main events associated with the resurrection of the Savior. As the evangelists narrate, the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross on Friday, about three hours after lunch, on the eve of the Jewish Passover. That same day in the evening, Joseph of Arimathea, a rich and pious man, together with Nicodemus, took the body of Jesus from the cross, anointed it with fragrant substances, wrapped it in linen (“the shroud”), as was customary according to Jewish traditions, and buried it in a stone cave. Joseph carved this cave into the rock for his own burial, but out of love for Jesus he gave it up to Him. This cave was located in Joseph's garden, next to Golgotha, where Christ was crucified. Joseph and Nicodemus were members of the Sanhedrin (the supreme Jewish court) and at the same time secret disciples of Christ. They blocked the entrance to the cave where they buried the body of Jesus with a large stone. The burial was carried out hastily and not according to all the rules, since that evening the holiday of the Jewish Passover began.

Despite the holiday, on Saturday morning, the high priests and scribes went to Pilate and asked him for permission to assign Roman soldiers to the tomb to guard the tomb. A seal was applied to the stone that covered the entrance to the tomb. All this was done out of precaution, since they remembered the prediction of Jesus Christ that He would rise on the third day after His death. So the Jewish leaders, without suspecting it themselves, prepared irrefutable evidence of the resurrection of Christ that followed the next day.

Where did the Lord dwell with His soul after He died? According to the belief of the Church, He descended into hell with His saving sermon and brought out the souls of those who believed in Him (1 Pet. 3:19).

On the third day after His death, on Sunday, early in the morning, when it was still dark and the soldiers were at their post at the sealed tomb, the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The mystery of the resurrection, like the mystery of the incarnation, is incomprehensible. With our weak human mind, we understand this event in such a way that at the moment of resurrection the soul of the God-man returned to His body, which is why the body came to life and was transformed, becoming incorruptible and spiritualized. After this, the resurrected Christ left the cave without rolling away the stone or breaking the high priestly seal. The soldiers did not see what happened in the cave, and after the resurrection of Christ they continued to guard the empty tomb. Soon an earthquake occurred when the Angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The warriors, frightened by the Angel, fled.

Neither the myrrh-bearing wives nor the disciples of Christ knew anything about what had happened. Since the burial of Christ was carried out hastily, the myrrh-bearing wives agreed on the day after Easter, that is, in our opinion, on Sunday, to go to the tomb and finish anointing the Savior’s body with fragrant ointments. They did not even know about the Roman guard assigned to the coffin and the seal attached. When dawn began to appear, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Jacob, Salome and some other pious women went to the tomb with fragrant myrrh. Heading to the burial place, they were perplexed: “Who will roll away the stone from our tomb?”- because, as the Evangelist explains, the stone was great. Mary Magdalene was the first to come to the tomb. Seeing the coffin empty, she ran back to the disciples Peter and John and informed them about the disappearance of the Teacher’s body. A little later, the other myrrh-bearers also came to the tomb. They saw a young man in the tomb, sitting on the right side, dressed in white clothes. The mysterious young man told them: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He has risen. Go and tell His disciples that they will see Him in Galilee.” Excited by the unexpected news, they hurried to the students.

Meanwhile, the apostles Peter and John, having heard from Mary about what had happened, ran to the cave: but, finding in it only the shrouds and the cloth that was on the head of Jesus, they returned home in bewilderment. After them, Mary Magdalene returned to the burial place of Christ and began to cry. At that time, she saw two angels in white robes in the tomb, sitting - one at the head, the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus lay. The angels asked her: "Why are you crying?" Having answered them, Mary turned back and saw Jesus Christ, but did not recognize Him. Thinking it was the gardener, she asked: “Sir, if you have carried Him (Jesus Christ), then tell me where you have put Him, and I will take Him.” Then the Lord said to her: “Mary!” Hearing a familiar voice and turning to Him, she recognized Christ and exclaimed: “Teacher!” threw herself at His feet. But the Lord did not allow her to touch Him, but ordered her to go to the disciples and tell about the miracle of the resurrection.

That same morning, the soldiers came to the high priests and informed them about the appearance of the Angel and the empty tomb. This news greatly excited the Jewish leaders: their anxious premonitions were fulfilled. Now, first of all, they had to make sure that the people did not believe in the resurrection of Christ. Having gathered a council, they gave the soldiers a lot of money, ordering them to spread a rumor that the disciples of Jesus stole His body at night, while the soldiers were sleeping. The soldiers did just that, and so the rumor about the theft of the Savior’s body then lingered among the people for a long time.

A week after this, the Lord again appeared to the apostles, including St. Thomas, who was absent at the first appearance of the Savior. To dispel Thomas’s doubts regarding His resurrection, the Lord allowed him to touch His wounds, and the believing Thomas fell at His feet, exclaiming: “My Lord and my God!” As the evangelists further narrate, during the forty-day period after His resurrection, the Lord appeared to the apostles several more times, talked with them and gave them final instructions. Shortly before His ascension, the Lord appeared to more than five hundred believers.

On the fortieth day after His resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the presence of the apostles, ascended into heaven and since then He has been at the “right hand” of His Father. The apostles, encouraged by the resurrection of the Savior and His glorious ascension, returned to Jerusalem, awaiting the descent of the Holy Spirit on them, as the Lord promised them.

What is the meaning of the procession on Easter?

Let us remember what happens in the church when Easter Matins is served.

First, a service called the Midnight Office is performed. We say goodbye to the buried Christ, weep over His body. Then the icon with the image of the deceased Savior (the shroud) is taken to the altar. After this, silence is established in the temple for a short time. It’s like we are in Jerusalem 2 thousand years ago. Then night fell there. It is dark in the temple too. All the light has been extinguished, and only lamps and candles flicker near the icons and in the hands of people. But here comes from the altar: “Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Savior, the angels sing in Heaven, and grant us on earth to glorify Thee with a pure heart.” First the clergy sings, the second time the choir takes up the chant and, finally, the whole people. Lights flash in the temple. The royal doors open, and clergy in white vestments emerge from the altar. The procession begins. This is not the Resurrection yet, it is a premonition, a hope for the Resurrection. This is the procession of the myrrh-bearing women to the tomb, where they go to mourn the Dead for the last time and anoint His body with incense. In front they carry a lantern, a cross, banners, that is, church banners, a symbol of victory over death and the devil. All people sing the stichera of Easter: “Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Savior...”

Having walked around the temple, the procession stops in front of the closed doors to the temple. The temple symbolizes the tomb of Christ, which is why it is locked, the procession of the cross is the procession of the myrrh-bearers. The priest proclaims: “Glory to the Holy One, Consubstantial, Life-giving and Indivisible Trinity, always now and ever and unto ages of ages...” The temple opens, it is flooded with light, great joy is revealed to man: the Risen Lord. The procession enters the temple and sings the troparion of the holiday: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and giving life to those in the tombs.” And here the feast of grace and joy begins! Death! where is your sting? hell! where is your victory?(Os. 13, 14).

Christ is risen. What did He feel?

We do not know what happened at the moment of the Resurrection of Christ, we cannot imagine what physical, chemical or other processes occurred in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, but the fact remains: the dead body was resurrected!

If the Church believes that each of us will be resurrected in due time, at the Second Glorious Coming of Christ, this means that something similar to the Resurrection of Christ will happen to us. For most people, and the bodies of most of us will decay, this will be a special experience, unimaginable to us today. We will see how suddenly, by a creative act of God, we acquire new bodies... The resurrection from the dead of those whose bodies have not decayed, have not dissolved in the cycle of natural substances is a different matter: someone died recently, someone’s body is mummified. Will we then understand what happened? What will our soul experience when it sees how a humiliated and not at all pleasant-looking body is transformed by the power of God into a luminous and spiritual one?..

Ap. Paul, reflecting on how this could happen in the case of Christ, says that something similar happens with the seed sown in the ground. The seed, the grain, decays and disappears, and something new comes from it. And when you sow, you do not sow the future body, but the naked grain that happens, wheat or something else; but God gives him a body as he wants, and to each seed his own body(1 Cor. 15:37–38).

Where is it written about the Resurrection of Christ?

All four evangelists tell us this: Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. Their reports differ in detail, but the evangelists, interestingly, do not try to artificially bring their testimony into agreement and uniformity. Because these are testimonies of the experiences of different eyewitnesses.

You know, how it happens with us: we are honored with a unique experience and then we talk about it. And the man standing next to us also saw something, but a little differently. We don’t argue with him, but we defend our experience, because for us it is precious, we can guarantee with our lives that it happened like this. The evangelists brought to us the experience of the witnesses of the Resurrection, talking about what they heard, what they saw with their own eyes, what they examined and what their hands touched.

How did the Resurrection of Jesus Christ happen?

First - the death of the God-man, something that resonated with deep pain in the hearts of the apostles. That for which they left everything - both families and relatives... - and followed Christ, all their faith and hope collapsed when their Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, was ascended to the Cross. The soldiers make fun of Him and the crowd laughs, His clothes are divided among themselves. He dies painfully, having given up a narcotic drink that brings oblivion and dulls pain (see Mark 15: 22–32).

A hot night fell on Palestine. People who had been watching the execution rush home to the Easter table.

The students don't sleep. Did they sleep during these two nights - from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday? What were they thinking? How was Saturday for the apostles and people close to Jesus?

The death of Jesus put an end to all their dreams and hopes. Never before has a person spoken as their Teacher spoke, never before has a person heard that God is His loving Father, no one has ever said that sinners (publican, harlot) have the right to life and respect and that God loves them and is waiting for them their repentance... Jesus taught that the Kingdom of Heaven is coming, He said that the prince of this world - Satan - has now been cast out. He was wrong... The proof of this is the lifeless body on the Cross.

The evangelists say nothing about these two days. Apparently, even decades later, it was too scary to remember the days of Christ in the tomb. When it seemed that nothing was irreparable. However, they begin to talk about what happened on Sunday morning - greedily, confused in the details, they talk, starting with what literally blew up their world...

According to Jewish custom, on the third day after the burial, while it was still dark, the women went to the tomb where the Teacher’s body was laid to rub Him with aromatic oil and anoint Him with incense. But what do they see? A huge stone, weighing up to several tons, which blocked the entrance to the cave, was thrown away by an unknown force, the Roman guards stationed at the tomb fled.

What happened?.. The coffin is empty, and only the linen, the shroud with which the body of the Crucified was wrapped, is white in the darkness of the cave, and the bandage on the face. The buried man disappeared.

The evangelists give us only indirect indications of how the miracle of the Resurrection of Christ happened, using conventional language borrowed from the Old Testament: an earthquake, a blinding light, the appearance of an Angel. Christ is truly, truly risen! He was resurrected in the same body that he had, but this body itself changed, became completely different. This is the same body, but transformed, spirit-bearing. After this, Christ appears to the apostles more than 10 times, and once appeared to a group of several thousand people. And it becomes finally clear to everyone, and even to the skeptic Thomas, that He was actually resurrected and defeated death by Divine power. Thus confirming that He is the true Son of God.

What does the Resurrection of Christ have to do with us?

The most direct. “From death to life and from earth to Heaven” - this is how the Church in its chants testifies to the change that occurred in human nature at the moment of the Resurrection. Please note - it is human nature! The path that Christ walked now becomes an expected reality for us. As St. said. Gregory of Nyssa, Christ with His Resurrection “paved the way to heaven” for every person. We expect to be resurrected, just as Christ was resurrected. Not corruption and death, but eternal life in a triumphant glorified body - this is what is promised to the world, this is what henceforth becomes the prospect of every person faithful to God.

You say that Jesus rose again in a transfigured body. What did His body become after the Resurrection?

We can talk about this only very conditionally, based on the Gospel evidence.

Christ was resurrected in the same body that he had. All evangelists emphasize the fact of the empty tomb. They were so amazed by this empty coffin that they constantly return to this topic. That is, the body of the Risen One is the same body that He had before, but in the Resurrection it changed and was transformed. The new physicality of Jesus is so spiritualized, permeated by the Holy Spirit, that the Apostle Paul directly calls the Risen Christ the Spirit (see 2 Cor. 3:17).

In the 15th chapter of his 1 Corinthians, he says that just as from a grain sown in the ground a plant grows, unique, beautiful, not at all like the grain, so the body of the Risen Christ came from the previous body, but became completely different.

The Risen One has changed. He changed so much that from now on he passed through walls and closed doors. He could remain unrecognized, and He was recognized only in some special, personally familiar gesture or word. At Emmaus it was the breaking of bread with two disciples... Or Christ could have been recognized in some specific word or expression. Let us remember how Mary Magdalene mistakes the Risen Christ for a gardener, asks if it was he who carried out the Teacher’s body and hid it somewhere, but Jesus says only one word to her: “Mary!”, and Mary immediately understands who is in front of her.

Christ became different. This is a statement of the Gospel and the Church. But still Christ was bodily. He had a body, and this is emphasized many times by the fact that He ate and drank, and once even invited Thomas (Thomas kept doubting whether this was a ghost or a hallucination) to touch his wounds with his fingers.

Let us repeat once again that Christ had a body, but it was completely different from the ordinary, earthly body, the body given to us in this life.

Why did the Risen Christ not appear to His murderers?

This is a very important question. Indeed, we do not find a single indication of a meeting with the Risen One by His enemies or ill-wishers. But it would be so simple - to appear and prove to everyone that Jesus was not a simple carpenter from Nazareth, but the Son of God. But none of this happened.

Why? First of all, because Christianity does not impose a new and blessed life in unity with God, does not force it, but testifies to it.

You know, it's like with a child. We, parents, are happy when he trusts us, believes us out of love, at the behest of his heart, and not under duress, not because we forced him to believe us.

Notice that Christ appeared only to those who loved and waited for Him. He appeared in such a way that he might not have been recognized... Only some of His words, a gesture - and the eyes of those who loved were opened. And then the disciples asked themselves: didn’t our hearts burn within us when we spoke with this man? But these people looked at Jesus, even talked... and did not recognize, as if there were veils over their eyes. This is probably the mechanism here: when a person internally becomes ready for a meeting with the Risen One, it happens.

It’s the same in our prayer life. While we are running around with our skepticism, criticism of the sacred stories of Scripture and Tradition, closed in on ourselves, isolated from people, we do not feel God. But when we somehow open up internally to the Lord, a meeting takes place. And we truly feel in our lives the presence of the Risen One and the fact that He is truly, truly risen.

I read somewhere that the apostles' encounters with the Risen Jesus were a fact of their inner experience. That is, that in reality they did not exist, the apostles felt them only subjectively, in their souls...

In the stories about the meeting with the Risen One there is a lot of personal, intimate experience. In any case, when we constantly read about this paradox: not recognized and suddenly recognized, what is this if not evidence that in order for a meeting to occur, it is necessary to be internally disposed towards it...

But still, it is impossible to reduce the meetings of the apostles with the Risen One to one internal experience.

The apostles had a completely unique task. The highest task is to testify in the face of the world about the Good News of Jesus Christ, about the Resurrection.

We already benefit greatly from their experience, which they have witnessed with fearlessness, firmness and clarity. Remember the sermon of the Apostle Peter: Men of Israel! listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man testified to you by God with powers and wonders and signs, which God did through Him among you, as you yourselves know, whom you took, according to the definite counsel and foreknowledge of God, and nailed him with the hands of the wicked, killed; but God raised Him up, breaking the bonds of death, because it was impossible for it to hold Him... This Jesus God raised up, of which we are all witnesses(Acts 2, 22–24, 32).

What we are all witnesses to! These are the words of people who undoubtedly saw the Risen Jesus. This is not a poetic turn of phrase!

And therefore, for these people, the apostles, the internal experience should, I think, be supported by their external experience.

At night after the Easter service, some round bread is blessed. Then it is worn throughout Easter week during the religious procession and on Saturday, cut into pieces, distributed to believers. What kind of custom is this?

This bread is called artos. Artos (Greek“bread”) is consecrated bread in the form of a large prosphora, baked with the image of the Cross (without the Savior) or with the image of the Resurrection of Christ. This bread is consecrated in accordance with the ancient apostolic tradition. After the Ascension of the Lord, the apostles left a free place at the table and laid out a piece of bread for the Savior, which at the end of the meal, giving thanks to God, they raised with the words: “Christ is risen!” This custom has survived to this day.

Artos is carried out during the religious procession throughout Bright Week (this is the correct name for Easter week). In monasteries, the artos on Bright Week is solemnly transferred from the temple to the refectory every day, where it is placed on a special table - a lectern, and at the end of the meal, it is returned to the temple under the ringing of bells and with chants.

This custom came to Rus' from Greece. In the 17th century, artos was baked in a bakery at the royal palace, and from there it was delivered to the Great Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. On the first day of Easter after the liturgy, the Patriarch, accompanied by the clergy, marched in procession to the royal palace, where he raised the artos and kissed it.

Artos is broken up and distributed to believers on Saturday on Holy Week.

What's the best thing to eat for Easter?

Neither Easter cake, nor colored egg... This is also important, but not the main thing. The most appropriate, so to speak, Easter food is the Risen Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ - Holy Communion. Therefore, on Easter it is necessary (!) to visit the temple and take communion.

Why are eggs painted for Easter?

On the eve of Easter, many families paint eggs. They are painted in various colors, decorated with ornaments and designs. And they never forget to paint some of the eggs red. The red egg is a very meaningful symbol. On the one hand, the egg itself has always symbolized life; life triumphing over death (a hard and dead shell, and behind it lies life - a chicken). On the other hand, the red Easter egg reminds us of the redemption of humanity by the sacrificial Blood of the Savior.

But here is an unusual interpretation of the Easter egg given by an ancient Russian document of the 16th century. The egg refers to all of creation: the shell is like the sky, the membrane (separating the shell from the egg itself) represents the clouds, the white is like water, the yolk is our earth, and the “dampness,” the liquid state of the egg itself, is like sin in the world. Our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead, renewed all creation with His Blood, just as a housewife decorates an egg, and “dried up the dampness of sin, like an egg.” That is, the hardening of a boiled egg is compared by the ancient Russian author with the process of transformation of creation.

According to an ancient legend, the custom of giving red eggs for Easter was introduced by St. Mary Magdalene, who, having come to Rome to preach the Resurrection of Christ, presented a red egg to Emperor Tiberius with the words: “Christ is risen!”

However, most likely this is just a legend. Neither St. John Chrysostom, nor St. Basil the Great and other fathers of that time did not know the custom of dyeing eggs. But already in the 5th–6th centuries it was known. The antiquity of the custom is also evidenced by the fact that it was preserved in communities that fell away from Orthodoxy around the 5th–6th centuries - among the Armenians, Maronites and Jacobites.

What is Easter cake?

In addition to colored eggs, Orthodox Christians in Slavic countries bake Easter cakes for Easter (in Ukraine, Easter cakes are called Easter cakes): sweet breads with raisins, candied fruits, nuts...

Even the ancient pagans prepared sweet aromatic bread for spring, symbolizing the joy of awakening from winter and darkness to summer and warmth. But Christians rethought this custom. Christians began to bake delicious aromatic bread for Easter as a sign of Easter joy and celebration! In addition, bread was considered the most necessary food in ancient times. Easter bread is, as it were, opposed to ordinary bread. We know that Easter is the beginning of the next century, a sign of the onset of a new era. This is how Easter bread - Easter cake - educationally reminds us of the bread that we will eat in the Kingdom of Heaven (if we prove worthy).

What else can believers prepare for the Easter table?

What else, besides colored eggs, fragrant and sweet Easter cakes, makes you gastronomically feel the joy of the Resurrection of Christ?

These are primarily cottage cheese Easter cakes in the form of pyramids. This cottage cheese Easter symbolizes the Church of Christ. After all, what is cottage cheese? Curdled milk. What does the Church of Christ consist of? From people transformed by the Holy Spirit. Cottage cheese Easter points to members of the Church gathered together and transformed by the Holy Spirit. That is why the sign of the Cross of Christ is placed at the top of the cottage cheese pyramid.

In Rus', in general, the Easter table is quite extensive. There are also such original dishes as butter in the form of lamb, Thursday salt. This salt is prepared on Maundy Thursday (Thursday of Holy Week). Let me remind you that, according to the testimony of the evangelists, on the table during the Last Supper there was a dish with salty sauce - solilom (slav.). Hence the Russian custom of preparing Thursday salt. What it is? This is coarse rock salt mixed with thick kvass grounds, dissolved in this grounds, and then evaporated in a frying pan over low heat. Once the mixture has cooled, winnow the dried kvass grounds from the salt. This salt has a slightly coffee (beige) color and a special pleasant taste. In the old days, Easter eggs were eaten only with Thursday salt...

Is drinking allowed?

On the Easter table, of course, there can be wine, vodka, liqueurs, etc.

We must remember that the Church does not condemn alcohol as such. However, it must be used wisely. Drunkenness and morbid addiction to alcoholic beverages is a sin.

Is it necessary to bless Easter cakes, colored eggs, etc. in the temple?

Certainly! During Great Lent we fast... I think that every person should fast at least once a year - during the days of Great Lent, this is a holy thing. Then we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, prepare something for the festive table and bring it all to the temple. There the priest reads a prayer and sprinkles the food brought with holy water.

But remember: this is not the blessing of eggs or Easter cakes, as we usually say, but simply their blessing. Therefore, for example, we can throw away the shells of colored eggs and spoiled products. If these objects were consecrated, they should be destroyed in a special way: burned or buried in a clean place. (As we do with moldy parts of prosphoras, candle stubs, etc.)

Not far from our house, Easter cakes are blessed right in the supermarket. For us it’s more convenient than going to church...

In recent years, parishioners have been asking about this more and more often... Of course, it is more convenient, but it does not in any way agree with church custom. The consecration of food is not a procedure in itself, divorced from the Easter service, but an element of the holiday. Easter dishes are blessed in the vestibule of the church! For fasting people! For them, this is like the beginning of a holiday.

And for some of those still on the path to faith, this is an opportunity to once again enter the church, see icons, and hear church prayer. Maybe this coming to the temple will remove the last barrier on the path to the Church.

So there can be no sanctification in supermarkets. As a last resort, if you cannot come to the temple on Saturday, on the eve of Easter, then simply sprinkle the food with holy water at home. This will be more correct.