Easter Friday

The following is totally from 'The Liturgical Year', by the Abbot Gueranger, which is from the 1920's, but published in English in 1949. This man has given us a treasury of devotions, as well as something for every day of the year. Even has the saints we honor on their days, according to the 'Old' calendar. This calendar has soooo much more than the 'new', and is a better way to learn about the Faith that comes to us from Jesus and the Apostles. All should try to get this 15 volume set, if at all possible. This Abbot has to be a saint (in my opinion), for he has given so much. Anyway, here goes:


'This is the sixth day of the creation. Upon it, the hand of the Son of God formed the body of man out of the slime of the earth, into which He breathed a living soul. This was the creature that was to be the King of the visible creation. A simple command of the divine Word had sufficed to call form the earth all the animals that live upon it; but when, towards the close of this great day, the Creator said: "Let us make man to Our image and likeness," He did more than merely command, He seems to have deliberated: He deigned to become the artificer of His work. Let us adore this His sovereign goodness towards our race, and ever gratefully honour the Friday of each week, as the day whereon the Son of God completed the work He began on the Sunday by the creation of Him Who was to be Master and Lord of the world. Nor is this the only mystery that should make Friday dear to us. It was on this same day that the divine Word, having taken upon Himself the flesh He Himself had made, died upon the Cross, that He might save His rebellious and lost creature man. O sacred day! Day that didst witness both our creation and our redemption! Thou speakest to us of the Son of God, and of His love for us, even more sweetly than of His power! Let us express all this by reciting the following devout prayer, which the Mozarabic Liturgy uses on the Friday of Easter Week:


CAPITULA (a collection of short, isolated statements of Doctrine organized by topic)

O God, Son of God, Who, in the sixth age of the world didst, by thy Blood, redeem man Whom thou hadst formed out of nothing, on the sixth day, and who, though created in goodness, fell into evil, but has now risen regenerated unto what is more perfect; grant that we may so truly prize the mystery of our redemption, that we may forever glory in thy death and Resurrection: and that thou, Who, in the time of our salvation, didst succour the world and conquer our death by thine own, mayst deliver us from the eternal damnation of the Judgement.



Today let us hearken to the Church of Armenia celebrating the Resurrection. (Let's also remember this area of the world during the strife which is occurring there these days) For thirteen centuries she has sung the following stanzas, which is from the Charagan, which is a hymn book. The sentiment is the same as we find expressed in other Liturgies; but there is, moreover, the style peculiar to the Armenian character. The reader will be pleased with the fragrance of antiquity which he will find in these verses, whose vigorous and solemn lyric beauty surpasses that of the liturgical compositions of the Greek Church.


Today, the immortal and heavenly Bridegroom rose again from the dead! To thee the glad tidings, O Church, His spouse on earth! Bless thy God, O Sion, with a joyous voice.

Today, the ineffable Light of light enlightened thy children. Be thou enlightened, O Jerusalem! for Christ, thy Light, has risen!

Today the darkness of ignorance is dispelled by the triple light: and the light of knowledge has risen upon thee, it is Christ rising again from the dead.

Today is our Pasch, by the sacrifice of Christ; let us keep the feast with gladness, being renewed from the oldness of sin: and let us say: Christ hath risen again from the dead!

Today a bright angel came down from heaven, struck the guards with fear, and said to the holy women: "Christ hath risen again from the dead!

Today the great tidings were given to our first parent, Adam: Arise, thou that sleepest! Christ, the God of our fathers, hath enlightened thee."

Today the tidings told by her daughters, who brought their perfumes to the tomb, sounded in the ears of Eve: "We have seen Him risen, Who is thy resurrection, Christ, the God of our fathers."

Today the angels came down from heaven, saying to men: "The Crucified hath risen, and hath raised you up with Himself."

Today, O Christ, by thy holy Resurrection, thou didst change the mournful Pasch of Israel into the Pasch that saves souls.

Today thou, O Lamb of God, didst give us thine own saving Blood for the blood of irrational lambs that were slain.

Today, in place of the ransom of the first-born, thou, the first-fruits of life among them that sleep, the first-born among the dead--didst redeem the captives.

Today the angels of heaven rejoice together with men; and coming down from heaven, they say to the world: "Be glad! today Christ hath risen again from the dead!"

Today the angel that sat upon the rock and kept guard spoke with a loud voice to the holy women that had come with their spices, and bade them be messengers to the disciples: "Be glad! today Christ hath risen again from the dead!

Today, he that is the Rock of Faith, and John, the beloved, ran to Jesus' sepulchre, and said, when they saw it: "Christ hath risen again form the dead!"


Today let us also be bright in the joy of this feast. God is reconciled with us; let us embrace each other with love, and say with one voice: "Christ hath risen again from the dead!"'