It was Easter morning in the year 400 AD. John of Antioch (347-407) preached an Easter message in a Constantinople church. His sermon, “Paschal Homily,” is one of the earliest and most famous Easter sermons on record. It’s still read on Easter in Eastern Orthodox churches the world over. His original name was John of Antioch since he served as bishop of this famous Greek city mentioned in Scripture but after his death was given the Greek name Chrysostom (meaning “golden mouth”) for his acumen as a preacher. John was kidnapped and brought to Constantinople to be installed as an archbishop (it’s also the first instance of a call extended to a priest by way of kidnapping!) Six hundred of his sermons survive, providing a window into this much heralded preacher. In contrast to the fanciful, allegorical sermons of his day, John favors the plain sense of the text and is masterful at making practical applications. In his “Paschal Homily,” he reminds hearers that Christ defeated death by entering the realm of the dead and vanquishes hell by descending into it. He repeats the phrase “Christ is risen” for theological emphasis as well as maximum rhetorical impact. He finishes his sermon with a flourish:
Christ is risen!
And you, O death, are annihilated.
Christ is risen!
And the evil ones are cast down.
Christ is risen!
And the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen!
And the tomb is emptied of the dead.
Christ is risen!
And become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Christ is risen!
To him be glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.
We join in prayer with a fourth century prayer from the Liturgy of Chrysostom: