Paschal troparion

The Paschal troparion or Christos anesti (Greek: Χριστὸς ἀνέστη) is the characteristic hymn for the celebration of Pascha (Easter) in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite.

Like most troparia it is a brief stanza often used as a refrain between the verses of a Psalm, but is also used on its own. Its authorship is unknown. It is nominally sung in Tone Five, but often is sung in special melodies not connected with the Octoechos. It is often chanted thrice (three times in succession).

Usage

The troparion is first sung during the Paschal Vigil at the end of the procession around the church which takes place at the beginning of Matins. When all are gathered before the church's closed front door, the clergy and faithful take turns chanting the troparion, and then it is used as a refrain to a selection of verses from Psalms 67 and 117 (this is the Septuagint numbering; the KJV numbering is 68 and 118):

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee from before His face (Ps. 67:1)
As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish; as wax melts before the fire (Ps. 67:2a)
So the sinners will perish before the face of God; but let the righteous be glad (Ps. 67:2b)
This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps. 117:24)

In the remainder of the Vigil it is sung after each ode of the canon, at the end of the Paschal stichera at the Aposticha, thrice at the dismissal of Matins, and at the beginning and end of the Paschal Hours. It is chanted again with the same selection of Psalm verses at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, at the Little Entrance, during and following Communion, and at the dismissal of the Liturgy. It is then chanted again with the refrains at the beginning of Vespers, and at the dismissal of Vespers. This same pattern persists throughout Bright Week.

After Thomas Sunday (the Sunday after Pascha), it is either sung or read thrice at the beginning of most services and private prayers in place of the usual invocation of the Holy Spirit, "O Heavenly King", and at the dismissals, during the 39-day paschal afterfeast; that is, up to and including the day before the Ascension of the Lord.

Text and translations

The troparion was originally composed in Koine Greek, but it is usually sung either in the local liturgical language, or in the vernacular where it is not the same. In recent years, the custom has developed of chanting the Paschal troparion in a number of different languages. A typical translation in English runs:: Christ is risen from the dead,: Trampling down death by death,: And upon those in the tombs: Bestowing life!

This translates the Greek:: polytonic|Χριστὸς ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν,: polytonic|θανάτῳ θάνατον πατήσας,: polytonic|καὶ τοῖς ἐν τοῖς μνήμασι,: polytonic|ζωὴν χαρισάμενος!

: "Transliteration:":: Khristos anesti ek nekron,:: Thanato thanaton patisas,:: Kai tis en tis mnimasi:: Zo-in kharisamenos!

During the Paschal Vigil and the Vespers the following afternoon is not uncommon for the troparion to be performed in as many languages as the choir can manage.

; Church Slavonic: Earlier version (currently only used by the Old Believers): Хрїстосъ воскресе изъ мертвыхъ,: Смертїю на смерть настѹпи,: И грѡбным животъ дарова!: "Transliteration:":: Khristos voskrese iz mertvykh:: Smertiyu na smert nastupi:: I grobnym zhivot darova!:: Later version from the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, currently in general use: Хрїстосъ воскресе изъ мертвыхъ,: Смертїю смерть поправъ,: И сѹщымъ во гробѣхъ: животъ даровавъ!::This language is not well-supported on many systems, so it may not appear as intended here.: "Transliteration:":: Khristos voskrese iz mertvykh,:: Smertiyu smert poprav,:: E sushchim vo grobekh:: Zhivot darovav!

; Arabic

rtl-para|ar
المسيح قام من بين الأموات
و وطئ الموت بالموت
و وهب الحياة
للذين في القبور

: "Transliteration:":: Al-Masīh qām min baīni'l-amwāt:: Wa wati'a al-mawt bi'l-mawt:: Wa wahab al-hayāt:: Lil-ladhīna fī'l-qubūr!

; Romanian: Hristos a înviat din morţi,: Cu moartea pre moarte călcând,: Şi celor din morminte: Viaţă dăruindu-le!

; Latin: Christus resurrexit a mortuis,: Morte mortem calcavit,: Et entibus in sepulchris: Vitam donavit.

; Polish: Chrystus powstał z martwych,: śmiercią podeptał śmierć: i będącym w grobach: życie dał!

: "Transliteration:":: Khristoos povstaoo z martvykh,:: Smercioo podeptaoo smierts,:: E bendontsim v grobah:: Zhitse daoo!

; Ukrainian: Христос воскрес із мертвих, : смертю смерть подолав,: і тим, що в гробах,: життя дарував!

: "Transliteration:":: Khrystos voskres iz mertvykh,:: Smertiyu smert podolaoo,:: I tym shcho v hrobakh:: Zhyttja daroovaoo!

; Serbian:: Христос васкрсе из мртвих,:: смрћу смрт уништи.:: и онима који су у гробовима.:: живот дарова!

: "Transliteration:":: Hrystos vaskrse iz mrtvihh,:: Smertyu smrt unishti,:: I onoma koyi su u grobovima,:: Zhivot darova!

; Finnish:: Kristus nousi kuolleista:: kuolemalla kuoleman voitti:: ja haudoissa oleville:: elämän antoi!

External links

* [ftp://predanie.ru/music/Hor_bratii_Valaamskogo_monastyrja/O_divnyj_ostrov_Valaam/Tropar_Pashi_Grecheski.mp3 Paschal troparion in Greek sung by monks from Valaam Monastery]
* [ftp://predanie.ru/music/Hristos_Voskrese_Obed_hor_K-pech_Lavry_KDAiS/14_Hristos_Voskrese_(garm._A.Bessarabova).mp3 Paschal troparion in Church Slavonic sung by monks of Kievsko-Pecherska Lavra in Ukraine]
* [http://www.liturgia.cerkiew.pl/mp3/Chrystus_powstal_z_martwych.mp3 Paschal troparion in Polish sung by the choir of the orthodox chapel in Warsaw (Poland)]
* [http://212.33.66.217/media/mp3/christos_anesti.mp3 Paschal troparion in Greek sung by nuns from St. Mary and Martha's Monastery at Święta Góra Grabarka in Poland]