On Holy Saturday
In diem sabbati sancti
The Holy Sabbath§1
1On the holy Sabbath, the discourse of Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, for the holy Sabbath. Today we celebrate the epitaphios feast of our Savior.
And while He is the one near the dead below death, loosening the bonds and filling Hades with light and awakening those who have fallen asleep, we dance, imagining the resurrection upon the earth, and we have not surrendered to corruption, lest it overpower incorruptibility. For He says, 'You shall not see your Holy One see corruption' (Acts 2:27). And perhaps Jews and Greeks laugh at our philosophy; some awaiting a different Christ, others having entrusted their hopes to tombs, concerning which the prophet appropriately says: 'Their graves will be their homes forever' (Ps 16:10). But while those laughing groan—for they will groan later seeing Him whom they stretched out and insulted—let us, weeping, receive the passion with joy.
Death seized the Lord Christ, but it shall not keep life with itself. It swallowed Him in ignorance, but He will vomit out many with Him. Though He is currently held, after having plundered Hades this day, He rises. Yesterday, having been crucified, He darkened the sun, and while it was midday, night came; today death is loosed, having received a strange dead man.
Yesterday creation mourned, seeing the madness of the Jews, and the darkness clothed itself in mourning garments; today the people sitting in darkness saw a great light (Isa 9:2). Yesterday the earth rejoiced and was counseling about flight, and threatened to depart from those dwelling in it, and the mountains were being cut and the rocks were being split; and the temple was naked, as if having torn the garment through which it breathed and suffered.
Greek · §1
In diem sabbati sancti Ἀμφιλοχίου ἐπισκόπου Ἰκονίου λόγος τῷ ἁγίῳ σαββάτῳ. Ἐπιτάφιον ἑορτὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἑορτάζομεν σήμερον. Καὶ ὁ μὲν παρὰ τοῖς νεκροῖς κάτω τοῦ θανάτου τὰ δεσμὰ διαλύων καὶ φωτὸς τὸν ᾅδην πληρῶν καὶ ἀφυπνίζων τοὺς κεκοιμημένους, ἡμεῖς δὲ χορεύομεν ὑπὲρ γῆν τὴν ἀνάστασιν φανταζόμενοι καὶ οὐ δεδοίκαμεν τὴν φθοράν, μὴ κατισχύσῃ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας. Οὐ δώσεις γάρ, φησίν, τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. Καὶ ἴσως ἡμῶν τὴν φιλοσοφίαν γελῶσι Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ Ἕλληνες· οἱ μὲν ἕτερον Χριστὸν προσδεχόμενοι, οἱ δὲ τάφοις ἐναποκλείσαντες αὐτῶν τὰς ἐλπίδας, περὶ ὧν εἰκότως ὁ προφήτης φησίν· Οἱ τάφοι αὐτῶν οἰκίαι αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν γελῶντες στενάζουσι–στενάξουσι γὰρ ὕστερον ὁρῶντες εἰς ὃν ἐξεκέντησαν καὶ ἐξύβρισαν–, ἡμεῖς δὲ δακρύοντες ἡδονῇ τὸ πάθος κεράσωμεν. Ἥρπασεν ὁ θάνατος τὸν δεσπότην Χριστόν, ἀλλ' οὐ καθέξει παρ' ἑαυτῷ τὴν ζωήν. Κατέπιεν ἀγνοήσας, ἀλλ' ἐξεμέσει πολλοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ. Ἑκὼν κατέχεται νῦν, μετὰ ταύτην τὴν ἡμέραν σκυλεύσας τὸν ᾅδην ἀνίσταται. Χθὲς ἠμαύρωσε τὸν ἥλιον σταυρωθεὶς καὶ μεσούσης ἡμέρας ἐπεισῆλθεν νύξ, σήμερον ὁ θάνατος παραλύεται ξένον νεκρὸν εἰσδεξάμενος. Χθὲς ἐπένθησεν ἡ κτίσις τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων μανίαν ὁρῶσα καὶ στολὴν πενθικὴν τὸ σκότος ἐνεδύσατο, σήμερον ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότει φῶς εἶδε μέγα. Χθὲς ἐδονήθη ἡ γῆ καὶ περὶ φυγῆς ἐβουλεύετο καὶ διαστῆναι τοῖς ἐνοικοῦσιν ἠπείλει καὶ τὰ μὲν ὄρη ἐκόπτετο, ἐσχίζοντο δὲ αἱ πέτραι· γυμνὸς δὲ ἦν ὁ ναὸς καθάπερ ἔμπνους τὸ ἱμάτιον διαρρήξας, δι' ὧν ἔπαθε
The Paradoxical Suffering of Christ§2
2He shows how the holy things were profaned. The soulless consequences of the audacity were felt, but those committing these things had souls without feeling. The elements were enraged and left the order of the small things behind, and he worked a confusion of all, unless one knew the will of the Creator, that he was not acting out of malice or insolence.
Oh, of these new and paradoxical things! By wood he is stretched out, tearing the heaven with his word, and he is surrounded by bonds, he who bound the sea with sand, and he is given gall to drink, he who granted the springs of honey, and he is crowned with thorns, he who crowned the earth with flowers, and his head is struck with a reed, he who struck Egypt with the ten plagues and covered the head of Pharaoh with the waters, and his face is spat upon, whom even the cherubim cannot bear to see. And suffering these things, he prayed for those crucifying him, saying: 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing' (Luke 23:34).
He overcomes evil with goodness; he justifies those who kill Christ for their own salvation by catching them in a snare; he dissolves the crime by blaming ignorance; he does not grow angry at their rebukes, becoming a plaything; he receives the drunkenness and calls through philanthropy toward repentance. What more is needed to say? Having not stripped away the goodness, they enclose him in a tomb in which nothing of the living can fit, and they place signs upon us, guarding the salvation and fearing the resurrection, they station soldiers as guards at the tomb. Who has seen a dead man being guarded? Rather, who has seen...
Greek · §2
δεικνὺς ὡς ἐβεβηλώθη τὰ ἅγια. Τὰ ἄψυχα τοῦ τολμήματος αἴσθετο, οἱ δὲ ταῦτα τολμῶντες ἀναισθήτους εἶχον ψυχάς. Ἠγανάκτει τὰ στοιχεῖα καὶ μικροῦ τὴν τάξιν ἀπέλιπε καὶ σύγχυσιν εἰργάσατο τοῦ παντός, εἰ μὴ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ τῆς βουλήσεως ᾔσθετο, ὅτι μὴ ἄκων ὑβρίζετο. Ὢ καινῶν καὶ παραδόξων πραγμάτων! Ξύλῳ τανύεται ὁ λόγῳ τείνας τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ δεσμοῖς περιβάλλεται ὁ δήσας ψάμμῳ τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ ποτίζεται χολὴν ὁ τὰς πηγὰς τοῦ μέλιτος χαρισάμενος, καὶ στεφανοῦται ἀκάνθαις ὁ τὴν γῆν στεφανώσας τοῖς ἄνθεσι, καὶ τύπτεται μὲν καλάμῳ τὴν κεφαλὴν ὁ πατάξας τὴν Αἴγυπτον ταῖς δέκα πληγαῖς καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ Φαραὼ καλύψας τοῖς ὕδασιν, ἐμπτύεται δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον ὃν ἰδεῖν οὐ φέρει τὰ χερουβίμ. Ταῦτα δὲ πάσχων ὑπὲρ τῶν σταυρούντων προσηύχετο λέγων· Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασι τί ποιοῦσιν. Ἀγαθότητι τὴν κακίαν νικᾷ, ἀπολογεῖται ὑπὲρ τῶν χριστοκτόνων εἰς σωτηρίαν αὐτοὺς σαγηνεύων, λύει τὸ ἔγκλημα τὴν ἄγνοιαν αἰτιώμενος, οὐ χαλεπαίνει τῆς ἐκείνων παροινίας γινόμενος παίγνιον, δέχεται τὴν μέθην καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ καλεῖ πρὸς μετάνοιαν. Τί δεῖ λέγειν τὰ πλείω; Οὐδὲν τῆς ἀγαθότητος ἀπωνάμενοι ἐγκλείουσι τάφῳ ὃν οὐδὲν τῶν ὄντων χωρεῖ καὶ σήμαντρα ἐπιτιθέασι ἡμῖν τὴν σωτηρίαν φυλάττοντες καὶ δεδιότες τὴν ἀνάστασιν στρατιώτας φύλακας ἐφιστῶσι τῷ μνήματι. Τίς εἶδε νεκρὸν φυλαττόμενον; Μᾶλλον δὲ τίς εἶδε
The Futility of Fighting God§3
3Is it a dead war being fought? Who has heard the end being thrown back and forth and causing dread to those who labored? Who did not stop against an enemy, having taken away the soul? Who did not end enmity, having been satisfied by the death of the enemy? Why do you consume that which you did with cowardice, O Jew? Why do you fear that which you killed? Why do you tremble at the one who was moved? Why are you afraid of the one who was taken away? Why do you struggle over that which you crucified? You have safety from the slaughter.
Take courage: if the one having died is a mere man, he does not rise; if a mere man, you well nailed the cross; if a mere man, he does not speak the truth, 'Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19); if a mere man, he is held by death; if a mere man, why do you seal the tomb, you senseless ones? Wait for the third day and you shall see the refutation of his own madness.
Stop meddling and see the outcome of the things; stop grieving against the truth; stop warring against God and in warring destroying yourself; stop insulting the sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2) and thinking those rays are to be extinguished; stop approaching the fountain of life through contention; stop bothering the rulers and discussing about the guard; stop using falsehood and stirring up the soldiers. Do not grow weary being ignorant, do not consume things in impiety, do not imagine victory against God, do not give wages to soldiers.
Greek · §3
νεκρὸν πολεμούμενον; Τίς ἤκουσε τελευτὴν ἀμφιβαλλομένην καὶ δέος ἐμποιοῦσαν τοῖς ἐργασαμένοις; Τίς οὐκ ἐπαύσατο πρὸς ἐχθρὸν τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφειλάμενος; Τίς οὐ κατέλυσεν ἔχθραν ἀρκεσθεὶς θανάτῳ τοῦ δυσμενοῦς; Τί ὃν ἀνήλωσας δειλιᾷς, ὦ Ἰουδαῖε; Τί φοβῇ ὃν ἀπέκτεινας; Τί τρέμεις τὸν μεταστάντα; Τί δέδοικας τὸν ἀναιρεθέντα; Τί ὃν ἐσταύρωσας ἀγωνιᾷς; Ἔχεις ἀπὸ τῆς σφαγῆς τὴν ἀσφάλειαν. Θάρρει· εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος ὁ τεθνηκώς, οὐκ ἀνίσταται· εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, καλῶς 1 ἔπηξας τὸν σταυρόν· εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, οὐκ ἀληθεύει Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον εἰπὼν καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν· εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, τῷ θανάτῳ κατέχεται· εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, τί τὸν τάφον σφραγίζεις, ἀνόητε; Περίμεινον τὴν τρίτην ἡμέραν καὶ ὄψῃ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ μανίας τὸν ἔλεγχον. Παῦσαι περιεργαζόμενος καὶ θεάσῃ τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ἔκβασιν· παῦσαι λυττῶν κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας· παῦσαι θεῷ πολεμῶν καὶ τῷ πολεμεῖν κατατιτρώσκων ἑαυτόν· παῦσαι τὸν ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑβρίζων καὶ νομίζων τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐκείνας σβεννύειν· παῦσαι τὴν πηγὴν τῆς ζωῆς προσχῶσαι φιλονεικῶν· παῦσαι τοῖς ἄρχουσι ἐνοχλῶν καὶ περὶ φρουρᾶς διαλεγόμενος· παῦσαι τὸ ψεῦδος ὠνούμενος καὶ τοὺς ὁπλίτας κινῶν. Μὴ κάμῃς ἀνόνητα, μὴ εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἀναλώσῃς τὰ σά, μὴ κατὰ θεοῦ φαντάζου τὴν νίκην, μὴ δῷς μισθὸν στρατιώταις
The Unstoppable Resurrection§4
4To say other things instead of others: do not let the crowd be lulled to sleep by the tomb, and do not be emboldened by weapons. Resurrection is not hindered by weapons, nor is it obstructed by seals, nor is it barred by soldiers, nor is it stolen by money.
But are you unbelieving? Did you not see Lazarus of old, having cast off death like sleep? I saw how the dead followed the command and the bond did not prevent him. I saw how he walked out of Hades hearing with those waxen strips. I saw how the voice joined what death had dissolved. He who was able to do that and these things—he who raised the servant—himself raises much more; he who gave life to the decayed will not leave himself a dead man.
But indeed the blindness of the Jews is great, and seeing the wonders, one does not see; they have eyes and do not see, they have ears and do not hear. For the God of this age has blinded their hearts so as not to shine the gospel of righteousness to them. But let us leave those entirely to their unbelief, while we speak, mentally re-enacting for ourselves the tomb of the Savior with those concerning the faithful Mary: He was our Lord and we did not know what they did to Him. To Him be the glory with the spotless Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Greek · §4
ἕτερα ἀνθ' ἑτέρων εἰπεῖν, μὴ παρακοιμίσῃς τὸν ὄχλον τῷ μνήματι, μὴ θαρρήσῃς τοῖς ὅπλοις. Ὅπλοις ἀνάστασις οὐ κωλύεται, οὐκ ἐμποδίζεται ταῖς σφραγίσιν, οὐκ εἴργεται στρατιώταις, οὐ κλέπτεται χρήμασιν. Ἀλλ' ἀπιστεῖς; Μὴ οὐκ εἶδες τὸν Λάζαρον πάλαι καθάπερ ὕπνον τὸν θάνατον ἀποσεισάμενον; Εἶδες πῶς ἠκολούθησε τῷ προστάγματι ὁ νεκρὸς καὶ ὁ δεσμὸς οὐκ ἐκώλυσε; Εἶδες πῶς σὺν αὐταῖς κηρίαις ἐβάδιζε τὸ ∆εῦρο ἔξω ἀκούσας; Εἶδες πῶς ἥρμοσεν ἡ φωνὴ τὸν διαλυθέντα θανάτῳ; Ὁ ἐκεῖνα δυνηθεὶς καὶ ταῦτα δυνήσεται, ὁ τὸν δοῦλον ἀναστήσας αὐτὸς πολλῷ πλέον ἐγείρεται, ὁ ζωογονήσας τὸν σεσηπότα οὐκ ἐάσει νεκρὸν ἑαυτόν. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἡ τυφλότης τῶν Ἰουδαίων πολλὴ καὶ ὁρῶσα τὰ θαύματα οὐχ ὁρᾷ· ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχουσιν καὶ οὐ βλέπουσιν, ὦτα ἔχουσι καὶ οὐκ ἀκούουσιν. Ὁ θεὸς γὰρ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἐτύφλωσε αὐτῶν τὰς καρδίας πρὸς τὸ μὴ καταυγάσαι αὐτοῖς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης. Ἀλλ' ἐκείνους μὲν τέως ἐάσωμεν τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, ἡμεῖς δὲ λέγωμεν μετὰ τῶν περὶ Μαριὰν τὴν πιστὴν κατὰ διάνοιαν ἀναπλάττοντες ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ σωτῆρος τὸν τάφον· Ἦραν ἡμῶν τὸν κύριον καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί ἐποίησαν αὐτόν. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα σὺν τῷ ἀχράντῳ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 2