Why was Jesus Christ crucified? This question may arise from a person who either refers to this event only as historical fact, or takes the very first steps towards faith in the Savior. In the first case, the best decision is to try not to satisfy your idle interest, but to wait to see if, over time, a sincere desire to understand this with your mind and heart will appear. In the second case, you need to start searching for the answer to this question, of course, by reading the Bible. In the process of reading, various personal thoughts on this matter will inevitably arise. This is where some division begins. Some believe that each person has the right to his own reading of the Holy Scriptures and remain with his own opinion, even if it differs radically from the opinions of other people. This is the Protestant position. Orthodoxy, which is still the main Christian denomination in Russia, is based on the reading of the Bible by the Holy Fathers. This also applies to the question: why was Jesus Christ crucified? Therefore, the next right step in trying to understand this topic is to turn to the works of the Holy Fathers.
Don't look for the answer on the Internet
Why does the Orthodox Church recommend this approach? The fact is that any person trying to live a spiritual life necessarily reflects on the meaning of the events associated with the earthly life of Christ, on the meaning of His sermons and apostolic epistles. If a person moves in the right direction, then the meaning, the hidden subtext of Scripture is gradually revealed to him. But attempts to combine into one knowledge and understanding accumulated by all spiritual people and those trying to be them, gave the usual result: how many people - so many opinions. For every, even the most insignificant issue, so many understandings and assessments were revealed that, as an inevitability, the need arose to analyze and summarize all this information. The result was the following picture: several people necessarily covered the same topic absolutely, almost word for word, in the same way.
Having followed the pattern, it was easy to notice that the opinions exactly coincided among a certain kind of people. Usually these were saints, theologians who chose monasticism or simply led a particularly strict life, more attentive than other people to their thoughts and actions. Purity of thoughts and feelings made them open to communication with the Holy Spirit. That is, they all received information from one source. The discrepancies arose from the fact that, after all, no person is perfect. No one can escape the influence of evil, which will certainly tempt and try to mislead a person. Therefore, in Orthodoxy it is customary to consider as truth the opinion confirmed by the majority of the Holy Fathers. Single assessments that do not coincide with the vision of the majority can be safely attributed to personal conjectures and misconceptions.
It is better to ask a priest about everything related to religion
For a person who has just begun to be interested in such issues, the most the best solution there will be an appeal to a priest for help. He will be able to recommend literature that is suitable for a beginner. You can seek such help from the nearest temple or spiritual educational center. In such institutions, priests have the opportunity to devote a sufficient amount of time and attention to the issue. It is more correct to look for the answer to the question “Why was Jesus Christ crucified?” exactly this way. There is simply no clear answer to it, and independent attempts to seek clarification from the Fathers are dangerous, since they wrote mainly for monks.
Pilate's trial
Since Judea in those years was captured by Rome and ruled by the procurator (prefect) Pontius Pilate, and it was in his power to impose death sentences, it was to him that Jesus was sent early on Friday morning.
Pilate asked those who brought Jesus to Him: “What do you accuse this man of?” They answered him: “If He had not been a villain, we would not have betrayed Him to you.” Pilate said: “Take Him and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews objected: “We are not allowed to put anyone to death. We found that He corrupts our people and forbids giving taxes to Caesar, calling Himself the Messiah King,” - this is how the accusers tried to bring the charge under Roman laws, where crimes against Caesar were punishable by death.
Pilate called Jesus and asked, “Are you the King of the Jews? Your people and the chief priests handed you over to Me. What have you done? Jesus answered: “My kingdom is not of this world; If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight for Me, so that I would not be betrayed; but My Kingdom is not from here.” Pilate said to Him: “So, You are the King?” Answering him, Jesus said: “You say the truth that I am a King. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”
Pilate, skeptically noting, “What is truth?”, went out to the high priests and the people and said: “You brought Him to me as one who corrupts the people. And so, I examined before you and did not find this man guilty of anything of which you accuse Him. So, having punished Him, I will release Him.” And for the sake of the Passover holiday (in memory of the salvation of the Israeli people from Egyptian captivity), it was necessary to release one prisoner for whom the people asked. Pilate wanted to turn this in favor of the Innocent One, for he knew that the high priests had betrayed Jesus out of envy. But all the assembled people shouted: “No, let go not Him, but Barabbas.” Barabbas was a robber and murderer. Pilate asked them again which of the two they wanted to release - Barabbas or Jesus, called the Messiah? They shouted again: “Barabbas.”
Pilate asked: “What should I do with Jesus? What evil did He do? I don’t find anything worthy of death in Him; after punishing Him, I will let Him go.” They all shouted: “Let him be crucified! Crucify Him! If you let Him go, you are no friend of Caesar; We have no king except Caesar; “Everyone who makes himself a king is an opponent of Caesar.” And the cry of the people and the chief priests prevailed. Seeing that nothing was helping, but the excitement was increasing, he took water and, washing his hands before the people, said: “I am innocent of the blood of this Righteous One; see for yourself." All the people, answering him, said: “His blood be on us and on our children.” Then finally Pilate, wanting to do what was pleasing to the people, released Barabbas to them and handed Jesus over to be crucified.
Gospel narrative
A description of Pilate's trial of Jesus is given in all four evangelists:
| Gospel | Description of the court |
| From Matthew (Matt. 27:11-14) |
...and having bound Him, they took Him away and handed Him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor... Jesus stood before the governor. And the ruler asked Him: Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus said to him: You speak. And when the chief priests and elders accused Him, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him: Do you not hear how many testify against You? And he did not answer a single word, so the ruler was very surprised. |
| From Mark (Mark 15:1-5) |
Immediately in the morning, the high priests with the elders and scribes and the entire Sanhedrin held a meeting and, having bound Jesus, took him away and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked Him: Are you the King of the Jews? He answered and said to him, “You speak.” And the chief priests accused Him of many things. Pilate asked Him again: “Are you not answering?” you see how many accusations are against you. But Jesus did not answer anything to this either, so Pilate marveled. |
| From Luke (Luke 23:1-7) |
And the whole multitude of them rose up, and took Him to Pilate, and began to accuse Him, saying: We have found that He is corrupting our people and forbidding us to give taxes to Caesar, calling Himself Christ the King. Pilate asked Him: Are you the King of the Jews? He answered him: You speak. Pilate said to the chief priests and the people: I find no guilt in this man. But they insisted, saying that He was disturbing the people by teaching throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee to this place. Pilate, hearing about Galilee, asked: Is He a Galilean? And having learned that He was from Herod’s region, He sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem these days. |
| From John (John 18:29-38) |
Pilate came out to them and said: What do you accuse this Man of? They answered him: If He had not been an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you. Pilate said to them: Take Him, and judge Him according to your law. The Jews said to him: It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death, so that the word of Jesus, which He spoke, might be fulfilled, indicating by what kind of death He would die. Then Pilate again entered the praetorium, and called Jesus, and said to Him: Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him: Are you saying this on your own, or have others told you about Me? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Your people and the chief priests delivered You up to me; what have you done? Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world; If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight for Me, so that I would not be betrayed to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from here. Pilate said to Him: So are You a King? Jesus answered: You say that I am a King. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I came into the world, to testify to the truth; everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice. Pilate said to Him: What is truth? And having said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them: I find no guilt in Him. |
Apocryphal tales
Pilate's trial is described in the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus. In it, in addition to the information contained in the canonical Gospels, the author makes additions emphasizing the messianic status of Christ (for example, the episode with the worship of Christ banners in the hands of standard bearers). Pilate's trial begins with a dispute about the legality of the birth of Jesus, which ends with a dialogue between Pilate and 12 men who were present at the betrothal of the Virgin Mary and who testified to the legality of the birth of Jesus:
The Gospel of Nicodemus records Jesus' answer to Pilate's question, “What is truth?” (the question according to the Gospel of John remained unanswered): “Jesus said: “The truth is from heaven.” Pilate said to Him: “Is there no truth in earthly things?” Jesus said to Pilate: “Listen—the truth is on earth among those who, having power, live by the truth and carry out righteous judgment.”
Witnesses in the defense of Christ at the trial are the sick who were miraculously healed by him: the paralytic, the man born blind, Veronica, the bleeding wife; residents of Jerusalem remember the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus. In response to this, Pilate, on the occasion of the holiday, invites the people to release Christ or Barabbas to their choice, and in the future the apocrypha repeats the canonical gospel text, with the exception of Jesus being brought out to the people after the reproach.
One of the hypotheses is why Christ was executed?
The conviction, implanted from childhood in the consciousness of millions over sixty generations, that Pontius Pilate did not want the execution of Christ, was one of the conditions for the adoption of Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century. It was politically motivated and conditioned, and did not correspond to reality. The governor responsible for the situation in the Roman province, if he was not insane or a revolutionary a la Lenin and Trotsky (and Pontius Pilate, of course, was not an enemy of the existing order), could not allow the continuation of sermons that destroyed the existing Law and Order to the very foundation . The Bolsheviks dreamed of a deeper and much more serious destruction than 16 centuries after Christianity destroyed pagan Rome.
So, since it was impossible to silence Christ otherwise than by destroying him, Jesus could not help but be destroyed by Rome. Moreover, it was destroyed not in the Jewish way (by stoning), by cutting off the head in the Eastern style, or in any other way, but by a distinctly Roman execution: by crucifixion. Well, when Christianity actually overthrew paganism, which had resisted for four centuries, and it became official religion Rome, a cardinal question arose: the state cannot accept a religion as the State if the founder of this religion is destroyed by the same State.
It goes without saying that Pilate needed to be whitewashed. And they whitewashed it. And how! Contrary to common sense and facts. And they, facts that are clear and understandable if you don’t dodge, convincingly indicate that the Procurator of the province, obliged to fight everyone who destroys order in the Empire, simply could not avoid crucifying Jesus Christ.
The commandments of Christ, which were preached openly, could not help but lie on the table of the Roman Procurator of Judea during the interrogation of Jesus. Among them is the fourth, preceding the acceptable ones following it
5. “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
6. “Thou shalt not kill.”
7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
8. “Don’t steal.”
9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” It stood like this: “The fourth commandment of Jesus Christ: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do all your work; and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: on it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord created heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.”
In other words, Christ, following the Jewish tradition, as well as the main principle of His Mission proclaimed by Him: “I came not to break the Law, but to fulfill it,” recognized slaves not as living tools of labor, but as people.
But the Roman procurator could not allow this. Realizing that recognition of human rights for slaves would destroy the Pax Romana. Which is what happened - despite four centuries of Roman resistance.
According to the Jewish religion - and Christianity, which inherited its main provisions - a slave is a person. In contrast to the founding principle of the Roman Empire: a slave is not a person. Like his masters, the slave did not work on the seventh day of the week (Saturday), and on the seventh year the Jewish master was obliged to set the slave free. The Romans were tolerant of this as long as these rules applied only within one of the nations. In the end, the Italian-Romans were free to release slaves as freedmen if they wanted. And give them the opportunity not to work - if they want. But to declare every slave a man in the Pax Romana, so that he, like his masters, would not work on Saturday (or Sunday - in comparison with the principle of recognizing a slave as a man, it is unimportant) - the fourth Commandment of Christ threatened to destroy the fundamental foundations on which it was based Empire.
By the way, let us remind you. The Essenes preached about the same thing as Jesus before him, and declared free everyone who came to their community - but they lived as hermits in the desert and were not dangerous. The Essene movement could not develop into world religion. Just like Judaism with 613 commandments that are obligatory for everyone who truly believes.
When Jesus began to preach the Ten Commandments, including the fourth, to everyone (that is, having been baptized, the slave became a man from a tool of labor) and (simply speaking) preserved the ethics of Judaism to the utmost, simplifying the requirements that believers are obliged to observe; and having reduced 613 in Judaism to ten principles, limiting themselves to them - the Romans could not allow this.
Rome crucified Jesus because not destroying Christ was suicidal for the empire. Pilate understood this immediately - and acted as a statesman, clothed with responsibility, should act in such conditions. Rome killed Jesus so that Jesus would not destroy Rome. And also - what is not customary to talk about - Rome martyred eleven of the twelve apostles for the same reason: trying to prevent the destruction of the Empire by Christianity. What is not advertised and not depicted on iconostasis, so that unnecessary questions do not arise: what do the Jews have to do with it? Because the Jews obviously had nothing to do with the executions of the apostles: Peter, Paul and the rest, but only the Roman Authorities.
It was precisely because it was clear to the Roman authorities that the spread of Christianity would destroy Rome that Christians were severely persecuted for almost three hundred years. Many followers of Christ were even more martyred than Jesus. Nero, for example, illuminated the streets of Rome with Christians, turning them into torches.
But it only helped temporarily: Christianity crushed Rome. Moreover, as soon as Christianity became the ruling religion (under Theodosius and his son Honorius), paganism was prohibited in the Roman Empire. Christianity defeated paganism in Rome - and began to persecute pagan traditions (including the ban Olympic Games) as tough as paganism during three centuries persecuted Christianity. There was a struggle not between Christianity and Judaism (as tradition absurdly tries to imagine, trying to whitewash Pilate and the Romans), but between paganism and Christianity. A struggle for life and death. If paganism had survived (and things are rapidly moving towards its restoration in our 21st century throughout the Christian world), Pilate would have been recognized as the first Hero on the centuries-long road of struggle for the pagan world. And it will not be surprising if soon they are actually recognized as such.
Christ was not crucified
Any Gospel event has two meanings: obvious and hidden (spiritual). If we look from the point of view of the Savior and Christians, then the answer could be this: Christ was not crucified, He voluntarily allowed himself to be crucified for the sins of all mankind - past, present and future. The obvious reason is simple: Christ questioned all the usual views of the Jews on piety and undermined the authority of their priesthood. The worship of God among the Jews, before the coming of the Messiah, consisted of excellent knowledge and precise execution of all laws and rules. The Savior's sermons made many people think about the falsity of this view of the relationship with the Creator. In addition, the Jews were waiting for the King promised in the prophecies Old Testament. He had to free them from Roman slavery and stand at the head of a new earthly kingdom. The high priests were probably afraid of an open armed uprising of the people against their power and the power of the Roman emperor. Therefore, it was decided that “it is better for us that one man should die for the people, than that the whole nation should perish” (see Gospel of John, chapter 11, verses 47-53). This is why Jesus Christ was crucified.
Execution by crucifixion was the most shameful, most painful and most cruel in the East. This is how in ancient times only notorious villains were executed: robbers, murderers, rebels and criminal slaves. In addition to unbearable pain and suffocation, the crucified man experienced terrible thirst and mortal mental anguish.According to the verdict of the Sanhedrin, approved by the Roman procurator of Judea Pontius Pilate, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was condemned to crucifixion.
Death came into the world along with Adam's sin. Christ the Savior - the New Adam - had no sin, but took upon himself the sins of all mankind. To save people from death and hell, the Lord Jesus Christ went to death voluntarily.
When the Savior was brought to the place of execution, to Golgotha, the Roman soldiers, the executioners, gave Him vinegar mixed with bile to drink. This drink dulled the feeling of pain and somewhat reduced the painful suffering of those being crucified. But the Lord refused. He wanted to drink the whole cup of suffering in full consciousness.
Christ's clothes were taken off, and the most terrible moment of execution followed - nailing to the Cross. “It was the third hour,” testifies the Evangelist Mark, “and they crucified Him.” According to our time, it was about nine o'clock in the morning.
When the soldiers raised the Cross, at that terrible moment the Savior’s voice was heard with a prayer for His merciless killers: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Next to Christ they crucified two thieves - one on the right and the other on the left.
Meanwhile, the soldiers who crucified Jesus divided His clothes among themselves. They tore the outer clothing into four pieces. And the lower one - the chiton - was not sewn, but seamlessly woven. Therefore, the soldiers cast lots for him - who would get it. According to legend, this tunic was woven by the Most Pure Mother of the Savior. The enemies of Christ - the scribes, Pharisees and elders of the people - did not cease to slander the Lord hanging on the Cross. Mocking, they said: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross... You saved others... save Yourself.”
The thief crucified to the left of Christ also blasphemed the Divine Sufferer.
The other robber, on the contrary, calmed him down and said: “We are condemned justly... but He did nothing wrong.” Having said this, the thief turned to Jesus: “Remember me, Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom!”
The merciful Lord accepted the heartfelt repentance of this sinner and answered the prudent thief: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” It was not only the enemies of Christ who were near the Cross. Here stood His Most Pure Mother, the Apostle John, Mary Magdalene and several other women. They looked with horror and compassion at the torment of the Crucified Savior.
Seeing His Mother and beloved disciple, the Lord Jesus Christ said to Her: “Woman, behold Your Son.” Then, turning His gaze to John, He said: “Behold, your Mother.” From that time on, the Apostle John took the Mother of God into his home and took care of Her until the end of Her life.
Starting from the sixth hour, the sun darkened and darkness covered the whole earth.
About the ninth hour in Jewish time, that is, at the third hour in the afternoon, Jesus cried out loudly: “My God, My God! Why have you forsaken me?” This experience of being abandoned by God was the most terrible torment for the Son of God.
“I thirst,” said the Savior. Then one of the soldiers filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on a cane and brought it to the withered lips of Christ.
“When Jesus tasted the vinegar, he said, “It is done!” God's promise was fulfilled. The salvation of the human race has been accomplished.
Following this, the Savior exclaimed: “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit,” and “bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
The Son of God died on the Cross. And the earth shook. The curtain in the temple that covered the Holy of Holies was torn in two, thereby opening people up to enter the hitherto closed Kingdom of Heaven. And as a sign of the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ over death, many bodies of the fallen saints were resurrected and, after the Resurrection of the Lord, entered Jerusalem.
Seeing what happened on Golgotha, all the inhabitants of Judea were overwhelmed with fear. And even for the pagan crucifiers, the great truth of the Divinity of Christ became obvious.
Among all Christians, only Orthodox and Catholics venerate crosses and icons. They decorate the domes of churches, their houses, and wear them around their necks with crosses.
The reason why a person wears pectoral cross, everyone has their own. Some people pay tribute to fashion in this way, for others the cross is a beautiful piece of jewelry, for others it brings good luck and is used as a talisman. But there are also those for whom the pectoral cross worn at baptism is truly a symbol of their endless faith.
Today, shops and church shops offer a wide variety of crosses various shapes. However, very often not only parents who are planning to baptize a child, but also sales consultants cannot explain where the Orthodox cross is and where the Catholic one is, although it is, in fact, very simple to distinguish them. IN Catholic tradition- a quadrangular cross with three nails. In Orthodoxy there are four-pointed, six- and eight-pointed crosses, with four nails for the hands and feet.
Cross shape
Four-pointed cross
So, in the West the most common is four-pointed cross. Starting from the 3rd century, when similar crosses first appeared in the Roman catacombs, the entire Orthodox East still uses this form of the cross as equal to all others.
Eight-pointed Orthodox cross
For Orthodoxy, the shape of the cross is not particularly important; much more attention is paid to what is depicted on it, however, eight-pointed and six-pointed crosses have gained the most popularity.
Eight-pointed Orthodox cross most corresponds to the historically accurate form of the cross on which Christ was already crucified. The Orthodox cross, which is most often used by the Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches, contains, in addition to a large horizontal crossbar, two more. The top one symbolizes the sign on the cross of Christ with the inscription “ Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"(INCI, or INRI in Latin). The lower oblique crossbar - the support for the feet of Jesus Christ symbolizes the “righteous standard” that weighs the sins and virtues of all people. It is believed that it is tilted to the left, symbolizing that the repentant thief, crucified on the right side of Christ, (first) went to heaven, and the thief crucified on the left side, by his blasphemy of Christ, further aggravated his posthumous fate and ended up to hell The letters IC XC are a christogram symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ.
Saint Demetrius of Rostov writes that “ when Christ the Lord carried the cross on His shoulders, the cross was still four-pointed; because there was no title or foot on it yet. There was no footstool, because Christ had not yet been raised on the cross and the soldiers, not knowing where Christ’s feet would reach, did not attach a footstool, finishing this already on Golgotha". Also, there was no title on the cross before the crucifixion of Christ, because, as the Gospel reports, at first “ crucified Him"(John 19:18), and then only " Pilate wrote an inscription and placed it on the cross"(John 19:19). It was at first that the soldiers divided “His garments” by lot. those who crucified Him"(Matthew 27:35), and only then" they placed an inscription over His head, signifying His guilt: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews"(Matt. 27:37).
The eight-pointed cross has long been considered the most powerful protective agent from various kinds of evil spirits, as well as visible and invisible evil.
Six-pointed cross
Widespread among Orthodox believers, especially in times Ancient Rus', also had six-pointed cross. It also has an inclined crossbar: the lower end symbolizes unrepentant sin, and the upper end symbolizes liberation through repentance.
However, all its strength does not lie in the shape of the cross or the number of ends. The cross is famous for the power of Christ crucified on it, and this is all its symbolism and miraculousness.
The variety of forms of the cross has always been recognized by the Church as quite natural. According to the expression of the Monk Theodore Studite - “ a cross of any form is a true cross"and has unearthly beauty and life-giving power.
« There is no significant difference between the Latin, Catholic, Byzantine, and Orthodox crosses, or between any other crosses used in Christian services. In essence, all crosses are the same, the only differences are in the shape", - speaks Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus.
Crucifixion
In the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, special importance is attached not to the shape of the cross, but to the image of Jesus Christ on it.
Until the 9th century inclusive, Christ was depicted on the cross not only alive, resurrected, but also triumphant, and only in the 10th century did images of the dead Christ appear.
Yes, we know that Christ died on the cross. But we also know that He later resurrected, and that He suffered voluntarily out of love for people: to teach us to take care of the immortal soul; so that we too can be resurrected and live forever. In the Orthodox Crucifixion this Paschal joy is always present. Therefore, on the Orthodox cross, Christ does not die, but freely stretches out his arms, the palms of Jesus are open, as if he wants to hug all humanity, giving them his love and opening the way to eternal life. He is not a dead body, but God, and his whole image speaks of this.
The Orthodox cross has another, smaller one above the main horizontal crossbar, which symbolizes the sign on the cross of Christ indicating the offense. Because Pontius Pilate did not find how to describe the guilt of Christ; the words “ Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews» in three languages: Greek, Latin and Aramaic. In Latin in Catholicism this inscription looks like INRI, and in Orthodoxy - IHCI(or INHI, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”). The lower oblique crossbar symbolizes a support for the legs. It also symbolizes the two thieves crucified to the left and right of Christ. One of them, before his death, repented of his sins, for which he was awarded the Kingdom of Heaven. The other, before his death, blasphemed and reviled his executioners and Christ.
The following inscriptions are placed above the middle crossbar: "IC" "XC"- the name of Jesus Christ; and below it: "NIKA"- Winner.
The Savior was necessarily written on the cross-shaped halo greek letters UN, meaning “truly Existent”, because “ God said to Moses: I am who I am"(Ex. 3:14), thereby revealing His name, expressing the originality, eternity and immutability of the being of God.
In addition, the nails with which the Lord was nailed to the cross were kept in Orthodox Byzantium. And it was known for sure that there were four of them, not three. Therefore, on Orthodox crosses, Christ’s feet are nailed with two nails, each separately. The image of Christ with crossed feet nailed to a single nail first appeared as an innovation in the West in the second half of the 13th century.
Orthodox Crucifix Catholic Crucifix
In the Catholic Crucifixion, the image of Christ has naturalistic features. Catholics depict Christ as dead, sometimes with streams of blood on his face, from wounds on his arms, legs and ribs ( stigmata). It reveals all human suffering, the torment that Jesus had to experience. His arms sag under the weight of his body. The image of Christ on the Catholic cross is plausible, but it is an image of a dead man, while there is no hint of the triumph of victory over death. The crucifixion in Orthodoxy symbolizes this triumph. In addition, the Savior's feet are nailed with one nail.
The meaning of the Savior's death on the cross
Emergence christian cross associated with the martyrdom of Jesus Christ, which he accepted on the cross under the forced sentence of Pontius Pilate. Crucifixion was a common method of execution in Ancient Rome, borrowed from the Carthaginians - descendants of Phoenician colonists (it is believed that the crucifix was first used in Phenicia). Thieves were usually sentenced to death on the cross; many early Christians, persecuted since the time of Nero, were also executed in this way.
Roman crucifixion
Before the suffering of Christ, the cross was an instrument of shame and terrible punishment. After His suffering, it became a symbol of the victory of good over evil, life over death, a reminder of the endless God's love, a subject of joy. The incarnate Son of God sanctified the cross with His blood and made it a conductor of His grace, a source of sanctification for believers.
From Orthodox dogma The Cross (or Atonement) undoubtedly implies that the death of the Lord is a ransom for all, the calling of all peoples. Only the cross, unlike other executions, made it possible for Jesus Christ to die with outstretched hands calling “to all the ends of the earth” (Isa. 45:22).
Reading the Gospels, we are convinced that the feat of the cross of the God-man is the central event in His earthly life. With His suffering on the cross, He washed away our sins, covered our debt to God, or, in the language of Scripture, “redeemed” (ransomed) us. The incomprehensible secret of the infinite truth and love of God is hidden in Calvary.
The Son of God voluntarily took upon himself the guilt of all people and suffered for it a shameful and painful death on the cross; then on the third day he rose again as the conqueror of hell and death.
Why was such a terrible Sacrifice needed to cleanse the sins of mankind, and was it possible to save people in another, less painful way?
Christian teaching about death on the cross The God-man is often a “stumbling block” for people with already established religious and philosophical concepts. Both to many Jews and to people of the Greek culture of apostolic times, it seemed contradictory to assert that the omnipotent and eternal God came to earth in the form of a mortal man, voluntarily endured beatings, spitting and shameful death that this feat could bring spiritual benefit to humanity. " This is impossible!“- some objected; " This is not necessary!"- others stated.
St. Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians says: “ Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in the wisdom of the word, so as not to make the cross of Christ abolish. For the word about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and destroy the understanding of the prudent. Where is the sage? where is the scribe? where is the questioner of this century? Has not God turned the wisdom of this world into foolishness? For when the world through its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. For both the Jews demand miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, for the Jews a stumbling block, and for the Greeks foolishness, but for those who are called, Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God"(1 Cor. 1:17-24).
In other words, the apostle explained that what in Christianity was perceived by some as temptation and madness, is in fact a matter of the greatest Divine wisdom and omnipotence. The truth of the atoning death and resurrection of the Savior is the foundation for many other Christian truths, for example, about the sanctification of believers, about the sacraments, about the meaning of suffering, about virtues, about feat, about the purpose of life, about the upcoming judgment and resurrection of the dead and others.
At the same time, the atoning death of Christ, being an event inexplicable in terms of earthly logic and even “tempting for those who are perishing,” has a regenerating power that the believing heart feels and strives for. Renewed and warmed by this spiritual power, both the last slaves and the most powerful kings bowed in awe before Calvary; both dark ignoramuses and the greatest scientists. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles personal experience They were convinced of the great spiritual benefits that the atoning death and resurrection of the Savior brought them, and they shared this experience with their disciples.
(The mystery of the redemption of mankind is closely connected with a number of important religious and psychological factors. Therefore, to understand the mystery of redemption it is necessary:
a) understand what actually constitutes the sinful damage of a person and the weakening of his will to resist evil;
b) we must understand how the devil’s will, thanks to sin, gained the opportunity to influence and even captivate the human will;
c) we need to understand the mysterious power of love, its ability to positively influence a person and ennoble him. Moreover, if love most of all reveals itself in sacrificial service to one’s neighbor, then there is no doubt that giving one’s life for him is the highest manifestation of love;
d) from understanding the power of human love, one must rise to understanding the power of Divine love and how it penetrates the soul of a believer and transforms his inner world;
e) in addition, in the atoning death of the Savior there is a side that goes beyond the human world, namely: On the cross there was a battle between God and the proud Dennitsa, in which God, hiding under the guise of weak flesh, emerged victorious. The details of this spiritual battle and Divine victory remain a mystery to us. Even Angels, according to St. Peter, do not fully understand the mystery of redemption (1 Peter 1:12). She is a sealed book that only the Lamb of God could open (Rev. 5:1-7)).
In Orthodox asceticism there is such a concept as bearing one’s cross, that is, patiently fulfilling Christian commandments throughout the life of a Christian. All difficulties, both external and internal, are called “cross.” Everyone carries their own cross in life. About the need personal feat The Lord said this: “ He who does not take up his cross (deviates from the feat) and follows Me (calls himself a Christian) is unworthy of Me"(Matthew 10:38).
« The cross is the guardian of the entire universe. The cross is the beauty of the Church, the cross of kings is the power, the cross is the affirmation of the faithful, the cross is the glory of an angel, the cross is a plague of demons“, - affirms the absolute Truth of the luminaries of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross.
The motives for the outrageous desecration and blasphemy of the Holy Cross by conscious cross-haters and crusaders are quite understandable. But when we see Christians drawn into this vile business, it is all the more impossible to remain silent, for - according to the words of St. Basil the Great - “God is betrayed by silence”!
Differences between the Catholic and Orthodox cross
Thus, there are the following differences Catholic cross from Orthodox:
Catholic cross Orthodox cross
- Orthodox cross most often has an eight-pointed or six-pointed shape. Catholic cross- four-pointed.
- Words on a sign on the crosses are the same, only written on different languages: Latin INRI(in the case of the Catholic cross) and Slavic-Russian IHCI(on the Orthodox cross).
- Another fundamental position is position of the feet on the Crucifix and number of nails. The feet of Jesus Christ are placed together on a Catholic Crucifix, and each is nailed separately on an Orthodox cross.
- What is different is image of the Savior on the cross. The Orthodox cross depicts God, who opened the path to eternal life, while the Catholic cross depicts a man experiencing torment.
Material prepared by Sergey Shulyak
After Jesus Christ was condemned to crucifixion, He was given to the soldiers. The soldiers, having taken Him, again beat him with insults and mockery. When they mocked Him, they took off His purple robe and dressed Him in His own clothes. Those condemned to crucifixion were supposed to carry their own cross, so the soldiers laid His cross on the Savior’s shoulders and led him to the place designated for crucifixion. The place was a hill called Golgotha, or frontal place, i.e. sublime. Golgotha was located west of Jerusalem near the city gates called the Judgment Gate.
A great multitude of people followed Jesus Christ. The road was mountainous. Exhausted by beatings and scourgings, exhausted by mental suffering, Jesus Christ could barely walk, falling several times under the weight of the cross. When they reached the city gates, where the road went uphill, Jesus Christ was completely exhausted. At this time, the soldiers saw close to a man who looked at Christ with compassion. It was Simon of Cyrene returning from the field after work. The soldiers grabbed him and forced him to carry the cross of Christ.
Carrying the Cross by the Savior
Among the people who followed Christ there were many women who cried and wept for Him.
Jesus Christ, turning to them, said: “Daughters of Jerusalem! Weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. Because the days will soon come when they will say: happy are those wives who have no children. Then people will say to the mountains : fall upon us, and the hills: cover us."
Thus, the Lord predicted those terrible disasters that were soon to break out over Jerusalem and the Jewish people after His earthly life.
NOTE: See in Gospel: Matt., ch. 27 , 27-32; from Mark, ch. 15 , 16-21; from Luke, ch. 23 , 26-32; from John, ch. 19 , 16-17.
Crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ
The execution of crucifixion was the most shameful, the most painful and the most cruel. In those days, only the most notorious villains were executed with such a death: robbers, murderers, rebels and criminal slaves. The torment of a crucified man cannot be described. In addition to unbearable pain in all parts of the body and suffering, the crucified man experienced terrible thirst and mortal spiritual anguish. Death was so slow that many suffered on crosses for several days. Even the perpetrators of the execution - usually cruel people - could not look at the suffering of the crucified with composure. They prepared a drink with which they tried either to quench their unbearable thirst, or with the admixture of various substances to temporarily dull consciousness and alleviate torment. According to Jewish law, anyone hanged from a tree was considered cursed. The Jewish leaders wanted to disgrace Jesus Christ forever by condemning Him to such death.
When they brought Jesus Christ to Golgotha, the soldiers gave Him something to drink sour wine, mixed with bitter substances to relieve suffering. But the Lord, having tasted it, did not want to drink it. He did not want to use any remedy to relieve suffering. He took upon Himself this suffering voluntarily for the sins of people; That’s why I wanted to carry them through to the end.
When everything was prepared, the soldiers crucified Jesus Christ. It was around noon, in Hebrew at 6 o'clock in the afternoon. When they crucified Him, He prayed for His tormentors, saying: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
Next to Jesus Christ, two villains (thieves) were crucified, one on His right and the other on His left. Thus the prediction of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, who said: “And he was numbered among the evildoers” (Is. 53 , 12).
By order of Pilate, an inscription was nailed to the cross above the head of Jesus Christ, signifying His guilt. On it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Roman: " Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews", and many read it. The enemies of Christ did not like such an inscription. Therefore, the high priests came to Pilate and said: “Do not write: King of the Jews, but write that He said: I am the King of the Jews."
But Pilate replied: “What I wrote, I wrote.”
Meanwhile, the soldiers who crucified Jesus Christ took His clothes and began to divide them among themselves. They tore the outer clothing into four pieces, one piece for each warrior. The chiton (underwear) was not sewn, but entirely woven from top to bottom. Then they said to each other: “We will not tear it apart, but we will cast lots for it, who will get it.” And having cast lots, the soldiers sat and guarded the place of execution. Yes, it came true here too ancient prophecy King David: “They divided My garments among themselves, and cast lots for My clothing” (Psalm. 21 , 19).
The enemies did not stop insulting Jesus Christ on the cross. As they passed, they cursed and, nodding their heads, said: “Eh! You who destroy the temple and build in three days! Save Yourself. If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
Also the high priests, scribes, elders and Pharisees, mockingly said: “He saved others, but cannot save Himself. If He is the Christ, the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, so that we can see, and then we will believe in Him. I trusted in God “Let God deliver Him now, if He pleases Him; for He said: I am the Son of God.”
Following their example, the pagan soldiers who sat at the crosses and guarded the crucified, mockingly said: “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”
Even one of the crucified thieves, who was to the left of the Savior, cursed Him and said: “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”
The other robber, on the contrary, calmed him down and said: “Or are you not afraid of God, when you yourself are condemned to the same thing (i.e., to the same torment and death)? But we are condemned justly, because we have received what is worthy of our deeds.” , but He did nothing bad." Having said this, he turned to Jesus Christ with a prayer: " remember me(remember me) Lord, when will You come in Your Kingdom!"
The merciful Savior accepted the heartfelt repentance of this sinner, who showed such marvelous faith in Him, and answered the prudent thief: “ Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise".
At the cross of the Savior stood His Mother, the Apostle John, Mary Magdalene and several other women who revered Him. It is impossible to describe the sorrow of the Mother of God, who saw the unbearable torment of Her Son!
Jesus Christ, seeing His Mother and John standing here, whom he especially loved, says to His Mother: " Wife! behold, your son". Then he says to John: " behold, your mother"From that time on, John took the Mother of God into his home and cared for Her until the end of Her life.
Meanwhile, during the suffering of the Savior on Calvary, a great sign occurred. From the hour when the Savior was crucified, that is, from the sixth hour (and according to our account, from the twelfth hour of the day), the sun darkened and darkness fell throughout the entire earth, and lasted until the ninth hour (according to our account, until the third hour of the day) , i.e. until the death of the Savior.
This extraordinary, worldwide darkness was noted by pagan historical writers: the Roman astronomer Phlegon, Phallus and Junius Africanus. The famous philosopher from Athens, Dionysius the Areopagite, was at that time in Egypt, in the city of Heliopolis; observing the sudden darkness, he said: “either the Creator suffers, or the world is destroyed.” Subsequently, Dionysius the Areopagite converted to Christianity and was the first bishop of Athens.
About the ninth hour, Jesus Christ loudly exclaimed: " Or, Or! Lima Savahfani!" that is, "My God, My God! Why have you forsaken me?" These were the opening words from the 21st Psalm of King David, in which David clearly predicted the suffering of the Savior on the cross. With these words, the Lord last time reminded people that He is the true Christ, the Savior of the world.
Some of those standing on Calvary, hearing these words spoken by the Lord, said: “Behold, He is calling Elijah.” And others said, “Let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”
The Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that everything had already been accomplished, said: “I thirst.”
Then one of the soldiers ran, took a sponge, wet it with vinegar, put it on a cane and brought it to the Savior’s withered lips.
Having tasted the vinegar, the Savior said: " Done", that is, the promise of God has been fulfilled, the salvation of the human race has been accomplished.
And behold, the veil of the temple, which covered the holy of holies, was torn in two, from the top to the bottom, and the earth shook, and the stones were disintegrated; and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were resurrected, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered Jerusalem and appeared to many.
The centurion confesses Jesus Christ as the Son of God
The centurion (leader of the soldiers) and the soldiers with him, who were guarding the crucified Savior, seeing the earthquake and everything that was happening in front of them, were afraid and said: “ Truly this man was the Son of God". And the people, who were at the crucifixion and saw everything, began to disperse in fear, striking themselves in the chest.
Friday evening arrived. This evening it was necessary to eat Easter. The Jews did not want to leave the bodies of those crucified on the crosses until Saturday, because Easter Saturday was considered a great day. Therefore, they asked Pilate for permission to break the legs of the crucified people, so that they would die sooner and they could be removed from the crosses. Pilate allowed. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the robbers. When they approached Jesus Christ, they saw that He had already died, and therefore they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers, so that there would be no doubt about His death, pierced His ribs with a spear, and blood and water flowed from the wound.
Rib perforation
27 , 33-56; from Mark, ch. 15 , 22-41; from Luke, ch. 23 , 33-49; from John, ch. 19 , 18-37.
The Holy Cross of Christ is the Holy Altar on which the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Descent from the Cross and Burial of the Savior
That same evening, soon after everything had happened, a famous member of the Sanhedrin, a rich man, came to Pilate Joseph of Arimathea(from the city of Arimathea). Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus Christ, secret - out of fear of the Jews. He was a kind and righteous man, who did not participate in the council or in the condemnation of the Savior. He asked Pilate for permission to remove the body of Christ from the cross and bury it.
Pilate was surprised that Jesus Christ died so soon. He called the centurion who was guarding the crucified, learned from him when Jesus Christ died, and allowed Joseph to take the body of Christ for burial.
Burial of the body of Christ the Savior
Joseph, having bought a shroud (cloth for burial), came to Golgotha. Another secret disciple of Jesus Christ and a member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus, also came. He brought with him for burial a precious fragrant ointment - a composition of myrrh and aloes.
They took the body of the Savior from the Cross, anointed Him with incense, wrapped Him in a shroud and laid Him in a new tomb, in the garden, near Golgotha. This tomb was a cave that Joseph of Arimathea carved into the rock for his burial, and in which no one had yet been laid. There they laid the body of Christ, because this tomb was close to Golgotha, and there was little time, since the great holiday of Easter was approaching. Then they rolled a huge stone to the door of the coffin and left.
Mary Magdalene, Mary of Joseph and other women were there and watched how the body of Christ was laid out. Returning home, they bought precious ointment, so that they could then anoint the body of Christ with this ointment as soon as the first, great day of the holiday had passed, on which, according to the law, everyone should be at peace.
Position in the coffin. (Lamentation of the Mother of God.)
But the enemies of Christ did not calm down, despite their great holiday. The next day, Saturday, the high priests and Pharisees (disturbing the peace of the Sabbath and the holiday) gathered, came to Pilate and began to ask him: “Sir, we remembered that this deceiver (as they dared to call Jesus Christ), while still alive, said: “After three days I will rise.” Therefore, order that the tomb be guarded until the third day, so that His disciples, coming at night, do not steal Him and tell the people that He has risen from the dead; and then the last deception will be worse than the first.”
Pilate said to them: “You have a guard; go, guard as best you can.”
Then the high priests and the Pharisees went to the tomb of Jesus Christ and, having carefully examined the cave, they applied their (Sanhedrin’s) seal to the stone; and they placed a military guard at the tomb of the Lord.
When the body of the Savior lay in the tomb, He descended with His soul into hell to the souls of people who died before His suffering and death. And He freed all the souls of righteous people who were waiting for the coming of the Savior from hell.
Return of the Mother of God and Apostle Paul from burial
NOTE: See in the Gospel: Matthew, ch. 27 , 57-66; from Mark, ch. 15 , 42-47; from Luke, ch. 23 , 50-56; from John, ch. 19 , 38-42.
The suffering of Christ is remembered by St. Orthodox Church the week before Easter. This week is called Passionate. Christians should spend this entire week in fasting and prayer.
Pharisees and Jewish high priests
sealing the Holy Sepulcher
IN Great Wednesday Holy Week remembers the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot.
IN Maundy Thursday in the evening, during the all-night vigil (which is Good Friday matins), twelve parts of the gospel about the suffering of Jesus Christ are read.
IN Good Friday during Vespers(which is served at 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon) is taken out of the altar and placed in the middle of the temple shroud, i.e. a sacred image of the Savior lying in the tomb; this is done in remembrance of the taking down of the body of Christ from the cross and His burial.
IN Holy Saturday on matins, at the funeral bells ringing and at the singing of the song" Holy God“, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us,” the shroud is carried around the temple in memory of the descent of Jesus Christ into hell, when His body was in the tomb, and His victory over hell and death.
Military guard at the Holy Sepulcher
TO Holy Week and for the holiday of Easter we prepare ourselves by fasting. This fast lasts forty days and is called Holy Pentecost or Great Lent.
In addition, the Holy Orthodox Church has established fasting according to Wednesdays And Fridays every week (except for some, very few, weeks of the year), on Wednesdays - in remembrance of the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas, and on Fridays in remembrance of the suffering of Jesus Christ.
We express our faith in the power of Jesus Christ’s suffering on the cross for us sign of the cross during our prayers.
The Descent of Jesus Christ into Hell
Resurrection of Jesus Christ
After the Sabbath, at night, on the third day after His suffering and death, The Lord Jesus Christ came to life by the power of His Divinity, i.e. 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 warriors, without knowing it themselves, guarded empty coffin.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake; an 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 warriors 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 ointment, 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 they said to each other: “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” The stone was very large.
The angel of the Lord rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb
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, suddenly they saw a luminous angel sitting on a stone. The angel, turning to them, said: “Do not be afraid: for I know that you are looking for Jesus crucified. He is not here; He is risen, as I said while 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 when they looked, they saw an angel in white clothing sitting on the right side of the place where the Lord was laid; They were seized with horror.
The angel said to them: “Do not be dismayed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene crucified; He is 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 disciples) that He will meet you in Galilee, there you will see Him, as He told you.”
When the women stood in bewilderment, suddenly, again, two angels in shining clothes appeared before them. The women bowed their faces to the ground in fear.
The angels said to them: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here: He is 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.”
Then the women remembered the words of the Lord. Having come out, they ran from the tomb in trembling and fear. And then with fear and great joy they went to tell His disciples. On the way, they didn’t say anything to anyone, because they were afraid.
Having come to the disciples, the women told about everything they had seen and heard. But their words seemed empty to the disciples, and they did not believe them.
Myrrh-Bearing Women at the Holy Sepulcher
Meanwhile, Peter and John run to the Holy Sepulcher. John ran faster than Peter and came to the tomb first, but did not enter the tomb, but bending down, he saw the linens lying there. Peter comes running after him, enters the tomb and sees only the shrouds lying, and the cloth (bandage) that was on the head of Jesus Christ, lying not with the shrouds, but rolled up in another place separately from the shrouds. Then John came in after Peter, saw everything, and believed in the resurrection of Christ. Peter marveled at what had happened within himself. After this, Peter and John returned to their place.
When Peter and John left, Mary Magdalene, who had come running with them, remained at the tomb. She stood and cried at the entrance to the cave. And when she cried, she bent down and looked into the cave (into the coffin), and saw two angels in a white robe, sitting, one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of the Savior lay.
The angels said to her: “Wife, why are you crying?”
Mary Magdalene answered them: “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Having said this, she looked back and saw Jesus Christ standing, but from great sadness, from tears and from her confidence that the dead do not rise, she did not recognize the Lord.
Jesus Christ says to her: “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Mary Magdalene, thinking that this is the gardener of this garden, says to Him: “Sir! If you brought Him out, tell me where you laid Him, and I will take Him.”
Then Jesus Christ says to her: " Maria!"
Appearance of the Risen Christ to Mary Magdalene
A voice well known to her made her come to her senses from her sadness, and she saw that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself was standing before her. She exclaimed: " Teacher!" - and with indescribable joy she threw herself at the feet of the Savior; and from joy she did not imagine the full greatness of the moment.
But Jesus Christ, pointing her to the holy and great mystery of His resurrection, says to her: “Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brothers (i.e., disciples) and tell them: I am ascending to To my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God."
Then Mary Magdalene hurried to His disciples with the news that she had seen the Lord and what He had told her. This was the first appearance of Christ after the resurrection.
Appearance of the risen Christ to the myrrh-bearing women
On the way, Mary Magdalene caught up with Mary of Jacob, who was also returning from the Holy Sepulcher. When they went to tell the disciples, suddenly Jesus Christ Himself met them and said to them: " rejoice!".
They came up, grabbed His feet, and worshiped Him.
Then Jesus Christ says to them: “Do not be afraid, go, tell My brothers so that they go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
Thus the risen Christ appeared a second time.
Mary Magdalene and Mary of James, going in to the eleven disciples and all the others who were crying and sobbing, announced great joy. But when they heard from them that Jesus Christ was alive and they had seen Him, they did not believe.
After this, Jesus Christ appeared separately to Peter and assured him of His resurrection. ( Third phenomenon). Only then did many cease to doubt the reality of the resurrection of Christ, although there were still non-believers among them.
But first
All, as St. testifies from ancient times. Church, Jesus Christ made happy Holy Mother My, announcing to Her through an angel about His resurrection.
The Holy Church sings about this this way:
Be famous, be famous Christian Church, because the glory of the Lord has shone upon you: rejoice now and rejoice! You, Pure Mother of God, rejoice in the resurrection of what was born of You.
Meanwhile, the soldiers who guarded the Holy Sepulcher and fled from fear came to Jerusalem. Some of them went to the high priests and they were told about everything that had happened at the tomb of Jesus Christ. The high priests, having gathered with the elders, held a meeting. Due to their evil stubbornness, the enemies of Jesus Christ did not want to believe His resurrection and decided to hide this event from the people. To do this, they bribed the soldiers. Having given a lot of money, they said: “Tell everyone that His disciples, coming at night, stole Him while you were sleeping. And if rumor about this reaches the governor (Pilate), then we will plead for you with him and save you from trouble.” . The soldiers took the money and did as they were taught. This rumor spread among the Jews, so that many of them still believe it to this day.
The deception and lies of this rumor are visible to everyone. If the soldiers were sleeping, they could not see, but if they saw, then they were not sleeping and would have detained the kidnappers. The guard must watch and guard. It is impossible to imagine that the guard, consisting of several persons, could fall asleep. And if all the warriors fell asleep, they were subject to severe punishment. Why weren’t they punished, but left alone (and even rewarded)? And the frightened disciples, who locked themselves in their houses out of fear, could they have decided, without weapons against armed Roman soldiers, to undertake such a brave deed? And besides, why did they do this when they themselves lost faith in their Savior. Besides, could they roll away a huge rock without waking anyone up? All this is impossible. On the contrary, the disciples themselves thought that someone had taken away the body of the Savior, but when they saw the empty tomb, they realized that this does not happen after the abduction. And, finally, why didn’t the Jewish leaders look for the body of Christ and punish the disciples? Thus, the enemies of Christ tried to overshadow the work of God with a coarse web of lies and deception, but they turned out to be powerless against the truth.
28 , 1-15; from Mark, ch. 16 , 1-11; from Luke, ch. 24 , 1-12; from John, ch. 20 , 1-18. See also 1st Epistle of St. ap. Paul to the Corinthians: ch. 15 , 3-5.
The appearance of the risen Jesus Christ to two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Towards the evening of the day when Jesus Christ was resurrected and appeared to Mary Magdalene, Mary of James and Peter, two of Christ’s disciples (out of the 70), Cleopas and Luke, were walking from Jerusalem to the village Emmaus. Emmaus was located about ten miles from Jerusalem.
On the way they talked to each other about all the events that happened in last days in Jerusalem - about the suffering and death of the Savior. When they were discussing everything that had happened, Jesus Christ Himself approached them and walked next to them. But something seemed to hold their eyes, so that they did not recognize Him.
Jesus Christ said to them: “What are you talking about as you walk, and why are you so sad?”
One of them, Cleopas, answered Him: “Are you one of those who came to Jerusalem and do not know what has happened in it these days?”
Jesus Christ said to them: “about what?”
They answered Him: “about what happened to Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; how the chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we hoped that He there is One who must deliver Israel. And now it is the third day since this happened. But some of our women amazed us: they were early at the tomb and did not find His body, and when they returned, they said that they saw angels who said, that He was alive. Then some of us went to the tomb and found everything as the women said, but we did not see Him.”
Then Jesus Christ said to them: “Oh, foolish ones, and slow (not sensitive) in heart to believe everything that the prophets predicted! Isn’t this how Christ should have suffered and entered into His glory?” And He began, beginning with Moses, to explain to them from all the prophets what was said about Him in all the Scriptures. The disciples marveled. Everything became clear to them. So in conversation they approached Emmaus. Jesus Christ showed that he wanted to move on. But they restrained Him, saying: “Stay with us, because the day has already fallen to evening.” Jesus Christ stayed with them and entered the house. When He was reclining with them at the table, He took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus Christ. But He became invisible to them. This was the fourth appearance of the risen Christ. Cleopas and Luke, in great joy, began to say to each other: “Didn’t our heart burn with joy in us when He spoke to us on the road and when He explained the Scripture to us?” After this, they immediately got up from the table and, despite the late hour, went back to Jerusalem to the disciples. Returning to Jerusalem, they entered the house where all the apostles and others who were with them had gathered, except the Apostle Thomas. They all joyfully greeted Cleopas and Luke and said that the Lord had truly risen and appeared to Simon Peter. And Cleopas and Luke told in turn about what happened to them on the way to Emmaus, how the Lord Himself walked with them and talked, and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of bread.
They recognized Jesus Christ. But He became invisible to them
16 , 12-13; from Luke, ch. 24 , 18-35.
The appearance of Jesus Christ to all the apostles and other disciples, except the Apostle Thomas
When the apostles were talking with the disciples of Christ who had returned from Emmaus, Cleopas and Luke, and the doors of the house where they were were locked, out of fear from the Jews, suddenly Jesus Christ Himself stood in the middle of them and said to them: " peace be with you".
They became confused and afraid, thinking they were seeing a spirit.
But Jesus Christ said to them: “Why are you troubled, and why do such thoughts enter your hearts? Look at My hands and My feet, it is I Myself; touch (touch) Me and look; for a spirit has no flesh and bones, as you see with Me."
Having said this, He showed them His hands, and His feet, and His ribs. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. For joy they still did not believe and were amazed.
To strengthen them in faith, Jesus Christ said to them: “Do you have any food here?”
The disciples gave Him some of the baked fish and honeycomb.
Jesus Christ took it all and ate before them. Then he said to them: “Behold, now what I spoke to you about while I was still with you must be fulfilled, that everything that was written about Me in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms.”
Then the Lord opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, that is, He gave them the ability to understand Scripture. Finishing His conversation with the disciples, Jesus Christ said to them a second time: " peace to you! As the Father sent Me into the world, so I send you"Having said this, the Savior breathed on them and said to them: " receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive will be forgiven(from God); who will you leave it with?(sins unbidden), they'll stay at that".
This was the fifth appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ on the first day of His glorious resurrection
Which brought all His disciples great inexpressible joy. Only Thomas, from among the twelve apostles, called the Twin, was not at this appearance. When the disciples began to tell him that they had seen the risen Lord, Thomas said to them: “If I do not see in His hands the wounds from the nails, and I do not put my finger (finger) into these wounds, and I do not put my hand into His side, I won’t believe it.”
NOTE: See in the Gospel: according to Mark, ch. 16 , 14; from Luke, ch. 24 , 36-45; from John, ch. 20 , 19-25.
The appearance of Jesus Christ to the Apostle Thomas and other apostles
A week later, on the eighth day after the Resurrection of Christ, the disciples again gathered together in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, just like the first time. Jesus Christ entered the house, behind closed doors, stood among the disciples and said: " Peace be with you!"
Then, turning to Thomas, he says to him: “Put your finger here and look at My hands, reach out your hand and place it in My side; and do not be an unbeliever, but a believer.”
Then the Apostle Thomas exclaimed: My Lord and my God!"
Jesus Christ told him: " you believed because you saw Me, but blessed are those who did not see and believed".
20 , 26-29.
The appearance of Jesus Christ to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias and the restoration of the denied Peter to the apostleship
According to the command of Jesus Christ, His disciples went to Galilee. There the eyes went about their daily business. One day, Peter, Thomas, Nathanael (Bartholomew), the sons of Zebedee (James and John) and two other of His disciples fished all night in the Sea of Tiberias (Lake of Gennesaret) and did not catch anything. And when morning had already come, Jesus Christ stood on the shore. But the disciples did not recognize Him.
View of the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee)
from Capernaum
Jesus Christ said to them: “Children, do you have any food?”
They answered: "no."
Then Jesus Christ said to them: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will catch it.”
The disciples threw the net on the right side of the boat and could no longer pull it out of the water because of the multitude of fish.
Then John says to Peter: “This is the Lord.”
Peter, hearing that it was the Lord, girded himself with clothes, because he was naked, and threw himself into the sea and swam to the shore, to Jesus Christ. And the other disciples arrived in a boat, dragging behind them a net with fish, since they were not far from the shore. When they went ashore, they saw a fire laid out and fish and bread lying on it.
Jesus Christ says to the disciples: “bring the fish that you have now caught.”
Peter went and pulled down to the ground a net filled with large fish, of which there were one hundred and fifty-three; and with such a multitude the network did not break through.
After this, Jesus Christ says to them: “Come, have dinner.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask Him: “Who are you?” knowing that it is the Lord.
Jesus Christ took the bread and gave them fish as well.
During dinner, Jesus Christ showed Peter that He forgives his denial and elevates him again to the rank of His apostle. Peter sinned more than the other disciples by his denial, so the Lord asks him: “Simon the Jonah! Do you love Me more than they (the other disciples)?”
Peter answered Him: “So, Lord, You know that I love You.”
Jesus Christ says to him: “Feed My lambs.”
Then again, for the second time, Jesus Christ said to Peter: “Simon the Jonah, do you love me?”
Peter answered again: “So, Lord, You know that I love You.”
Jesus Christ says to him: “Feed My sheep.”
And finally, for the third time the Lord says to Peter: “Simon the Jonah! Do you love Me?”
Peter was saddened that the Lord asked him for the third time: “Do you love Me?”, and said to Him: “Lord! You know everything; You know that I love You.”
Jesus Christ also says to him: “Feed My sheep.”
So the Lord helped Peter to make amends three times for his threefold denial of Christ, and to testify of his love for Him. After each answer, Jesus Christ returns to him, with the other apostles, the title of apostle (makes him the shepherd of His sheep).
After this, Jesus Christ says to Peter: “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and went wherever you wanted; but when you are old, then you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and lead you where you do not want." With these words, the Savior made it clear to Peter by what kind of death he would glorify God - he would accept martyrdom for Christ (crucifixion). Having said all this, Jesus Christ says to him: "Follow Me."
Peter turned around and saw John following him. Pointing to him, Peter asked: “Lord, what is he?”
Jesus Christ said to him: “If I want him to be until I come, then what is that to you? You follow Me.”
Then a rumor spread among the disciples that John would not die, although Jesus Christ did not say this.
NOTE: See the Gospel of John, ch. 21.
The appearance of Jesus Christ to the apostles and more than five hundred disciples
Then, at the command of Jesus Christ, the eleven apostles gathered on one mountain in Galilee. More than five hundred students came to them there. There Jesus Christ appeared before everyone. When they saw Him, they bowed; and some doubted.
Jesus Christ came and said: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore, teach all nations (My teaching), baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; teach them to observe everything that I have commanded you. And behold, I will be with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen".
Then Jesus Christ appeared separately Jacob.
So on continued forty days After His resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to His disciples, with many sure proofs of His resurrection, and talked with them about the Kingdom of God.
NOTE: See in the Gospel: Matthew, ch. 28 , 16-20; from Mark, ch. 16 , 15-16; see in the 1st Epistle of St. Ap. Paul to Corinth., ch. 15 , 6-8; see in the Acts of St. Apostles ch. 1 , 3.
Christ is Risen!
Great event - Light Christ's Resurrection is celebrated by the Holy Orthodox Church as the greatest of all holidays. This is a holiday, a holiday and a triumph of celebrations. This holiday is also called Easter, that is, the Day on which our passage from death to life and from earth to heaven. The holiday of the Resurrection of Christ lasts a whole week (7 days) and the service in the church is special, more solemn than on all other holidays and days. On the first day of the Feast, Matins begins at midnight. Before the start of Matins, the clergy, dressed in light clothes, together with the believers, with bells ringing, with lit candles, crosses and icons, walk around the temple (make a procession of the cross), in imitation of the myrrh-bearing women who walked early in the morning to the tomb of the Savior. During the procession everyone sings: Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Savior, the Angels sing in heaven: grant us on earth also to glorify Thee with a pure heart. The initial exclamation of Matins is made before the closed doors of the temple, and the troparion is sung many times: Christ is Risen..., and with the singing of the troparion they enter the temple. Divine services are performed throughout the week with the Royal Doors open, as a sign that now, by the Resurrection of Christ, the gates of the Kingdom of God are open to everyone. On all days of this great holiday, we greet each other with a brotherly kiss with the words: " Christ is Risen!" and the response words: " Truly Risen!" We make Christ and exchange painted (red) eggs, which serve as a symbol of the new, blessed life revealed from the Savior's tomb. All the bells are ringing all week. From the first day of Holy Easter to Vespers of the Holy Trinity genuflection and prostrations It's not supposed to be assumed.
In the nearest future Easter Week Tuesday The Holy Church, sharing the joy of the Resurrection of Christ with the dead in the hope of a general resurrection, especially commemorates the dead, which is why this day is called " Radonitsa". The funeral Liturgy and ecumenical memorial service are being celebrated. It has long been customary on this day to visit the graves of one’s close relatives.
In addition, we remember the day of the Resurrection of Christ every week - on Sunday.
Troparion for the holiday of Easter.
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Christ rose from the dead, trampling down death by death and giving life to those in the tombs. |
Christ rose from the dead, conquering death by death and giving life to those in the tombs, that is, the dead.
Risen
Risen, revived; corrected- having won; to those in the tombs- dead people in coffins; bestowing a belly- giving life.
Kontakion of Easter.
Easter chants.
The angel exclaimed to the gracious (Mother of God): pure Virgin, rejoice! and again I say: rejoice! Your Son rose from the grave on the third day after death and raised the dead: people, rejoice!
Be glorified, be glorified, Christian Church, because the glory of the Lord has shone upon you: rejoice now and rejoice! You, Pure Mother of God, rejoice in the resurrection of what was born of You.
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The execution of crucifixion was the most shameful, the most painful and the most cruel. In those days, only the most notorious villains were executed with such death: robbers, murderers, rebels and criminal slaves. The torment of a crucified man cannot be described. In addition to unbearable pain in all parts of the body and suffering, the crucified man experienced terrible thirst and mortal spiritual anguish. Death was so slow that many suffered on crosses for several days. Even the perpetrators of the execution - usually cruel people - could not look at the suffering of the crucified with composure. They prepared a drink with which they tried either to quench their unbearable thirst, or with the admixture of various substances to temporarily dull consciousness and alleviate torment. According to Jewish law, anyone hanged from a tree was considered cursed. The Jewish leaders wanted to disgrace Jesus Christ forever by condemning Him to such death. When they brought Jesus Christ to Calvary, the soldiers gave Him sour wine mixed with bitter substances to drink to ease his suffering. But the Lord, having tasted it, did not want to drink it. He did not want to use any remedy to relieve suffering. He took upon Himself this suffering voluntarily for the sins of people; That’s why I wanted to carry them through to the end.
When everything was prepared, the soldiers crucified Jesus Christ. It was around noon, in Hebrew at 6 o'clock in the afternoon. When they crucified Him, He prayed for His tormentors, saying: “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”
Next to Jesus Christ, two villains (thieves) were crucified, one on His right and the other on His left. This is how the prediction of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, who said: “and he was numbered among the evildoers” (Is. 53:12).
By order of Pilate, an inscription was nailed to the cross above the head of Jesus Christ, signifying His guilt. It was written in Hebrew, Greek and Roman: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” and many read it. The enemies of Christ did not like such an inscription. Therefore, the high priests came to Pilate and said: “Do not write: King of the Jews, but write that He said: I am the King of the Jews.”
But Pilate replied: “What I wrote, I wrote.”
Meanwhile, the soldiers who crucified Jesus Christ took His clothes and began to divide them among themselves. They tore the outer clothing into four pieces, one piece for each warrior. The chiton (underwear) was not sewn, but entirely woven from top to bottom. Then they said to each other: “We will not tear it apart, but we will cast lots for it, who will get it.” And having cast lots, the soldiers sat and guarded the place of execution. So, here too the ancient prophecy of King David came true: “They divided My garments among themselves, and cast lots for My clothing” (Psalm 21:19).
The enemies did not stop insulting Jesus Christ on the cross. As they passed, they cursed and, nodding their heads, said: “Eh! You who destroy the temple and build in three days! Save Yourself. If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
Also the high priests, scribes, elders and Pharisees, mockingly said: “He saved others, but cannot save Himself. If He is the Christ, the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, so that we can see, and then we will believe in Him. I trusted in God “Let God deliver Him now, if He pleases Him; for He said: I am the Son of God.”
Following their example, the pagan soldiers who sat at the crosses and guarded the crucified, mockingly said: “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” Even one of the crucified thieves, who was to the left of the Savior, cursed Him and said: “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”
The other robber, on the contrary, calmed him down and said: “Or are you not afraid of God, when you yourself are condemned to the same thing (i.e., to the same torment and death)? But we are condemned justly, because we have received what is worthy of our deeds.” , but He did nothing bad." Having said this, he turned to Jesus Christ with a prayer: “remember me (remember me), Lord, when you come in Your Kingdom!”
The merciful Savior accepted the heartfelt repentance of this sinner, who showed such wondrous faith in Him, and answered the prudent thief: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
At the cross of the Savior stood His Mother, the Apostle John, Mary Magdalene and several other women who revered Him. It's impossible to describe the sorrow Mother of God who saw the unbearable torment of Her Son!
Jesus Christ, seeing His Mother and John standing here, whom he especially loved, said to His Mother: “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he says to John: “Behold, your Mother.” From that time on, John took the Mother of God into his home and cared for Her until the end of Her life. Meanwhile, during the suffering of the Savior on Calvary, a great sign occurred. From the hour when the Savior was crucified, that is, from the sixth hour (and according to our account, from the twelfth hour of the day), the sun darkened and darkness fell throughout the entire earth, and continued until the death of the Savior. This extraordinary, worldwide darkness was noted by pagan historical writers: the Roman astronomer Phlegon, Phallus and Junius Africanus. The famous philosopher from Athens, Dionysius the Areopagite, was at that time in Egypt, in the city of Heliopolis; observing the sudden darkness, he said: “either the Creator suffers, or the world is destroyed.” Subsequently, Dionysius the Areopagite converted to Christianity and was the first bishop of Athens.
Around the ninth hour, Jesus Christ loudly exclaimed: “Either, Or! lima sabachthani!” that is, “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?” These were the opening words from the 21st Psalm of King David, in which David clearly predicted the suffering of the Savior on the cross. With these words, the Lord reminded people for the last time that He is the true Christ, the Savior of the world. Some of those standing on Calvary, hearing these words spoken by the Lord, said: “Behold, He is calling Elijah.” And others said, “Let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” The Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that everything had already been accomplished, said: “I thirst.” Then one of the soldiers ran, took a sponge, wet it with vinegar, put it on a cane and brought it to the Savior’s withered lips.
Having tasted the vinegar, the Savior said: “It is finished,” that is, the promise of God has been fulfilled, the salvation of the human race has been completed. After this, He said in a loud voice: “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.” And, bowing his head, he gave up his spirit, that is, he died. And behold, the veil of the temple, which covered the holy of holies, was torn in two, from the top to the bottom, and the earth shook, and the stones were disintegrated; and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were resurrected, and coming out of their tombs after His resurrection, they entered Jerusalem and appeared to many.
The centurion (leader of the soldiers) and the soldiers with him, who were guarding the crucified Savior, seeing the earthquake and everything that was happening before them, were afraid and said: “Truly, this man was the Son of God.” And the people, who were at the crucifixion and saw everything, began to disperse in fear, striking themselves in the chest. Friday evening arrived. This evening it was necessary to eat Easter. The Jews did not want to leave the bodies of those crucified on the crosses until Saturday, because Easter Saturday was considered a great day. Therefore, they asked Pilate for permission to break the legs of the crucified people, so that they would die sooner and they could be removed from the crosses. Pilate allowed. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the robbers. When they approached Jesus Christ, they saw that He had already died, and therefore they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers, so that there would be no doubt about His death, pierced His ribs with a spear, and blood and water flowed from the wound.
NOTE: See in the Gospel: Matthew, ch. 27, 33-56; from Mark, ch. 15, 22-41; from Luke, ch. 23, 33-49; from John, ch. 19, 18-37.