At the center of the Christian faith is Jesus Christ and His Resurrection from the dead. As such, the Icon of the Resurrection is the most celebrated, the most common, the most cherished, the most instructive of all the icons we possess. The Eastern Church’s Icon of the Lord’s Resurrection does not show Christ coming out of the tomb. Rather, it presents the impact of the Lord’s Resurrection.

Jesus Christ was not content with laying in the tomb for three days after His crucifixion. Instead, while He was entombed, His soul descended into Hades, or Hell. He descended there not to suffer, but to fight and free the souls trapped there. He brought light into darkness, causing the darkness to disappear. The Source of all Life descended into the abode of the dead and destroyed death, proclaiming that human life is eternal – is immortal.

In the Icon, Jesus Christ stands victoriously in the centre. Robed in heavenly glory, He is typically shown as surrounded by a mandorla, a sphere of light, representing the Glory of God. He is shown pulling Adam and Eve from their tomb. He is pulling Adam from the tomb by the wrist, and not the hand.

Surrounding Christ are John the Baptist and the Old Testament Righteous – those who predeceased Christ and who were patiently waiting the coming of their Messiah. He frees them from Hades. And what of Hades? It is shown in the aftershock of Christ’s descent. It is in utter chaos. This event, known as the Harrowing of Hades, was taught from the very beginning of the Church. Many of the Fathers wrote about it (See article on pages 7 & 8).

Beneath Christ’s feet – which still carry the marks of His crucifixion – lay the gates of Hades, smashed wide open. Often they are shown laying in the shape of the Cross. Therefore, just as the hymns proclaim, so too does the Icon: Christ has trampled Death by death.

The Eastern Church does not dwell on Christ coming out of the tomb or speculate how it happened. Rather, it stresses the fact that His death on the Cross eliminated Death and put an end to Hades – truly THE MOST IMPORTANT REVELATION God has made to us. This is why we rejoice on Pascha! The fact that Jesus was raised from the dead changes how we think about life and eliminates, or should, our fear of death.

CHRIST IS RISEN