13- THE DESCENT INTO HADES
		
		
		 "Christ is risen!" is the Gospel proclamation. All four 
		 Gospels are silent on the manner of Christ's Resurrection.
		 Nowhere in Scripture is there a factual account of the 
		 event. Byzantine art is faithful to the Gospel and never 
		 presents this event, but rather it expresses what 
		 occurred before or after the Resurrection . 
		 
		 
		The Icon of The Resurrection is either the "Descent Into 
		Hades" or the "Myrrh-bearing Women." The Icon of the 
		Descent in Hades shows Christ as the Life-giver. In it, 
		Christ is seen trampling the gates of Hades, taking Adam 
		and Eve by the hands and drawing them to life. This image 
		is a reflection of the Resurrection Matins: "You have 
		descended into the realm of Death, O Christ, and have 
		broken the ancient bonds which held the captives; and, 
		like Jonah from the whale, on the third day You rose from 
		the tomb." (Sixth Ode) 
		
		
		Our Lord's entrance into Hades, into the depths of the 
		earth, transforms it. Through death He entered the realm 
		of Hades which in the icon is shown by the black gaping 
		abyss. His presence in Hades showed that He took upon 
		Himself every humility and degradation of mankind. His 
		appearance in Hades is not as its captive, but as its 
		conqueror. He is shown with a radiant halo, the symbol 
		of glory. His garments are no longer those in which He 
		was seen on earth, but they are brilliant and they 
		illumine the darkness of Hades. He fills the darkness 
		with the light of His divine presence. He stands upon 
		the broken gate of the kingdom of Death, thus indicating 
		His victory over Death by His own death and resurrection. 
		Through His humiliation and death He raised all creation 
		to participate in Divine Life. Bolts, broken chains, and 
		keys are scattered about to signify the freeing of those 
		held captive and the breaking of Death's hold over men. 
		By Christ's descent, Hades is destroyed and its gates 
		trampled. 
		
		
		Having broken the bonds of Death's power, Christ is seen 
		raising Adam and Eve from the grave. In freeing our first 
		parents, Christ also frees those who put their faith in 
		His coming. This truth is seen in the presence of Kings, 
		David and Solomon, vested in royal robes and crowns. They 
		stand together with John the Baptist at Christ's right. 
		Moses and the Prophets of the Old Covenant stand at His 
		left. With them, all of humanity is raised. 
		
		
		The gift is not like the offense. For if by the offense 
		of the one man all died, much more did the grace of God 
		and the gracious gift of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound
		for all… If death began its reign through one man because 
		of his offense, much more shall those who receive the 
		overflowing grace and gift of justice live and reign 
		through the one man, Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5: 15-17) 
		
		
		The Icon makes this event present for us. Through it, 
		our minds are lifted to the spiritual effects that Christ's 
		Resurrection bestows upon us. We experience and know that 
		we are freed from sin and death and have been given New 
		Life. The Resurrection Troparion is the perfect commentary
		on this. 
		
		
		TROPARION -Christ is risen from the dead. By death He 
		conquered Death, and to those in the graves, He granted 
		life.

		I will not hide who or what I am
		
		
		Pretend for a moment that you are a mink - beautiful, 
		valuable, precious because of the skin that covers you. 
		Suddenly your homeland is invaded by hunters, with bats. 
		The hunters seem kind, yet you approach the cautiously. 
		They pet the younglings who are innocent, less cautious. 
		As you approach your young, the hunters attack. They beat 
		you. You are dazed, struggling for composure. The hunters 
		steal you skin, your heritage, the cery essence of your 
		being. They leave you to die, but you survive. Your fur 
		grows back. Stronger. More beautiful than before. Somehow 
		it doesn't make sense. The very thing that makes you who 
		and what you are is the source of pain. Confused, 
		distrustful, you hide yourself or camouflage your fur, 
		your essence. Silently you begin to curse your fur, because
		the hunters return again and again. You begin to understand
		you will never get away from being what you are. As long 
		as you have fur, you will be hunted. The issue is: Will 
		you curse your fur, give up and die? Or just continue to 
		be proud but cautious mink?
		
		
		Heaven is where you'll be when you are okay right where 
		you are.
		

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