WITH CHRIST EVEN TO DEATH. ARCHPRIEST SERGIY BARANOV

WITH CHRIST EVEN TO DEATH. SERMON ON THE DAY OF RADONITSA (THE DAY OF REJOICING). We all acknowledge that Christ defeated death and came through the gates of it. Those who do not profoundly understand this mystery may wonder, “In what way did Christ defeat death? He died Himself, and His disciples, who taught about His victory, died after Him.” In fact, this issue has a deep and definite meaning. Before Christ, every one of us faced death as a black hole, or as something unknown. There was no one who came back. Some unbelievers even say, “Who has returned from there? Who can prove your words?” This is the most sensitive moment of temptation and distrust of the eternity of joy, in contrast to the oblivion a person falls into and gets lost in, losing his or her consciousness and personality. People had never seen a return from there, only partially, on the eve of the Resurrection of our Lord, they saw how Christ raised Lazarus and the son of the widow of Nain from the dead. However, all people