Homily on Palm Sunday
Homilia in festo palmarum
The Arrival of the Light§1
1Lord, bless. Rejoice exceedingly, daughter Zion; let all the Church of God delight, exult, and be glad, for behold, the King is coming to you again. Behold, your bridegroom comes upon a colt as if sitting upon a throne. Let us go out to meet him; let us hasten to see his glory; let us prepare brightly for the honor of his entrance.
Again, salvation to the world; again, God comes to the cross. Again the King, the hope of the nations, comes to Zion; again he grants salvation to the world; again the light stands over us; again wandering has ceased; again truth blooms; again the Church dances; again the Synagogue is widowed; again demons are ashamed; again the curse is loosed; again the Hebrews are troubled; again the dragon is crushed; again the nations rejoice; again Zion is beautified.
Christ comes upon a colt as if sitting upon a throne. Heavens, rejoice; angels, sing hymns; mountains, be glad; hills, leap; rivers, clap; you in Zion, dance; churches, rejoice; priests, sing hymns; prophets, prepare; disciples, preach; peoples, meet; elders, run to help; mothers, dance; nursing women, sing; youths, shout; nations, gather. Every creature, every nature, every rank, every breath, every earth, every value, every age, every rule, every kingdom, let us meet the King of kings in a kingly manner, let us worship the Lord of lords in a lordly manner, let us praise the God of gods in a divine manner, let us dance as a bride of the incorruptible bridegroom. Let us brightly light the bright torches; let us godworthily change the tunics of the souls; let us well prepare the paths of life; let us open the entrances of the souls to the King; let us prepare the palms of victory for the Victor.
Let us carry the olive branches, joining them worthily to the branch of Mary. Let us sing hymns to the God of angels with the angels. Let us cry out worthily with the children, and let us shout with the crowd and the multitudes: Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. God is the Lord, and he has shone upon us; he has shone upon us who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. The resurrection of the fallen has shone, the lifting up of the captives has shone, the sight of the blind has shone, the comfort of the mourners has shone, the rest of the weary has shone, the refreshment of the thirsty has shone, the vindication of the oppressed has shone, the redemption of the lost has shone, the comfort of the lost has shone, the vindication of the oppressed has shone, the healing of the sick has shone, and the calm of the storm-tossed has shone.
Therefore we also, the people, let us shout with the crowd, saying to Christ today, Hosanna—that is, Save now, O God in the highest. O, what new and paradoxical things and wonders! Yesterday Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, and today the same comes upon death. Yesterday, as life, he granted life to another, and today the life-giver comes upon death. Yesterday he loosed the grave-clothes of Lazarus, and today he himself comes to be bound in grave-clothes willingly. Yesterday he brought a man out of darkness, and today he comes to be placed in darkness and the shadow of death for the sake of man. Yesterday, six days before Pascha, through the five senses, the four-day one granted a three-day one a brother through the two; and today he comes to the cross. But for Mary, a four-day death; but for the Church, Christ grants himself for three days. There, Bethany alone marvels; but here, the whole Church celebrates. He celebrates the feast of feasts, the King of the incorporeal in...
Greek · §1
Homilia in festo palmarum Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἐπιφανίου ἐπισκόπου Κύπρου εἰς τὰ Βαΐα. Κύριε, εὐλόγησον. Χαῖρε σφόδρα, θύγατερ Σιὼν, τέρπου καὶ ἀγάλλου καὶ εὐφραίνου, πᾶσα ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἰδοὺ γὰρ πάλιν ὁ Βασιλεὺς πρὸς σὲ παραγίνεται. Ἰδοὺ ὁ σὸς νυμφίος ἐπὶ πώλου ὡς ἐπὶ θρόνου καθήμενος ἔρχεται. Ἐξέλθωμεν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ, σπεύσωμεν ἰδέσθαι τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, προφθάσωμεν φαιδρῶς εἰς τιμὴν τῆς εἰσόδου αὐτοῦ. Πάλιν τῷ κόσμῳ σωτηρία, πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ σταυρὸν ἔρχεται. Πάλιν ὁ βασιλεὺς Σιὼν, τῶν ἐθνῶν ἡ προσδοκία ἐπὶ τὴν Σιὼν ἔρχεται, πάλιν τῷ κόσμῳ σωτηρίαν χαρίζεται, πάλιν τὸ φῶς ἐφίσταται, πάλιν ἡ πλάνη πέπαυται, πάλιν ἀνθεῖ ἡ ἀλήθεια, πάλιν ἡ Ἐκκλησία χορεύει, πάλιν ἡ Συναγωγὴ χηρεύει, πάλιν αἰσχύνονται δαίμονες, πάλιν κατάρα λύεται, πάλιν Ἑβραῖοι ταράττονται, πάλιν ὁ δράκων συντρίβεται, πάλιν τὰ ἔθνη εὐφραίνονται, πάλιν Σιὼν καλλωπίζεται. Χριστὸς ἐπὶ πώλου ὡς ἐπὶ θρόνου καθήμενος ἔρχεται· οἱ οὐρανοὶ, ἀγάλλεσθε· ἄγγελοι, ὑμνήσατε· τὰ ὄρη, εὐφραίνεσθε· οἱ βουνοὶ, σκιρτήσατε· ποταμοὶ, κροτήσατε· οἱ ἐν Σιὼν, χορεύσατε· αἱ Ἐκκλησίαι, χαίρετε· ἱερεῖς, ὑμνήσατε· προφῆται, προφθάσατε· μαθηταὶ, κηρύξατε· λαοὶ, ἀπαντήσατε· πρεσβῦται, συνδράμετε· αἱ μητέρες, χορεύσατε· οἱ θηλάζοντες, ᾄσατε· νεανίσκοι, βοήσατε· τὰ ἔθνη, συνάχθητε. Πᾶσα κτίσις, πᾶσα φύσις, πᾶσα τάξις, πᾶσα πνοὴ, πᾶσα ἡ γῆ, πᾶσα ἀξία, πᾶσα ἡλικία, πᾶσα ἐθναρχία, πᾶσα βασιλεία, βασιλικῶς τῷ Βασιλεῖ τῶν βασιλέων ἀπαντήσωμεν, δεσποτικῶς τῷ ∆εσπότῃ τῶν δεσποτῶν προσκυνήσωμεν, τῷ Θεῷ τῶν θεῶν θεϊκῶς ἀναμέλψωμεν, τῷ 43.429 νυμφίῳ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας θεονύμφως χορεύσωμεν· τὰς λαμπάδας φαιδροὶ φαιδρῶς ἐφαψώμεθα· τοὺς χιτῶνας τῶν ψυχῶν θεοπρεπῶς ἐξαλλάξωμεν, τὰς τοῦ βίου ὁδοὺς καλῶς ἑτοιμάσωμεν, τὰς εἰσόδους τῶν ψυχῶν τῷ Βασιλεῖ διανοίξωμεν, τὰ βαΐα τῆς νίκης ὡς νικητῇ τοῦ θανάτου βαστάσωμεν, τοὺς κλάδους τῶν ἐλαιῶν τῷ ἐκ Μαρίας κλάδῳ θεοπρεπῶς ἐπισείοντες· τὰ ἀγγέλων τῷ Θεῷ τῶν ἀγγέλων ὑμνήσωμεν· μετὰ τῶν παίδων θεοπρεπῶς ἀνακράξωμεν, μετὰ τοῦ ὄχλου τὰ τοῦ ὄχλου καὶ οἱ ὄχλοι βοήσωμεν· Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις. Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου· Θεὸς Κύριος, καὶ ἐπέφανεν ἡμῖν, ἐπέφανε τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις ἡμῖν. Ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν πεπτωκότων ἀνάστασις, ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν αἰχμαλώτων ἀνάῤῥυσις, ἐπέφανεν τῶν τυφλῶν ἡ ἀνάβλεψις, ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν πενθούντων παράκλησις, ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν κοπιώντων ἀνάπαυσις, ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν διψώντων ἀνάψυξις, ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν καταπονουμένων ἐκδίκησις, ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν ἀπεγνωσμένων λύτρωσις, ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν ἀπεγνωσμένων παράκλησις, ἐπέφανεν ἡ τῶν χωριζομένων ἕνωσις, ἐπεφάνη ἡ τῶν καταπονουμένων ἐκδίκησις, ἐπεφάνη ἡ τῶν νοσούντων ἴασις, ἐπεφάνη ἡ τῶν χειμαζομένων γαλήνη. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς, οἱ δῆμοι, μετὰ τοῦ ὄχλου βοήσωμεν, λέγοντες σήμερον Χριστῷ, Ὡσαννὰ, τουτέστι, Σῶσον δὴ, ὁ ἐν ὑψίστοις Θεός. Ὢ καινῶν καὶ παραδόξων πραγμάτων καὶ θαυμάτων! Χθὲς Χριστὸς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἤγειρε Λάζαρον, καὶ σήμερον ὁ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον ἔρχεται. Χθὲς ἄλλῳ, ὡς ζωὴ, ζωὴν ἐχαρίσατο, καὶ σήμερον ζωοδότης ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον ἔρχεται. Χθὲς Λαζάρου τὰ σπάργανα ἔλυσε, καὶ σήμερον ὁ αὐτὸς ἐν σπαργάνοις δεσμευθῆναι ἑκὼν παραγίνεται. Χθὲς ἐν σκότοις ἐξήγαγεν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ σήμερον ἐν σκοτεινοῖς τεθῆναι καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου ἔρχεται διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Χθὲς πρὸ ἒξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ Πάσχα διὰ τῶν πέντε αἰσθήσεων τὸν τετραήμερον ὁ τριήμερος ταῖς δυσὶ τὸν ἕνα χαρίζεται ἀδελφὸν, καὶ σήμερον ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἔρχεται. Ἀλλὰ τῇ Μαρίᾳ μὲν τετραήμερον νεκρόν· τῇ δὲ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τριήμερον ἑαυτὸν χαρίζεται ὁ Χριστός. Ἐκεῖ Βηθανία μόνη θαυμάζει, ἐνταῦθα δὲ πᾶσα Ἐκκλησία ἑορτάζει. Ἑορτάζει ἑορτῶν ἑορτὰς, τὸν βασιλέα τῶν ἀσωμάτων ἐν
The Shift from Paganism to Christ§2
2She celebrates festivals, having both a bridegroom and a king in her midst, like a fruit-bearing olive tree in the house of God, shedding leaves and clustering. She celebrates festivals, like a spring orchard belonging to a paradise in which Christ is, the one truly making things flourish, not to judge, but to save the world. In whom Christ is the herb truly healing the sufferings of those who are sick; in whom is the vine, he who says, 'I am the true vine'; in whom is the olive tree, truly pitying those who hope in it; in whom the branch of the root of Jesse, the eternal one, has sprouted without human sowing or tilling; in whom is the eternal spring; in whom are not Physis, Gehenna, Tigris, or Euphrates, but Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, who water the paradise of the Church of Christ.
Where all youth today, like a fruit-bearing olive tree holding its olives, ask Christ the merciful; being planted in the house of the Lord, blossoming in his courts in springtime, we celebrate a feast, seeing the legal winter having retreated. Celebrate, Church of Christ, not formally or bodily, but spiritually bestowing. Celebrate festivals, seeing the downfall of idols and having the resurrection of the churches. For with Paul I cry out to you with a holy and great voice: The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new; and indeed, paradoxical.
Therefore rejoice in the Lord, youth of Christ, rejoice; rejoice, Church of Christ, being delighted and made glad, daughter of God. For all glory is yours, as a daughter of the king Christ, both within and without; no longer widow-like, but blossoming as a woman; no longer called by the names of gods because of idolatry, but standing at the right hand and adorned through the knowledge of God; no longer stained by slavish blood, but being sealed by divine blood.
No longer revering Obad, but Emmanuel; no longer glorifying Troy, but the Trinity; no longer honoring Plato, but the Almighty God our God; no longer Hercules the averter of evil, but the Paraclete and Maker of all. You do not worship Aristotle the wise, but God who saved you unto the ends of the ages. Chronos has fallen, because God the Word has become flesh; not from a man through suffering, but appearing from Mary in a divine-human manner.
See the grace of the day; see the brightness of the feast. Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Zion; delight and exult, all the Church of God. Turn your eyes around, and see your children, once scattered among the nations, now gathered together. See the good report of the feast; see the harmony of the people; see every tongue into one glory; see every mouth as one mouth; see those who were once beasts becoming sheep in you; see the celebration of the nations, the imitation of the incorporeal angels, see the harmony, the choir of the incorporeal, see the ranks like the orders of angels.
I see the hymns as the hymns of angels; I see the children as newborn lambs, saying, 'Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he who comes,' to Christ; with whom, having struck loudly with a bright and lion-like hand, shouted with a great voice, and simultaneously rushing forward and saying thanks: 'Behold, I and the children which the Lord has given me,' to the once barren and unknown woman; 'blessed is he who has come,' but indeed coming in the name of the Lord God and appearing to us. The one coming, who is nowhere departing; coming, who is nowhere being mastered; blessed is the one coming, and not being separated from the heavens; blessed is the one coming of his own accord, and again coming in a God-like manner; blessed is the one having come to me in a typical manner as if upon a cheek, like a cherub's cheek.
Greek · §2
αὐτῇ ἐν μέσῳ ὡς νυμφίον ἔχουσα ὁμοῦ τε καὶ βασιλέα· ἑορτάζει ἑορτὰς, ὡς ἐλαία κατάκαρπος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀφυλλοῤῥόως πυκάζουσα· ἑορτάζει ἑορτὰς, ὡς κρίνον ἐαρινὸν παραδείσου ὑπάρχουσα ἐν ᾗ Χριστὸς, τὸ ὄντως εὐθαλὲς κρίνον, τὸ μὴ 43.432 κρῖνον, ἀλλὰ σῶζον τὸν κόσμον. Ἐν ᾗ Χριστὸς, τὸ ἴον τὸ ὄντως ἰώμενον τὰ πάθη τῶν νοσούντων· ἐν ᾗ ὁ ἀμπελὼν, ὁ λέγων· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή· ἐν ᾗ ὁ ἐλαιὼν, ὁ ὄντως ἐλεῶν τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπ' αὐτόν· ἐν ᾗ ὁ τῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσσαὶ ἐβλάστησε κλάδος ὁ προαιώνιος, ἀγεωργήτως καὶ ἀνορύκτως τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης σπορᾶς· ἐν ᾗ ἡ πηγὴ ἡ ἀένναος· ἐν ᾗ οὐ Φυσὼν, Γεὼν, Τίγρις, Εὐφράτης, ἀλλὰ Ματθαῖος, Μάρκος, Λουκᾶς, καὶ Ἰωάννης, οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ποτίζοντες παράδεισον. Ἔνθα πᾶσα σήμερον νεολαία, ὡς ἐλαία κατάκαρπος τὰς ἐλαίας κατέχοντες, τὸν ἐλεήμονα αἰτοῦμεν Χριστόν· πεφυτευμένοι ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου, ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς αὐτοῦ ἐαρινῶς ἐξανθοῦντες, ἑορτάζομεν ἑορτὴν, τὸν χειμῶνα τὸν νομικὸν ὑποχωρήσαντα βλέποντες. Ἑόρταζε, Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησία, οὐ τυπικῶς, οὐ σωματικῶς, ἀλλὰ πνευματικῶς ἐγχορεύουσα. Ἑόρταζε ἑορτὰς, τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων κατάπτωσιν βλέπουσα, καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἔχουσα. Μετὰ γὰρ Παύλου βοῶ σοι τῆς ἱερᾶς καὶ μεγάλης φωνῆς· Τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθον· ἰδοὺ γέγονε τὰ πάντα καινά· ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ παράδοξα. ∆ιὸ χαίρετε ἐν Κυρίῳ, Χριστοῦ νεολαία, χαίρετε· χαίροις Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησία, τέρπου καὶ εὐφραίνου, θύγατερ Θεοῦ. Σοῦ γὰρ πᾶσα ἡ δόξα, ὡς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως Χριστοῦ ἔσωθεν ὁμοῦ τε καὶ ἔξωθεν· οὐκέτι χήρανδρος, ἀλλὰ θέανδρος ἐξανθοῦσα· οὐκέτι ἐξ εὐωνύμων Θεοῦ διὰ τὴν εἰδωλολατρείαν, ἀλλ' ἐκ δεξιῶν παρισταμένη, καὶ κεκοσμημένη διὰ τὴν θεογνωσίαν· οὐκέτι αἵματι δουλικῷ φυρωμένη, ἀλλὰ αἵματι θεϊκῷ σφραγιζομένη· οὐκέτι τὸν Ὠβὴλ, ἀλλὰ τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ σέβουσα· οὐκέτι τὴν Τρωάδα, ἀλλὰ τὴν Τριάδα δοξάζουσα· οὐκέτι τιμῶσα τὸν Πλάτωνα, ἀλλὰ τὸν παντοκράτορα Θεὸν ἡμῶν· οὐκέτι Ἡρακλῆ τὸν ἀλεξίκακον, ἀλλὰ τὸν Παράκλητον καὶ πάντων ποιητήν. Οὐκέτι προσκυνεῖς Ἀριστοτέλην σοφίσαντα, ἀλλὰ Θεὸν τὸν εἰς τέλη τῶν αἰώνων σε σώσαντα. Πέπτωκε Κρόνος, ὅτι σεσάρκωται Θεὸς Λόγος· οὐ μὴν ἀνδρὸς ἐκ παθείας, ἀλλὰ θεανδρικῶς ἐκ Μαρίας ἐπιφανείς. Ὁρᾶτε τῆς ἡμέρας τὴν χάριν· ὁρᾶτε τῆς ἑορτῆς τὴν λαμπρότητα. Χαίρου τοίνυν καὶ εὐφραίνου, θύγατερ Σιὼν, τέρπου καὶ ἀγάλλου, πᾶσα ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ· Ἄρον κύκλῳ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, καὶ ἴδε συνηγμένα τά ποτε διεσκορπισμένα τῶν ἐθνῶν τέκνα σου. Ἴδε τῆς ἑορτῆς τὴν εὐφημίαν· ἴδε τοῦ λαοῦ τὴν συμφωνίαν, ἴδε πᾶσαν γλῶσσαν εἰς μίαν δόξαν, ἴδε ἅπαν στόμα ὡς ἓν στόμα, ἴδε τὰ πρὶν θήρεθνα ἐν σοὶ τυγχάνοντα πρόβατα, ἴδε ἐθνῶν ἑορταζόντων ἐπιφήμισμα, ἀγγελικῶν ἀσωμάτων ὑπάρχον τὸ μίμημα, 43.433 ἴδε συμφωνίαν, ἀσωμάτων χοροστασίαν, ἴδε στάσεις ὡς ἀγγέλων τάξεις. Ὁρῶ τοὺς ὕμνους ὡς ἀγγέλων ὕμνους, ὁρῶ τοὺς παῖδας ὡς νεοφύτους ἄρνας, Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, Χριστῷ λέγοντας, μεθ' ὧν κροτήσασα μέγα τῇ χειρὶ βόησον λαμπρᾷ καὶ λεοντιαίᾳ τῇ φωνῇ, ἐφεόρτιά τε ὁμοῦ καὶ εὐχαριστήρια λέγουσα· Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία, ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς, τῇ ποτε ἀτέκνῳ καὶ ἀγνώστῳ στείρᾳ· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐλθὼν, ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου Θεὸς Κύριος καὶ ἐπέφανεν ἡμῖν. Ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ὁ μηδαμοῦ χωρούμενος· ἐρχόμενος, ὁ μηδαμοῦ κρατούμενος· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, καὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν μὴ χωριζόμενος· εὐλογημένος αὐτοπρεπῶς, καὶ πάλιν ἐρχόμενος θεοπρεπῶς· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἐπὶ πώλου τυπικῶς παραγενόμενος ὡς ἐπὶ πώλου χερουβικοῦ.
The Contrast of the Palm Sunday Celebration§3
3For what does the evangelist, the herald of the feast, say? Listen: It happened when the Lord was approaching Bethphage and Bethany, toward the mountain called the Mount of Olives, that he sent two of his disciples, saying, "Go into the opposite village, and when you enter, you will find a donkey and a colt tied; untie them and lead them to me." And the disciples did as Jesus commanded them; they laid their garments upon the colt, and Jesus sat. And it happened as he approached the descent of the mountain, the crowd that had come for the feast took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Jesus. And those going before and those following were crying out, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
This of the present feast is the Lordly presence; this of the King of kings is the presence in Zion of old and now; this of the present day is the bright and universal arrival of the Creator of all things. Therefore now, brothers, since the crowd has come for the feast, let us go out to meet him—both the visible world and the invisible, the prophets of old in time, the teachers, and those following the colt, agreeing with God in faith. Today let the heavens, together with the earthly and also the underworld, hymn Him; let every mouth and every spirit open toward the praise of God. Cherubim, cry out, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, the thrice-holy, of Sabaoth; the heaven and the earth are full of his glory!" Seraphim, hymn; prophets, proclaim. And let one say, "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth exult!" and let another say, "Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; proclaim, daughter of Jerusalem!" And let another, gazing at Christ the King, cry out, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" and another about him...
Let the herald of the Lord proclaim: This is our God, who will not be reckoned with another, nor another. Behold, man together with God. Rising is his name. And David, gazing upon Christ from his own flesh, says: God is the Lord, and he has shone upon us. And again another, bowing the knee, cries to Christ: Let all the earth worship you. And another permits the peoples, saying: Let a feast be established among those spreading branches up to the horns of the altar.
For so it was fulfilled of old, the visitation of the Master in Zion with the donkey: a universal harmony, the choruses of the fathers, the multitudes of the righteous, the spirits of the prophets, the children of the Hebrews, the infants of the mothers, the hosts of the angels. Some were flapping wings, others were holding heavy weights, others were coming from behind, others were cutting branches, others were weaving shoots, some were loosening the donkey, others were spreading tunics, some were opening the gates, others were clearing the paths, others were making the donkey pleasant, others were proclaiming victory, others were shaking the branches, others were saying to the infants: Praise, children, the Lord; and the children answered: Hosanna to him who comes in the name of the Lord.
Oh, the new and paradoxical things and wonders of this feast! Children theologize Christ as God, and the priests blaspheme him; those nursing worship him, and those teaching act impiously. The children say, Hosanna, and the Hebrews cry, Let him be crucified. Some come to Christ with heavy weights, and others come to him with swords. These cut branches, while those make the wood of the cross pleasant. The infants of Christ spread out tunics, but the priests divide tunics for Christ. Infants lift Christ upon a donkey, and the elders hang Christ upon a cross. The children. The text cuts off. the feet.
Greek · §3
Τί γάρ φησιν ὁ ἱεροκῆρυξ εὐαγγελιστὴς τῆς ἑορτῆς, ἄκουσον· Ἐγένετο ὅτε ἤγγιζεν ὁ Κύριος εἰς Βηθφαγὴ, καὶ εἰς Βηθανίαν, πρὸς τὸ ὄρος τὸ καλούμενον Ἐλαιῶν, ἀπέστειλε δύο ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, λέγων· Ὑπάγετε εἰς τὴν ἀπέναντι κώμην, καὶ ἐν τῷ εἰσελθεῖν ὑμᾶς εὑρήσετε ὄνον καὶ πῶλον δεδεμένην· λύσαντες ἀγάγετέ μοι. Καὶ ἐποίησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ καθὼς ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· καὶ ὑπέστρωσαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν πῶλον, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤγγισεν εἰς τὴν κατάβασιν τοῦ ὄρους, ὁ ὄχλος ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν ἔλαβον βαΐα τῶν φοινίκων, καὶ ἐξῆλθον εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. Καὶ οἱ προάγοντες, καὶ οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες ἔκραζον· Ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ ∆αβὶδ, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Αὕτη τῆς παρούσης ἑορτῆς ἡ ∆εσποτικὴ παρουσία· αὕτη τοῦ Βασιλέως τῶν βασιλευόντων ἡ ἐν Σιὼν πάλαι καὶ νῦν ἐπιδημία· αὕτη τῆς παρούσης ἡμέρας ἡ λαμπρὰ καὶ πάνδημος τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῶν ἁπάντων ἔλευσις. ∆ιὸ νῦν, ἀδελφοὶ, ὁ ὄχλος ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν, ἐξέλθωμεν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ, ὅ τε ὁρατὸς κόσμος καὶ ὁ ἀόρατος, καὶ οἱ προάγοντες χρόνῳ προφῆται, καὶ διδάσκαλοι, καὶ οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες τῷ πώλῳ, οἱ Θεῷ πίστει συμφωνοῦντες. Σήμερον τὰ οὐράνια σὺν τοῖς ἐπιγείοις ὁμοῦ τε καὶ καταχθονίοις ἀνυμνείτω· πᾶν στόμα καὶ πνεῦμα πρὸς αἶνον Θεοῦ ἀνοιγόμενον. Τὰ χερουβὶμ, βοήσατε, Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος Κύριος, ὁ τρισάγιος, σαβαώθ· πλήρης ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ· σεραφὶμ, ὑμνήσατε· προφῆται, κηρύξατε. Καὶ ὁ μὲν λεγέτω· Εὐφραινέσθωσαν οἱ οὐρανοὶ, καὶ ἀγαλλιάσθω ἡ γῆ· ὁ δὲ, Χαῖρε σφόδρα, θύγατερ Σιὼν, κήρυττε, θύγατερ Ἱερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἄλλος τῷ βασιλεῖ Χριστῷ ἀτενίζων βοάτω· Ἴδε ὁ Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου· καὶ ἕτερος περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου κηρυξάτω· Οὗτος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν· οὐ λογισθήσεται ἕτερος πρὸς αὐ43.436 τόν· καὶ ἄλλος· Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος ὁμοῦ καὶ Θεός. Ἀνατολὴ ὄνομα αὐτῷ· καὶ ∆αβὶδ πρὸς τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ κατὰ σάρκα Χριστὸν ἀτενίζων λέγῃ· Θεὸς Κύριος, καὶ ἐπέφανεν ἡμῖν· καὶ πάλιν ἄλλος τὸ γόνυ κλίνων βοάτω Χριστῷ· Πᾶσα ἡ γῆ προσκυνησάτω σοι· καὶ ἕτερος τοῖς λαοῖς ἐπιτρέπῃ, λέγων· Συστήσασθε ἑορτὴν ἐν τοῖς πυκάζουσιν ἕως τῶν κεράτων τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐπετελεῖτο καὶ πάλαι ἡ ἐν Σιὼν τοῦ ∆εσπότου μετὰ τοῦ πώλου ἐπιδημία· πάνδημος συμφωνία, οἱ χοροὶ τῶν πατέρων, οἱ δῆμοι τῶν δικαίων, τὰ πνεύματα τῶν προφητῶν, οἱ παῖδες τῶν Ἑβραίων, τὰ νήπια τῶν μητέρων, τὰ πλήθη τῶν ἀγγέλων. Οἱ μὲν πτέρυγας ἐφήπλουν, οἱ δὲ βαΐα κατεῖχον, οἱ δὲ ὄπισθεν ἤρχοντο, ἄλλοι τοὺς κλάδους ἔκοπτον, ἄλλοι δὲ τοὺς θάλλους ἔπλεκον, οἱ μὲν τὸν πῶλον ἔλυον, οἱ δὲ χιτῶνας ἐστρώννυον, οἱ μὲν τὰς πύλας ἤνοιγον, οἱ δὲ ὁδοὺς ἐκάθαιρον, ἄλλοι πῶλον εὐτρέπιζον, ἄλλοι νίκην ἐκήρυττον, ἄλλοι τοὺς κλάδους ἔσειον, ἄλλοι νηπίοις ἔλεγον, Αἰνεῖτε, παῖδες, Κύριον· οἱ παῖδες ἀπεκρίναντο, Ὡσαννὰ εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Ὢ καινῶν καὶ παραδόξων πραγμάτων καὶ θαυμάτων τῆς ἑορτῆς! παῖδες Χριστὸν ὡς Θεὸν θεολογοῦσι, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς αὐτὸν βλασφημοῦσι· θηλάζοντες προσκυνοῦσι, καὶ οἱ διδάσκοντες ἀσεβοῦσιν· οἱ παῖδες, Ὡσαννὰ, λέγουσι, καὶ οἱ Ἑβραῖοι, Σταυρωθήτω, κράζουσιν· οἱ μὲν μετὰ βαΐων πρὸς Χριστὸν ἔρχονται· οἱ δὲ μετὰ μαχαιρῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔρχονται· οὗτοι κλάδους κόπτουσιν, ἐκεῖνοι ξύλον σταυροῦ εὐτρεπίζουσι· νήπια Χριστοῦ χιτῶνας ὑποστρωννύουσι, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς χιτῶνας Χριστῷ διαμερίζουσι· νήπια ἐπὶ πώλου Χριστὸν ὑψοῦσι, καὶ γέροντες ἐπὶ σταυροῦ Χριστὸν κρεμνοῦσιν· οἱ παῖδες τοὺς πόδας
The True Nature of the King§4
4They worship Christ, but those others fastened Christ's feet to the nails. Children bring wine, but these bring vinegar. Children offer honor to Christ, but these offer gall. Children wave palms, but these strike with a sword. Children hymn Christ upon a donkey, but these sell the one upon the donkey. The ox knew its owner born in the manger, and the new people of the Gentiles were subjected to their Lord, but only Israel did not know Christ their God. Tribes once God-loving have become unloving, the lawless have become lawful, and the lawful have become lawless.
Even if you did not love the prophets, killed priests, perverted the Scriptures, abolished the law, crushed the righteous, rejected Moses, slaughtered the sons, defiled the temple, ignored God, did not believe in Christ, insulted the divine signs, disbelieved concerning Lazarus, and did not believe the blind had regained sight; then what do you say about these children? What do you say about the hymn of the nursing ones, the lawgivers? Who, tell me, enlightened these? Who glorified them? Or who raised them? Who made them wise? Who suddenly gave speech to the infinite ones, if not Christ the eternal Word?
Now the young ones, children and infants together, hold branches with one hand and lift up an angelic hymn with their voice; holding with one hand, and with the other hand waving palms to Christ. The infinite nature has become theological. Immediately, offering the prophetic word as a hymn to the God of the incorporeal, they shout together, Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, God and Lord, and he has shone upon us. To what things do I, both rejoicing and being moved, answer these holy children with confidence? What do you say, O children of God, children without hymns? From where does the equal-flowing stream come to you?
Is this the one singing the cherubic hymn? How can they see Christ in a donkey in a human-like way? They shout 'Hosanna in the highest' in a God-like way. The seeing children say yes, and though Christ sits upon a donkey, he is never separated from the bosom of the Father; though he sits on a donkey, he does not leave the cherubic throne.
But he who is below with flesh is unceasingly with mortals, and he who is above is the same, God with the Father, without falsehood and true; he is the Pantokrator, the ruler of the cosmos, the ruler of the nations, the true God, the provider, the planter, the guide, and the Savior of all. He enters the lower Jerusalem but is not separated from the upper one; he is the maker of the ages, from the ages and unto the ages.
He alone stretched out the heavens; he is the one walking upon the sea as if upon dry land; he dispersed the sea with mist; he set the gates for men; he assigned boundaries to the seas; he suspended the earth upon nothing; he wisely mixed the qualities of the elements; he adorned the beauty of plants; he spread out the heaven like a garment; he adorned it himself with bright luminaries.
The cherubim tremble at him, the seraphim quake, the sun sings to him, the moon glorifies him, the stars praise him, the springs serve him, the abysses shudder at him, the Tartarians judge him, the beasts submit to him, the dragons tremble at him, the storms serve him, and the spirits revere him. He established the natures, he brought forth the creation, he ordered the ranks; he is the maker, God, our Lord, of the creation above and below; and to him be the glory and the dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Greek · §4
Χριστοῦ προσεκύνησαν, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τοὺς πόδας Χριστοῦ τοῖς ἥλοις προσήλωσαν· παῖδες αἶνον προσάγουσιν, οὗτοι ὄξος προσφέρουσι· παῖδες Χριστῷ τὴν τιμὴν, οὗτοι δὲ τὴν χολήν· παῖδες βαΐα σείουσιν, οὗτοι δὲ ῥομφαίᾳ νύττουσι· παῖδες ἐπὶ πῶλον Χριστὸν ὑμνοῦσιν, οὗτοι τὸν ἐπὶ πώλου πωλοῦσιν. Ἔγνω βοῦς τὸν κτησάμενον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ φάτνης γεννηθέντα, καὶ ὁ νέος λαὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν ὑπετάγη τῷ Κυρίῳ αὐτῶν, μόνον δὲ Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ ἔγνω Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῦ. Τὰ ποτὲ φῦλα θεόφιλα γέγονε, καὶ οἱ ἄνομοι γεγόνασιν ἔννομοι, καὶ οἱ ἔννομοι παράνομοι. Ἔστω, τοὺς προφήτας οὐκ ᾐδέσθης, ἱερεῖς ἀπέκτεινας, τὰς Γραφὰς διέστρεψας, τὸν νόμον κατέλυσας, δικαίους κατέπρισας, Μωσῆν ἠθέτησας, τοὺς υἱοὺς κατέσφαξας, τὸν ναὸν ἐμίανας, τοῦ Θεοῦ παρήκουσας, Χριστῷ οὐκ ἐπίστευσας, τὰς θεοσημαίας ἐνύβρισας, περὶ Λαζάρου ἠπίστησας, τοῖς τυφλοῖς οὐκ ἐπίστευσας ἀναβλέψασιν· εἶτα τί περὶ τῶν παίδων τούτων λέγεις; τί περὶ ὕμνου τῶν θηλαζόντων νομοθετεῖς; τίς, εἰπέ μοι, τούτους ἐφώτισε; τίς ἐδί43.437 δαξεν; ἢ τίς ἐξήγειρεν; τίς ἐσόφισε; τίς ἐξαίφνης ἀπειρολόγοις δέδωκε λόγον, εἰ μὴ Χριστὸς ὁ προαιώνιος Λόγος; Νῦν οἱ νέοι, παῖδες ὁμοῦ τε καὶ νήπια χειρὶ μιᾷ μαζὸν κατέχοντα, καὶ φωνῇ ὕμνον ἀγγελικὸν ἀναμέλποντα· χειρὶ μιᾷ μαζὸν κατέχοντα, καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρὶ Χριστῷ βαΐα ἐπισείοντα· ἡ ἀπειρολόγος, θεολόγος γεγενημένη φύσις· εὐθὺς τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον Θεῷ τῶν ἀσωμάτων ὕμνον ὡς δῶρα προσάγοντα, ὁμοῦ τε καὶ κράζοντα, Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, Θεὸς Κύριος, καὶ ἐπέφανεν ἡμῖν. Πρὸς ἃ ἐγὼ περιχάριστα ὁμοῦ τε καὶ ἐφεόρτια ἀντεπερωτῶ τοὺς ἱεροὺς τούτους παῖδας θαρσήσας· Τί φατὲ, ὦ παῖδες Θεοῦ, παῖδες ἀνυμνήτορες; Πόθεν ὑμῖν ὁ ἰσόῤῥοπος οὗτος, τὸν χερουβικὸν ὕμνον ἀνακράζοντες; Πῶς δὲ ἐπὶ πώλου Χριστὸν ὁρῶντες ἀνθρωποπρεπῶς· Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, βοᾶτε θεοπρεπῶς; Ναὶ, φασὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς οἱ θεορήτορες παῖδες, καὶ ἐπὶ πώλου αἰσθητοῦ Χριστὸς καθέζεται, ἀλλὰ τοῦ κόλπου τοῦ πατρικοῦ οὐδαμοῦ χωρίζεται· καὶ ἐπὶ πώλου ὄνου καθέζεται, ἀλλὰ τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ χερουβικοῦ οὐκ ἀπολιμπάνεται. Ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ κάτω μετὰ σαρκὸς βροτοῖς ἀνελλιπῶς, αὐτὸς οὕτως καὶ ἄνω μετὰ Πατρὸς Θεὸς ἀψευδὴς, καὶ ἀληθινὸς, αὐτὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ, καὶ κοσμοκράτωρ, καὶ ἐθνοκράτωρ, καὶ ἀληθὴς Θεὸς, καὶ χορηγὸς, καὶ φυτουργὸς, καὶ ὁδηγὸς, καὶ Σωτὴρ πάντων. Αὐτὸς εἰς τὴν κάτω Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰσέρχεται, καὶ τῆς ἄνω οὐ χωρίζεται· οὗτος ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἐξ αἰώνων, καὶ εἰς αἰῶνας· αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τανύσας τὸν οὐρανὸν μόνος· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ περιπατῶν ἐπὶ θαλάσσης ὡς ἐπὶ ἐδάφους· οὗτος ὁμίχλῃ τὴν θάλασσαν ἐσπαργάνωσεν· οὗτος τὰ κλεῖθρα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις περιέθηκεν· οὗτος ὅρους ταῖς θαλάσσαις ἐμέρισεν· οὗτος ἁπλώσας γαῖαν ἐπ' οὐδενὶ ἐκρέμασεν· οὗτος στοιχείων τὰς κράσεις πανσόφως ἐκέρασεν· οὗτος τὰ κάλλη τῶν φυτῶν κατεκόσμησεν· οὗτος οὐρανὸν ὡς ἱμάτιον ἐξέτεινεν· οὗτος αὐτὸν φωστῆρσι λαμπροῖς κατεκόσμησε. Τοῦτον φρίττουσι χερουβὶμ, καὶ τρέμουσι σεραφὶμ, τοῦτον ὑμνεῖ ἥλιος, τοῦτον δοξολογεῖ σελήνη, τοῦτον αἰνοῦσι τὰ ἄστρα, τούτῳ δουλεύουσιν αἱ πηγαὶ, τοῦτον φρίττουσιν ἄβυσσοι, τοῦτον δεδοίκασι τάρταροι, τούτῳ ὑπείκει τὰ κήτη, τοῦτον τρέμουσι δράκοντες, τούτῳ δουλεύουσιν ὄμβροι, τοῦτον εὐλαβοῦνται πνεύματα· οὗτος ὑπέστησε φύσεις, οὗτος κατέστησε κτίσεις, οὗτος κατέταξε τάξεις, οὗτος ὁ τῶν ἄνω καὶ τῶν κάτω κτίσεων ποιητὴς Θεὸς Κύριος ἡμῶν· καὶ αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.