Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

Saturday 19 April 2025 at St George‘s Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Woodstock with His Eminence Archbishop Sergios, Archimandrite Doukas Coulbanis and Very Reverend Nikolaos Giamouridis.

As the clock ticked inexorably towards midnight we sat in the darkened church and waited for THE moment.

Then the doors to the Holy Sanctuary opened and the Divine Light of Christ’s Resurrection was brought forth by His Eminence Archbishop Sergios.

The glowing candles declared that Christ has indeed risen from the dead and has lit up our lives with all His glory.

The church bells pealed with joy as the congregation surged forward to light their candles passing the holy light from one to another with the words: Christos Anesti! Christ is risen!

The church vibrated with the traditional Easter celebratory hymn Christos Anesti:
“ Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tombs, granting life.”

During the Easter season Orthodox Christians typically greet one another with this Paschal greeting, : “Christos Anesti!” (Christ is risen! And the customary response is: “Alithos Anesti!” (Indeed he is risen!)

We gathered just inside the entrance of the church, instead of outside due to very heavy wind, to hear the Easter messages and blessings from our Patriarch Theodorous II in Alexandria read out by the President of our Hellenic Community Mr Christo Yiacomis.

Tonight was a time for unrestrained celebration as we shared the commemoration of the 2025th glorious resurrection of Our Lord and Saviour.

The priests and altar were resplendent in red and gold – the colours of celebrations αnd felicitations. The mood was merry and magnanimous and everyone was swept up in the moment, happily hugging and showering Easter greetings on each other. It was not a quiet moment in church for sure!

The Easter banner was placed in front of the iconostasis showing the risen Lord after emerging from the tomb.

All is done now as it was prophesied and promised.

The service continued with the Holy Liturgy and finally it was time to go up and collect the iconic red eggs of Orthodox Easter.

Afterwards we were treated to the traditional Easter soup, Mageritsa , a glorious concoction of lamb, rice and creamed egg and lemon sauce , to break our fast in the church hall. Along with our tsourekia (Easter plaited bread)of course we had our red eggs and some excellent vino, laid on so beautifully by Georgina Protulis of The Greek Fisherman.

Trust me that soup was as good as, and if not better than, mama’s and yes, yia‘s yia’s, too, but please don’t tell them I said so! Absolutely yummy-on-steroids so thank you Georgina ! And at 2.00am it was the perfect way to greet the dawn of the Resurrection.

And of course then it was time head home guarding our lit candles in the car to bless our homes, burning a cross above the door lintel. But every year that ladder gets wonkier or is it just me at 4 am!

And all Sunday all you will hear around you is the happy Paschal greeting : “Χριστός Ανέστη (Christós anésti) Christ is risen” and the joyful response:”Αληθώς Ανέστη ( Alithos anésti) He is truly risen“.

Wishing  you all the exquisite sweetness of our Resurrection day and may you always be blessed. 

(Text and photos: Pepe Sofianos)