Above:  Easter Vigil, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Dunwoody, Georgia, April 5, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Original German Text (1700) by Caspar Neumann (1648-1715)

English Translation (1921) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

Hymn Source = The Selah Song Book for Worship and Devotion in Church, School, Home (1926), compiled by Adolf T. Hauser

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Jesus, Thou from death hast risen,

Stone and seal retain Thee not!

Thou hast burst Thy gloomy prison,

Full redemption Thou hast wrought!

Open and unseal my heart,

Enter in, and ne’er depart!

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Burst the rock of doubt asunder,

That no earthly strength can move!

When this all-transcendent wonder

Reason faileth to approve,

Grant me grace, O risen Lord,

To believe Thy holy Word!

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Let not unbelief beset me,

That, like Thomas, I should doubt!

Let no earthly trials fret me,

Cast all fear and sorrow out!

In all need, while here I plod,

O remain my Lord and God!

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Death and hell by Thee are conquered!

Let me share Thy victory!

And as Thou hast battled onward,

Savior, draw me unto Thee,

That, released from Satan’s might,

I may view my God in light.

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This is post #1650 of GATHERED PRAYERS.

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Above:  Resurrection of Christ and the Women at the Tomb, by Fra Angelico

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Sources = The Methodist Hymnal (1905), Methodist Episcopal Church and Methodist Episcopal Church, South; and Companion to the Hymnal (1970)

Words (1873) by William Josiah Irons (1812-1883)

I have restored the text to its original form.  Alterations of the text started as early as 1878, according the Companion to the Hymnal (1970), the companion volume to The Methodist Hymnal (1966).  The altered version appears in The Methodist Hymnal (1905), my main source for this post.  The altered version of the first stanza in The Methodist Hymnal (1905) changes the fifth through eighth lines to read:

All around the clouds are breaking,

Soon the storms of time shall cease,

In God’s likeness, man awaking,

Knows the everlasting peace.

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1.  Sing with all the sons of glory,

Sing the resurrection song!

Death and sorrow, earth’s dark story,

To the former days belong:

Even now the dawn is breaking,

Soon the night of time shall cease,

And in God’s own likeness, waking,

Man shall know eternal peace.

2.  O what glory, far exceeding

All that eye has yet perceived!

Holiest hearts for ages pleading,

Never that full joy conceived.

God has promised, Christ prepares it,

There on high our welcome waits;

Every humble spirit shares it,

Christ has passed the eternal gates.

3.  Life eternal! heaven rejoices,

Jesus lives who once was dead;

Join, O man, the deathless voices,

Child of God, lift up thy head!

Patriarchs from the distant ages,

Saints all longing for their heaven,

Prophets, psalmists, seers, and sages,

All await the glory given.

4.  Life eternal! O what wonders

Crowd on faith; what joy unknown,

When, amidst earth’s closing thunders,

Saints shall stand before that throne!

O to enter that bright portal,

See that glowing firmament,

Know, with thee, O God immortal,

“Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent!”

Above:  Easter Vigil, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Dunwoody, Georgia, April 25, 2012

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://picasaweb.google.com/114749828757741527421/EasterVigilStPatrickS#5735503150412863874)

Hymn Source = Lutheran Common Service Book (1917)

Original German words (1712) by Benjamin Schmolck (1672-1737)

English translation (1855) by Catherine Winkworth (1829-1878)

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1.  Welcome, Thou Victor in the strife,

Welcome from out the cave!

Today we triumph in Thy life

Around Thine empty grave.

2.  Our enemy is put to shame,

His short-lived triumph o’er;

Our God is with us, we exclaim:

We fear our foe no more.

3.  The dwellings of the just resound

With songs of victory;

For in their midst, Thou, Lord, art found,

And bringest peace with Thee.

4.  O let Thy conqu’ring banner wave

O’er hearts Thou makest free;

And point the path that from the grace

Leads heavenward up to Thee.

Above:  St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, April 23, 2011

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://picasaweb.google.com/114749828757741527421/EasterVigilStMartins#5599284577203330226)

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O Christ, Who Called the Twelve:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/o-christ-who-called-the-twelve/

O Thou, Who Through This Holy Week:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/04/17/o-thou-who-through-this-holy-week/

Thou Art the Way:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/thou-art-the-way/

Prayer for Holy Saturday:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/prayer-for-holy-saturday/

Hymn of Promise:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/hymn-of-promise/

O Jesus, Youth of Nazareth:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/o-jesus-youth-of-nazareth-by-ferdinand-q-blanchard/

Thine Agony, O Lord, is O’er:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2013/12/27/thine-agony-o-lord-is-oer/

Darkly Frowns the Ev’ning Sky:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/09/07/darkly-frowns-the-evning-sky/

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Resurrection Icon

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

Words by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), a priest of The Church of England

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1.  Come away to the skies,

my beloved, arise

and rejoice in the day thou wast born;

on this festival day,

come exulting away,

and with singing to Zion return.

2.  Now with singing and praise,

let us spend all the days,

by our heavenly Father bestowed,

while his grace we receive

from his bounty, and live

to the honor and glory of God.

3.  For the glory we were

first created to share,

both the nature

and kingdom divine!

Now created again

that our lives may remain,

throughout time and eternity thine.

4.  We with thanks do approve

the design of that love

which hath joined us to Jesus’ Name;

so united in heart,

let us nevermore part,

till we meet at the feast of the Lamb.

5.  Hallelujah we sing,

to our Father and King,

and his rapturous praises, repeat:

to the Lamb that was slain,

hallulujah again,

sing, all heaven, and fall at his feet.

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-a-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-years-a-b-and-c-evening-service/

Harrowing of Hell Mosaic

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1916 (1918), The Episcopal Church

Original words in Latin; English translation by Francis Pott (1832-1909), a priest of The Church of England

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Antiphon:

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

1.  The strife is o’er, the battle done,

The victory of life is won;

The song of triumph has begun.

Alleluia!

2.  The powers of death have done their worst,

But Christ their legions hath dispersed:

Let shout of holy joy outburst.

Alleluia!

3.  The three sad days are quickly sped,

He rises glorious from the dead:

All glory to our risen Head!

Alleluia!

4.  He closed the yawning gates of hell,

The bars from heavens high portals fell;

Let hymns of praise his triumphs tell!

Alleluia!

5.  Lord! by the stripes which wounded thee,

From death’s dread sting thy servants free,

That we may live and sing to thee.

Antiphon:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-b-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-a-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-years-a-b-and-c-evening-service/

Resurrection Window

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

Words by Cyril A. Alington (1872-1955), Dean of Durham (1933-1951); and Norman Mealy (1923-1987), an Episcopal Church musical liturgist

I have corrected the first line to make it what Alington wrote.

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1.  Good Christian men, rejoice and sing!

Now is the triumph of our King!

To all the world glad news we bring:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

2.  The Lord of life is risen today!

Sing songs of praise along his way;

let all the earth rejoice and say:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

3.  Praise we in songs of victory

that love, that life which cannot die,

and sing with hearts uplifted high:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

4.  Your Name we bless, O risen Lord,

and sing today with one accord

the life laid down, the life restored:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

5.  To God the Father, God the Son,

to God the Spirit, always One,

we sing for life in us begun:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Resurrection Relief, Worms Cathedral, Worms, Germany

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

The original Latin words date to the 400s, but the English translation is the one in The Hymnal 1940, of The Episcopal Church.  One of the perks of being an Episcopalian is using a hymnal that contains truly ancient hymns.

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1.  That Easter day with joy was bright,

the sun shone out with fairer light,

when, to their longing eyes restored,

the apostles saw their risen Lord.

2.  His risen flesh with radiance glowed;

his wounded hands and feet he showed;

those scars their solemn witness gave

that Christ was risen from the grave.

3.  O Jesus, King of gentleness,

do thou thyself our hearts possess

that may give thee all our days

the willing tribute of our praise.

4.  O Lord of all, with us abide

in this our joyful Eastertide;

from every weapon death can wield

thine own redeemed for ever shield.

5.  All praise, O risen Lord, we give

to thee, who, dead, again, dost live;

to God the Father equal praise,

and God the Holy Ghost, we raise.

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-b-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-years-a-b-and-c-evening-service/

A Mosaic from Rosary Basilica, Lourdes, France

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1916 (1918), The Episcopal Church

Words (1872) by Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885), Bishop of Lincoln (1868-1885)

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1.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

Hearts and voices heavenward raise:

Sing to God a hymn of gladness,

Sing to God a hymn of praise.

He, who on the cross a victim,

For the world’s salvation bled,

Jesus Christ, the King of glory,

Now is risen from the dead.

2.  Now the iron bars are broken,

Christ from death to life is born,

Glorious life, and life immortal,

On this holy Easter morn.

Christ has triumphed, and we conquer

By his mighty enterprise,

We with him to life eternal

By his resurrection rise.

3.  Christ is risen, Christ the first-fruits

Of the holy harvest-field,

Which will all its full abundance

At his second coming yield:

Then the golden ears of harvest

Will their heads before him wave,

Ripened by his glorious sunshine

From the furrows of the grave.

4.  Christ is risen, we are risen!

Shed upon us heavenly grace,

Rain and dew and gleams of glory

From the brightness of thy face;

That, with hearts in heaven dwelling,

We on earth may fruitful be,

And by angel hands be gathered,

And be ever, Lord, with thee.

5.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

Glory be to God on high;

Alleluia to the Saviour

Who has won the victory;

Alleluia to the Spirit,

Fount of love and sanctity;

Alleluia! Alleluia!

To the Triune Majesty.

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-b-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-a-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-years-a-b-and-c-evening-service/

Victory of the Resurrection

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

Words by Donald Fishel (Born in 1950)

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Refrain:

Alleluia, alleluia!  Give thanks to the risen Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia!  Give praise to his Name.

1.  Jesus is Lord of all the earth.

He is the king of creation.

Refrain

2.  Spread the good news o’er all the earth:

Jesus has died and has risen.

Refrain

3.  We have been crucified with Christ.

Now we shall live for ever.

Refrain

4.  Come, let us praise the living God,

joyfully sing to our Savior.

Refrain

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-b-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-a-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-years-a-b-and-c-evening-service/