‘Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!’: Easter Hymn and Paschal Joy

“And on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled back from the sepulchre. And going in, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were astonished in their mind at this, behold, two men stood by them, in shining apparel. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their countenance towards the ground, they said unto them: Why seek you the living with the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke unto you, when he was in Galilee, Saying: The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” —Luke 24:1-7

Today is Easter Sunday or Pascha, the day on which, almost 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ the God-man rose from the dead, defeating sin and death and opening Heaven for mankind. The world turned upside down, friends and foes alike were stunned, and angels proclaimed the glad tidings. “O death, where is thy sting”—all who believe in Christ and faithfully follow His teachings till death will also rise again from the dead one day.

The hymn “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” was originally written in Latin as the 11-verse “Surrexit Christus Hodie,” reportedly by an unknown 14th century Bohemian author. John Baptist Walsh translated it into English in 1708 for his Lyra Davidica, and John Arnold revised the verses some forty years later; originally, the English version had only three verses. Methodist founder Charles Wesley added a fourth verse. The music for the English lyrics was originally “Easter Hymn,” composed in Lyra Davidica, and William Henry Monk later composed a different version.

Here is a version by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. Happy Easter!