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A Reading of On Easter by Venantius of Camerino
Post-Apostolic Church
INTRO
This is a poem titled On Easter by Venantius
of Camerino. He lived in Camerino, Italy
and was martyred there under the persecutions of Emperor Decius around 250 AD.
He
addressed this poem to his friend, Felix of Nola, who also died from these
persecutions.
This
beautiful poem shows how excited the early Christians were to celebrate Easter,
or as they called it in Greek and Latin, Pascha, as well as the victory of God by
the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
VERSE 1
The seasons blush
varied with the flowery, fair weather, and the gate of the pole lies open with
greater light.
His path in the heaven raises the
fire-breathing sun higher, who goes forth on his course, and enters the waters
of the ocean.
Armed with rays traversing the liquid
elements, in this brief night he stretches out the day in a circle.
The brilliant firmament puts forth its clear
countenance, and the bright stars show their joy.
The fruitful earth pours forth its gifts with
varied increase, when the year has well returned its vernal riches.
Soft beds of violets
paint the purple plain; the meadows are green with plants, and the plant shines
with its leaves.
By degrees, gleaming brightness of the
flowers comes forth; all the herbs smile with their blossoms.
The seed being deposited, the grain springs
up far and wide in the fields, promising to be able to overcome the hunger of
the husbandman.
Having deserted its stem, the vine-shoot
bewails its joys; the vine gives water only from the source from which it is accustomed
to give wine.
The swelling bud, rising with tender down
from the back of its mother, prepares its bosom for bringing forth.
Its foliage having
been torn off in the wintry season, the verdant grove now renews its leafy
shelter.
Mingled together, the willow, the fir, the
hazel, the osier, the elm, the maple, the walnut, each tree applauds,
delightful with its leaves.
Hence the bee, about to construct its comb,
leaving the hive, humming over the flowers, carries off honey with its leg.
The bird which, having closed its song, was
dumb, sluggish with the wintry cold, returns to its strains.
Hence Philomela attunes her notes with her
own instruments, and the air becomes sweeter with the re-echoed melody.
Behold, the favor of
the reviving world bears witness that all gifts have returned together with its
Lord.
For in honor of Christ rising triumphant
after His descent to the gloomy Tartarus, the grove on every side with
its leaves expresses approval, the plants with their flowers express
approval.
The light, the heaven, the fields, and the
sea duly praise the God ascending above the stars, having crushed the laws of
hell.
Behold, He who was crucified reigns as God
over all things, and all created objects offer prayer to their Creator.
Hail, festive day, to be reverenced
throughout the world, on which God has conquered hell, and gains the stars!
The changes of the
year and of the months, the bounteous light of the days, the splendor of the
hours, all things with voice applaud.
Hence, in honor of You, the wood with its
foliage applauds; hence the vine, with its silent shoot, gives thanks.
Hence the thickets now resound with the
whisper of birds; among these the sparrow sings with exuberant love.
BRIDGE
O Christ, You [are] Savior
of the world, merciful Creator and Redeemer, the only offspring from the
Godhead of the Father, flowing in an indescribable manner from the heart of Your
Parent, You [are] self-existing Word, and powerful from the mouth of Your
Father, equal to Him, of one mind with Him, His fellow, same age with the
Father, from whom at first the world [7.330]
derived its origin! You suspend the
firmament, You heap together the soil, You pour forth the seas, by whose
government all things which are fixed in their places flourish. You saw that the human race was plunged in
the depth of misery, that You might rescue man, did Yourself also become
man: nor were You willing only to be born with a body, but You became flesh,
which endured to be born and to die. You
did undergo funeral rites, Yourself the author of life and framer of the
world, You did enter the path of death, in giving the aid of salvation.
VERSE 2
The gloomy chains of
the infernal law yielded, and chaos feared to be pressed by the presence of the
light.
Darkness perishes, put to flight by the
brightness of Christ; the thick, dark cloud of eternal night falls.
But restore the promised pledge, I pray You,
O power so kind!
The third day has returned; arise, my buried One;
it is not becoming that Your limbs should lie in the lowly tomb, nor that
worthless stones should press that which is the ransom of the world.
It is unworthy that a stone should shut in
with a confining rock, and cover Him in whose fist all things are enclosed.
Take away the linen
clothes, I pray; leave the napkins in the tomb: You are sufficient for us, and
without You there is nothing.
Release the chained shades of the infernal
prison, and recall to the upper regions whatever sinks to the lowest depths.
Give back Your face, that the world may see
the light; give back the day which flees from us at Your death.
But returning, O holy conqueror! You did
altogether fill the heaven! Tartarus lies depressed, nor retains its rights.
The ruler of the lower regions, insatiably
opening his hollow jaws, who has always been a spoiler, becomes a prey to You.
You rescue an
innumerable people from the prison of death, and they follow in freedom to the
place where their leader approaches.
The fierce monster in alarm vomits forth the
multitude whom he had swallowed up, and the Lamb withdraws the sheep from the
jaw of the wolf.
Hence re-seeking the tomb from the lower
regions, having resumed Your flesh, as a warrior You carried back ample
trophies to the heavens.
Those whom chaos held in punishment, He has
now restored; and those whom death might seek, a new life holds.
Oh, sacred King, behold a great part of Your
triumph shines forth, when the sacred washing pool blesses pure souls!
A host, clad in
white, come forth from the bright waves, and cleanse their old fault in a new
stream.
The white garment also designates bright
souls, and the Shepherd has enjoyments from the snow-white flock.
The priest Felix is added sharing in this reward,
who wishes to give double talents to his Lord.
Drawing those who wander in Gentile error to
better things, that a beast of prey may not carry them away, he guards the fold
of God.
Those whom guilty Eve had before infected, he
now restores, fed with abundant milk at the bosom of the Church.
By cultivating
rustic hearts with mild conversations, a crop is produced from a briar by the
bounty of Felix.
The Saxon, a fierce nation, living as it were
after the manner of wild beasts, when you, O sacred One! apply a remedy, the
beast of prey resembles the sheep.
About to remain with you through an age with
the return of a hundred-fold, you fill the barns with the produce of an
abundant harvest.
May this people, free from stain, be
strengthened in your arms, and may you bear to the stars a pure pledge to God.
May one crown be bestowed on you from on high
gained from yourself, may another flourish gained from your people.
