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Epistles on the Arian Heresy

Alexander of Alexandria

Section 6

About this work

Author: Alexander of Alexandria

6. For when our Lord was suffering upon the

‹ Section 5 Section 7 ›

cross

,

the

tombs

were

burst

open

,

the

infernal

region

was

disclosed

,

the

souls

leapt

forth

,

the

dead

returned

to

life

,

and

many

of

them

were

seen

in

Jerusalem

,

whilst

the

mystery

of

the

cross

was

being

perfected

;

what

time

our

Lord

trampled

upon

death

,

dissolved

the

enmity

,

bound

the

strong

man

,

and

raised

the

trophy

of

the

cross

,

His

body

being

lifted

up

upon

it

,

that

the

body

might

appear

on

high

,

and

death

to

be

depressed

under

the

foot

of

flesh

.

Then

the

heavenly

powers

wondered

,

the

angels

were

astonished

,

the

elements

trembled

,

every

creature

was

shaken

whilst

they

looked

on

this

new

mystery

,

and

the

terrific

spectacle

which

was

being

enacted

in

the

universe

.

Yet

the

entire

people

,

as

unconscious

of

the

mystery

,

exulted

over

Christ

in

derision

;

although

the

earth

was

rocking

,

the

mountains

,

the

valleys

,

and

the

sea

were

shaken

,

and

every

creature

of

God

was

smitten

with

confusion

.

The

lights

of

heaven

were

afraid

,

the

sun

fled

away

,

the

moon

disappeared

,

the

stars

withdrew

their

shining

,

the

day

came

to

end

;

the

angel

in

astonishment

departed

from

the

temple

after

the

rending

of

the

veil

,

and

darkness

covered

the

earth

on

which

its

Lord

had

closed

His

eyes

.

Meanwhile

hell

was

with

light

resplendent

,

for

thither

had

the

star

descended

.

The

Lord

,

indeed

,

did

not

descend

into

hell

in

His

body

but

in

His

Spirit

.

He

forsooth

is

working

everywhere

,

for

whilst

He

raised

the

dead

by

His

body

,

by

His

spirit

was

He

liberating

their

souls

.

For

when

the

body

of

the

Lord

was

hung

upon

the

cross

,

the

tombs

,

as

we

have

said

,

were

opened

;

hell

was

unbarred

.

the

dead

received

their

life

,

the

souls

were

sent

back

again

into

the

world

,

and

that

because

the

Lord

had

conquered

hell

,

had

trodden

down

death

,

had

covered

the

enemy

with

shame

;

therefore

was

it

that

the

souls

came

forth

from

Hades

,

and

the

dead

appeared

upon

the

earth

.

Notes

6
[Vol. iii. 58, this series. The patristic testimony is overwhelming and sufficient. See Africanus, p. 136, supra, and a full discussion of his statement in Routh, R. S., ii. p. 477.]
7
Hades.