St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester
First Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection
Fruit of the Mystery: Faith
On the third day from the crucifixion, Christ rises in glory from the tomb. He has conquered death; he has brought the hope of salvation to all of humanity.
John 20:1-9 It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,' she said, 'and we don't know where they have put him.' So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had still not understood the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
He is Risen
Said the angel, "He is risen!"
Tell it out with joyful voice:
He has burst His three days' prison;
Let the whole wide earth rejoice:
Death is conquered, we are free,
Christ has won the victory.
Come, ye sad and fearful hearted,
With glad smile and radiant brow!
Death's long shadows have departed;
All our woes are over now,
Due to passion that He bore -
Sin and pain can vex no more.
Come, with high and holy hymning,
Chant our Lord's triumphant day;
Not one darksome cloud is dimming
Yonder glorious morning ray,
Breaking over the purple east:
Brighter far our Easter feast.
He is risen, He is risen!
He has opened Heaven's gate:
We are free from sin's dark prison,
Risen to a holier state;
And a brighter Easter beam
On our longing eyes shall stream.
Cecil F. Alexander
The Window
The risen Lord stands in radiant glory against the rays of the rising sun, on this brightest of new days. Clad in glorious white, he holds a staff with a triumphal banner, symbol of the defeat of death. His face is serene; but, before him, a guard falls to the ground in fear and awe, his sword useless behind him.
The scroll in the bottom light reads Surrexit enim, sicut dixit (He has risen, as he said). In Matthew's account of the resurrection, it is an angel who explains in these words to Mary Magdalene the reason for the empty tomb.
The inscription at the foot of the window reads: Dono dederunt puella Societatis Beatae Mariae Virginis (Given as a gift by the women of the Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary).