Tag Archives: Pascha

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded – St. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153

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The hymn “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” is based on a Latin text from the Middle Ages, often attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, though it is now more commonly attributed to the medieval poet Arnulf of Leuven. Paul Gerhardt, a Lutheran hymnist, translated the Latin text into German in 1656, creating a version that encourages a more personal reflection on Christ’s suffering on the cross. The German version begins with “O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden”.

Verse 1
O sacred Head now wounded,
With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, Thine only crown;
How pale Thou art with anguish,
With sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish,
Which once was bright as morn!

Verse 2
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered,
Was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression,
But Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
‘Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor,
Vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

Verse 3
What language shall I borrow
To thank Thee, Dearest Friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever,
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never,
Never outlive my love to Thee.

Verse 4
My Shepherd, now receive me;
My Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me,
O Source of gifts divine.
Thy lips have often fed me
With words of truth and love;
Thy Spirit oft hath led me
To heavenly joys above.

Verse 5
My Savior, be Thou near me
When death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me,
Forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish,
Oh, leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish
By virtue of Thine own.

Pashca, or Resurrection Sunday – not Easter

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The term “Easter” is derived from the Old Saxon name for the month of April, which itself was named after the goddess Eostre, as noted by the monk Bede. However, the celebration of Easter in Christianity is not rooted in pagan origins but is directly related to Passover, which is why it’s called Pesach or Pashca in almost every language outside of Western Europe. The name “Easter” and some traditions associated with it, such as the Easter bunny and eggs, have been influenced by pre-Christian spring festivals that celebrated the spring equinox. These pagan festivals marked the rebirth and renewal of nature after winter, a concept that aligns with the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

According to various sources, the name Easter has its origin with a goddess of the Anglo-Saxons named Eostre (also Estre, Estara, Eastre, Ostara, and similar spellings in various sources). It is believed that she is the goddess of the dawn and was worshipped in the spring by pagans in Northern Europe and the British Isles. In The Two Babylons, Alexander Hislop claimed Eostre is actually a name derived from the Babylonian goddess Astarte. Hislop extended this connection to include goddesses from around the world: Ishtar, Ashtoreth, Venus, and others. In fact, Hislop argued that all of the systems of gods and goddesses find their origin with Nimrod and his wife Semiramis at the Tower of Babel. Thus, every primary god is a figure of Nimrod, and every primary goddess is a figure of Semiramis.