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You bring the Hymnal, I'll bring the History
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The oldest hymn in many of our hymnals is the hymn, “The Day of Resurrection.” Its words were written by John of Damascus, a monk, living in the eighth century. He wrote the hymn to be used as part of the Easter liturgy of the Greek Orthodox Church. An interesting story concerns when John was writing his first hymn. It was to be a funeral hymn for a fellow monk who was on his death bed. John was singing the hymn loudly in his room, when the sick monk, for whom the hymn was being written, came in and scolded John for making so much noise. John was expelled from the monastery but later allowed to return because the abbot believed that John would do great things with music.

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The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad;
The Passover of gladness, the Passover of God.
From death to life eternal, from earth unto the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over with hymns of victory.

Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal of resurrection light;
And listening to His accents, may hear, so calm and plain,
His own “All hail!” and , hearing, may raise the victor strain.

Now let the heavens be joyful! Let earth her song begin!
Let the round world keep triumph, and all that is therein!
Let all things seen and unseen their notes in gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen, our joy that hath no end.
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