For nearly two thousand years, Christians have greeted each other at Easter with words that echo that morning. In the Eastern churches, one person says “Christ is risen!” and the other answers “He is risen indeed!” (in Greek, Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!). During the fifty days of Easter, Catholics replace the Angelus with the Regina Caeli, a joyful prayer to Mary at the resurrection of her Son.
Historical Context
An Easter Morning Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are risen!
The tomb is empty, death is beaten,
and nothing will ever be the same.
Roll away the stones in my life:
the fear, the guilt, the grief I’ve sealed away.
Let me live today as someone who knows the ending.
Alleluia!
Amen.
The Regina Caeli
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
For he whom you did merit to bear, alleluia,
has risen, as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray: O God, who gave joy to the world
through the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
grant that through the prayers of his Mother, the Virgin Mary,
we may obtain the joys of everlasting life.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
A Prayer for Hope in Grief
Risen Lord, I’m grieving this Easter.
Because you rose, I believe I’ll see my loved one again.
Hold that hope for me when I can’t.
Amen.
Best Times for This Prayer
- On Easter Sunday morning.
- At 6am, noon and 6pm during the Easter season, with the Regina Caeli.
- At a funeral, as a statement of hope.
Scripture Connection
“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” — Matthew 28:6
“As he said.” Jesus had told his disciples he would rise, and they didn’t understand. Easter is the day his promises turned out to be exactly true.
Related prayers
For Easter, see the Easter Communion Prayer and Holy Thursday Prayer. For new life, the Butterfly Prayer.