As we remember the Lord’s passion and death on the cross:
“… He [Jesus] surrendered himself as a ransom to death by which we were held captive, sold into slavery under sin. Descending by the cross into Hades to fulfill all things in himself, he freed us from Death’s despair, and rose on the third day, preparing the way for the resurrection of all flesh from the dead…”
[From the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great]
A prayer from the the Coptic Orthodox Agpeya
The Prayer of the Sixth Hour
O Jesus Christ, our God, who was nailed to the Cross at the sixth hour, You have put away sin by Your Cross. And through Your Death You revived man who was dead by sin, whom You had created with Your own hands. O Lord, put to death our sinful passions by Your healing and life-giving Passion. And through the nails of Your Crucifixion, rescue our minds from all foolishness of earthly deeds and desires, to the remembrance of Your heavenly commandments, according to Your great compassion.
Image: The oldest icon of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
St Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai, Egypt, Greco-Roman, 8th Century.