Triodion of Lent. The services of Great Saturday speak of Christ’s victory over hell and death, salvific for all humanity, not for some specific group of people: “Life, how can you die? How can you abide in the tomb? But You have destroyed death by death and announced to those from ages in hell true deliverance, Savior, rising from the dead as the first.” “Death was deadened, hell was captured, those imprisoned by it are freed by Your resurrection; let us rejoice and clap our hands, celebrating with joy.” “Having performed extraordinary miracles, Christ, You were voluntarily crucified on the cross, and having united with the dead, the Tormentor of hell, You resurrected all the imprisoned with Your power.”
“Having destroyed the gates of hell and broken the shackles, Life-giver Savior, You resurrected all the dead who cried out: glory to Your resurrection.”
“Christ, the Life-giver, having risen from the grave, granted resurrection to all mankind, presenting us with life and immortality, as He loves mankind.”
“We glorify Your, Christ, resurrection from the dead, through which You freed Adam’s race from the torment of hell and as God granted the world eternal life and great mercy.”
The thought of the destruction of hell, the cessation of its power over people, is sung in the canons of early Great Saturday:
“Lord my God, I offer You funeral songs and an epitaph song, for by Your burial You have opened the entrance to life for me and by Your death, killed death and hell.” “Hell still reigns over the human race, but not forever, for, having been laid in the tomb, You, the Immortal, by Your life-giving hand destroyed the power of death and announced to those in hell from ages eternal true liberation, Savior, rising from the dead as the first.”
In the stichera of the evening service, which is combined with the Liturgy of Great Saturday, it is again affirmed that hell is now despoiled, it has returned all who were in it: “Today hell, groaning, cries out: it would have been better for me not to have received the One born by Mary, for coming against me, He destroyed my power and broke the bronze gates; the souls that I held earlier, He as God resurrected.” “Today hell, groaning, cries out: my former dominion has collapsed. The Shepherd was crucified and resurrected Adam. Those over whom I reigned – I have lost; those I managed to swallow, all have returned. The crucified has despoiled the graves, and the dominion of death languishes.”
Triodion of Flowers. The theme of the transition to life of all people is already heard in the irmos of the first song of the canon of St. John of Damascus:
“Resurrection day, let us be enlightened, people: ‘Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha! For from death to life, and from earth to heaven has Christ our God led us, triumphantly singing’.” The Resurrection of Christ is sung as an event of universal scale, concerning not only all people but also creation as a whole: “My Savior, the living and unslain sacrifice, Yourself as God of Your own volition offered to the Father, and having raised up with Yourself the forefather of all, Adam, having risen from the tomb.” “We celebrate the killing of death, the destruction of hell, another life eternal beginning.” “The angel announced to the grace-filled: Pure Virgin, rejoice, and again I say: Rejoice, Your Son has risen from the tomb and resurrected the dead; people, rejoice.”
Often and many times is sung the troparion of the feast of Pascha:
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life.”
About the granting of the possibility of salvation to all people without exception, other texts of the Triodion of Flowers also speak: “Hell was captured, take courage, you dead; the tombs have opened, rise from hell, Christ calls to you, who came to deliver all from death and decay.” “You ascended of Your own will on the tree, were laid as dead in the tomb, and all the dead in hell You together resurrected, Christ, having risen by divine power.” “Death was killed, hell was captured, those in chains were freed by Your resurrection; let’s rejoice and clap our hands, celebrating with joy.” “Having performed specific miracles, Christ, You were voluntarily crucified on the cross, and having united with the dead, the Tormentor of hell, You resurrected all the imprisoned with Your power.”
“Having destroyed the gates of hell and breaking the shackles, Life-giver Savior, You resurrected all the dead who cried out: glory to Your resurrection.”
“We magnify You, Life-giver Christ, who for our sake descended to hell and with Yourself RESURRECTED ALL” – magnification on the second Sunday after Pascha (on Antipascha Sunday). Note the words I emphasized “all” and “resurrected” (past action), not will resurrect (sometime in the future). After the completion of each service (after the dismissal) from Pascha to Ascension, when the troparion “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life,” after the singing of this Paschal troparion, the church sings: “And to us He granted eternal life, we worship His three-day resurrection.” That is, not only did He resurrect those who were in the tombs, but He granted eternal life to all, that is, resurrected all!