That death has been destroyed, that the Cross has become the victory over it, and that it no longer has power but is truly dead is shown by no small proof—indeed, by clear evidence. All Christ’s disciples scorn death, advance against it, and no longer fear it. By the sign of the Cross and faith in Christ, they trample it down as dead.
Before the Savior’s divine coming, death was terrible even to the saints, and everyone mourned those who died as though they were perishing. But now that the Savior has raised His body, death is no longer terrible. All who believe in Christ trample it underfoot as nothing and prefer to die rather than deny their faith in Christ. For they truly know that when they die they do not perish but actually live and become incorruptible through the Resurrection.
The devil, who once wickedly exulted in death, has remained the only one truly dead now that death’s pangs have been loosed. There is proof of this: before people believe in Christ, they see death as terrible and fear it. But once they come to His faith and teaching, they scorn death so completely that they eagerly rush toward it and become witnesses to the Resurrection the Savior accomplished against death. Even the very young hasten to die, and not only men but women train themselves against death through ascetic practices. Death has become so weak that even women, whom it once deceived, now mock it as dead and powerless.
As when a tyrant has been defeated by a true king and bound hand and foot, everyone who passes by mocks him, strikes him, and insults him, no longer fearing his fury and cruelty because of the king who conquered him, so death too has been conquered and exposed by the Savior on the Cross and bound hand and foot. All who are in Christ trample it as they pass by and, bearing witness to Christ, mock death, taunting it with the words written against it long ago: “Death, where is your victory? Hades, where is your sting?”