Dr. Nick - Respectfully, the relationship between Psalm 23 and Christ's (re-)entry into Heaven is clearly demonstrated by the hymnography of the Ascension. Here are just a few examples:
Example #1 (First Sticheron at "Lord, I have cried"):
Example #2 (6th Idiomelon at the Lity):
Example #3 (2nd Sticheron at the Aposticha):
These are just a few examples; there are a number of others in the canons for the feast.
-Gabriel
Dear Gabriel, you are taking the use of the phrase "Lift up your gates" in the hymns you refer to out of their context. Also, Mr. Theodorakis is among the most knowledgeable Typikologists and very highly respected, and (see his short note) if he says a practice is wrong, I believe him. That should cause some pause for those advocating for a profane and out of line (with respect to received tradition) practice.
Let me put the use of the phrase "Lift up your gates" in the hymns you quote in the appropriate perspective:
a) Ὁ Κύριος ἀνελήφθη εἰς οὐρανούς, ἵνα πέμψῃ τὸν Παράκλητον τῷ κόσμῳ, οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἡτοίμασαν τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ, νεφέλαι τὴν ἐπίβασιν αὐτοῦ, Ἄγγελοι θαυμάζουσιν, ἄνθρωπον ὁρῶντες ὑπεράνω αὐτῶν, ὁ Πατὴρ ἐκδέχεται, ὃν ἐν κόλποις ἔχει συναΐδιον. Τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον κελεύει πᾶσι τοῖς Ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ·
Ἄρατε πύλας οἱ ἄρχοντες ἡμῶν, Πάντα τὰ ἔθνη κροτήσατε χεῖρας. ὅτι ἀνέβη Χριστός, ὅπου ἦν τὸ πρότερον.
The use of the verse refers to humankind opening up the gates to their inner self (their spirit, their soul) to celebrate the entry of Christ to the Heavens on His Ascension.
b) Ὅτε ἀνελήφθης ἐν δόξῃ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, τῶν Μαθητῶν ὁρώντων, αἱ νεφέλαι ὑπελάμβανόν σε μετὰ σαρκός, πύλαι ἐπήρθησαν αἱ οὐράνιαι, ὁ χορὸς τῶν Ἀγγέλων ἔχαιρεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει, αἱ ἀνώτεραι δυνάμεις ἔκραζον, λέγουσαι·
Ἄρατε πύλας οἱ ἄρχοντες ἡμῶν, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἐκπληττόμενοι ἔλεγον· Μὴ χωρισθῇς ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός, ἀλλὰ πέμψον ἡμῖν τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ πανάγιον, τὸ ὁδηγοῦν καὶ στηρίζον τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. Once again, the hymnographer borrows this verse as a commandment to humankind to open their souls and spirits to Christ on this feast of the Ascension.
c) Ἀναλαμβανομένου σου Χριστέ, ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους τῶν Ἐλαιῶν, αἱ δυνάμεις ὁρῶσαι ἑτέρα τῇ ἑτέρᾳ ἐβόων· Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος; καὶ φησὶ πρὸς αὐτάς·
Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κραταιός καὶ δυνάστης, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν πολέμῳ, οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης.....this comes to confirm the omnipotence of Christ God. Nothing else.
Mr. Theodorakis could, possibly, add to the reason why the folklore practice of borrowing part of the service of the Consecration of a Shrine (Church) for a pre-Vesperal "Paschal pre-celebration" is not in line with the ethos of the Christian church, nor is it supported as it is a profane folklore (theatrical) practice where the folklore refers to a dialogue between Christ and Hades. Had this folklore been considered useful by the monastic Typika of the post-Byzantine period, or any of the Orthodox churches (and their typika), we would be able to discern it. It simply does not exist in any.
The traditions of our church, as outlined inside the Typikon of the Great Church of Christ, are reasonable and complete for our parishes. One need not add cycles and epicycles (hymnodic or practices) to "enrich" them. The faithful already have difficulty in understanding even the simple matters of Holy Week. The last thing needed is the establishment of a profane practice where Christ is subservient to....Hades, asking his permission to save humankind.
Have a blessed Pascha!
NG