Hagiography of the Most-Holy Theotokos – Father Gavril (Galev)
THE MOST-HOLY THEOTOKOS
THE SOURCE OF LIFE
~+~
Especially for our Most-Holy, Most-Pure, Most-Blessed
glorious Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary[1]
Truly it is worthy
to call You blessed, Mother of God,
ever-Blessed and Most-Pure,
and the Mother of our God.
More honourable than the Cherubim and
incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim,
thou, who without corruption didst bring forth God the Word,
and art indeed Mother of God,
thee do we magnify.
When we talk about the One through whom the salvation of the world came and was worthy to become the Mother of God, and we describe Her life, it is better for us to remain silent, for we will not find words that can be used to describe Her. That is why we cannot make a better introduction to Her except the liturgical voice – that She is immaculate, more honourable and more glorious than any creation.
Our Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum, with special admiration for Her, writes:
“She taught us what is (Who Is) the meaning of our life.
She taught us what is (Who Is) the true faith.
She taught us what is (Who Is) the absolute obedience.
She taught us what is (Who Is) the renunciation of this world.
She taught us what is (Who Is) the ultimate alienation.
She taught us what is (Who Is) the heavenly humility.
She taught us what is (Who Is) the non-delusional circular movement of the mind in God, that is, a graceful prayer of the mind in the heart.
She taught us what is (Who Is) love.
She taught us what is (Who Is) perfect communion with God.
She is the perfect vessel of the God’s Tradition.
She permitted the incarnation of the Only-begotten Son of God in Her – of the Holy Spirit.
She gave birth to our Lord, the God-Man Jesus Christ.
She suffered reluctantly under the Cross of Christ, like no other human being – be that at any time.
She, from all of us, was the first to be resurrected.
She is the boundary between the uncreated and the created.
Through Her we receive every gift of God.
Every one of our gifts to God, He receives through Her.
She gave birth to the Church.
She is our Mother, and we are Her children.
“She is our Sovereign Lady the Theotokos and the Ever-Virgin Mary.”[2]
Very little is written about the Most-Holy Theotokos in the Gospel. She is mentioned in the most important moments of Christ’s life and His salvific dispensation. . Without Her participation, the dispensation of salvation would be impossible, and only through Her was it fulfilled. She is the One for whom the whole human race waited to be born, in order to give birth to our Saviour, and to be delivered from sin, death, and eternal corruption. That is why we respect and mention Her so much on every exclamation of the Liturgy: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us”, and that saving exclamation is written above the holy doors of the iconostasis in every Orthodox Church.
Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God
Your birth, Virgin Theotokos,
has proclaimed joy to the whole universe,
for The Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, has shone from You. O Theotokos!
By annulling the curse, He bestowed a blessing.
By destroying death, He has granted us eternal Life.
(Troparion of the Nativity of the Mother of God)
The parents of the Most-Holy Theotokos were called Joachim and Anna, and they were of royal descent. But in time, the power of their royal lineage was lost and they were just ordinary people, unrecognisable among the people. Joachim was of the lineage of Abraham and David, and Saint Anne was of the priestly lineage of Aaron. Thus, Mary by Her father was of the royal lineage, and by Her mother was of the hierarchical lineage, and with that She was already foretelling the One who would be born of Her as King and High Priest.
These spouses, living in accordance with the Law of the God, were righteous before God. They used one-third of their earnings for themselves, and the rest was distributed to the poor and offered as a sacrifice in the temple. At that time, there were no more God-pleasing people on Earth than Joachim and Anna, and therefore God made them worthy to be the parents of the Most-Holy Virgin, pre-chosen as the Mother of God. But these holy spouses, by the will of God, were childless for a long time, so that in the very conception and nativity of such a daughter the power of grace may be manifested, as well as the honour of the Nativity, and the dignity of the parents.
Joachim and Anna grieved for a long time that they had no children. Once, on a big feast, the pious Joachim, according to custom, approached to offer two doves as a sacrifices to God. But, Issachar, the High Priest at that time, refused to receive his gifts and said to him: “You are not worthy to offer a gift from your hands, because you are childless and do not have the blessing of God because of some of your secret sins.”
This greatly afflicted Joachim, and he left the temple embarrassed and humiliated; the feast turned into weeping for him, and the joy turn to sorrow. Out of great sorrow Joachim did not return home, but went to the distant desert, where the shepherds were tending his flocks, and there he wept over his childlessness. He began to earnestly pray to God to bless him with a child, as He did once with Abraham, so that he too could be called a father. In addition to the prayer, Joachim fasted for forty days without tasting bread, and he said: “I will not eat nor return home, but my tears will be my food and the wilderness my home, until the Lord God of Israel answers me and visits me.”
In the meantime, word of what happened to Joachim in Jerusalem reached the pious Anne, who remained at home in Nazareth. Then she began to cry with inconsolable tears and to say:
“Now I am the saddest and most unhappy of all: God Has rejected me, people are rebuking me, my husband is not by my side! What more can I cry about: because of the widowhood or childlessness? Is it because I was not worthy to be called a mother or because I was alone?”
She shed tears incessantly, tasted no food, and, like the mother of the Prophet Samuel, prayed in great sorrow for God to liberate Her from childlessness.
So, once, just after she had finished her earnest prayer, an angel of God stood in front of her and said to her:
“Anna, your prayer has been heard; your sighs passed over the clouds, and your tears appeared before the Lord. Behold, you will conceive and bear a Most-Blessed Daughter, by whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed, and through Her the salvation of the world will come. She will be called Mary!”
When she heard these words, Saint Anna hurried to Jerusalem to thank God in the holy temple.
At the same time, an angel appeared to Saint Joachim and said to him: “Joachim, Joachim! God has heard your prayer and has granted His blessing for His grace to be poured on you: behold, your wife Anna will conceive and bear a Daughter, and She will be a joy to the whole world. Here is a sign for the truth of my words: go to Jerusalem and there, in front of the golden doors, you will find your wife, to whom the same thing has been announced! ”
And Saint Anna conceived on the ninth day of the month of December, furthermore, on the eighth of September She gave birth to a Daughter, the Most-Blessed Virgin Mary, the beginning and mediator of our salvation, and for Her both heaven and earth rejoiced.
Her parents kept Her “as the iris of the eye is kept,” and raised Her with exceptional care, as is befitting of the One who was to be the Mother of our Saviour. They loved Her not only as a long awaited Daughter, but also as their Sovereign Lady, remembering the words of the Angel. And She, being full with the grace of God, mysteriously enriched Her parents with the same grace.
Presentation of Theotokos into the temple
“The angels beheld the entrance of the Most-Pure One and were amazed,
how has the Virgin entered into the Holy of Holies “
(sticheron from the feast of the Great Supper)
Thus, when She was three years old, Her holy righteous parents, Joachim and Anna, decided to present her to the service of God according to their promise. They summoned all their relatives from the royal and ecclesial lineage, as well as a choir of impeccable virgins. On behalf of the righteous Anne, St. Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople, says: “I have fulfilled before the Lord the covenant that my mouth made in my sorrow, and because of this I have gathered a choir of virgins with candles, I have called priests, I have gathered my relatives, saying to all, ‘Rejoice with me all, for today I have manifested myself as a mother and as a parent, bringing forth my daughter, not unto the king of the earth, but unto God, the King of Heaven. ‘”
So they departed on a three-day journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem. And when they arrived in Jerusalem, they solemnly entered into the temple – and into the temple, they introduced another temple full of the Holy Spirit, the three-year-old girl, the Most-Pure Virgin Mary. The holy parents, the father on one side and the mother on the other, gently led their God-given Daughter. Saint Theophylact, Archbishop of Ohrid, describes this event thusly: “The daughter forgets her father’s house and is brought to the Emperor, Who yearns for Her beauty. She is brought, not without honour and glory, but with an honourable retinue … All Jerusalem gathered to see this miraculous send-off, and saw the three-year-old Virgin, surrounded by so much glory and honoured by such a retinue. “Not only the inhabitants of the earthly Jerusalem, but also of the heavenly Jerusalem, the holy angels, came to see the glorious presentation of the Most-Pure Virgin Mary.”
Joining the visible choir of pure virgins, a choir of Incorporeal Minds was invisibly present, leading the Most-Pure Virgin Mary to the Holy of Holies, and by the command of the Lord, they surrounded her as the chosen vessel of God. St. Gregory, Archbishop of Nicomedia, says about this: “Her parents had already led Her to the doors of the temple, surrounded by angels, with the common joy of all the Heavenly Powers. For the angels, although they did not know the power of the mystery, yet, as servants, by the command of the Lord, they served at Her entry into the temple. So they were at first amazed to see that She was a precious vessel of virtue, that she bore the marks of eternal purity, and that She had a body such that no sinful defilement would ever approach; and secondly, fulfilling the will of the Lord, they performed the service entrusted to them. ”
At the time of the bringing in of the Old Testament Ark into the temple of the Lord, an earthly king walked ahead, who then reigned over Israel, the Holy-father David. And at the time of bringing in to the temple of God of this full with the Holy Spirit vessel, Most-Pure Virgin – before her walked not an ordinary earthly king, but the Heavenly King to whom we pray: “The King of Heaven, Comforter, Spirit of truth …” The Holy Church also testifies to this: “In the Holy of Holies together with the Holy Spirit is introduced the Holy and the All-Pure One.” The holy righteous parents Joachim and Anna themselves, according to the testimony of St. Tarasius, sang the song of the ancestor David: “Listen, daughter, see and incline your ear. And forget your people and the house of your father. For the King coveted Your beauty ”(Ps. 44: 11–12).
According to Blessed Jerome, there were fifteen steps in front of the temple. The righteous parents raised the Virgin to the first step, and She quickly reached the top, strengthened by the invisible power of God. At the top, she was welcomed by the great high priest Zacharias, the father of St. John the Forerunner. As a prophet, by the revelation of God, he foresaw the future of this Virgin and, as Saint Theophylact of Ohrid says, he was “taken over by the Spirit.” According to St. German, Zacharias said to Her: “Go, most divine and newest gift! Enter with joy into the temple of Your Lord in joy: in the lower part of the temple, accessible to men, and in a short time even into the part inaccessible to them! ”
And the Virgin Mary, being merry and rejoicing, entered the house of the Lord like in a palace: for even though She was small in age, being only three years old, yet She was perfect by the grace of God, as foreknown and chosen by God before the creation of the world. The Virgin Mary’s parents, having followed the law, offered sacrifices to God, received a blessing from the priest, and returned home.
Thus the Most-Pure and Blessed Virgin Mary was introduced into the temple of the Lord. In doing so, the high priest Zacharias did an unusual and miraculous thing: he introduced the Virgin into the tabernacle itself, that is, into the Holy of Holies, which was behind the second curtain, in which was the Ark of the Covenant, completely covered with gold, and cherubim of glory overshadowed the altar, where not only women but also priests were not allowed to enter, and only the high priest could enter once a year. There the high priest Zacharias assigned a place for the Most-Pure Virgin for prayer.
According to the testimony of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Gregory of Nyssa the other virgins, who lived in the temple until a certain age, were given a place for prayer between the church and the altar. None of these virgins were allowed to enter the altar, for it was strictly forbidden by the high priest. The Most-Holy Virgin, on the other hand, was not forbidden at any moment from Her presentation to enter the inner altar behind the second curtain and pray there.
The Blessed Virgin since Her childhood, when She was in the temple with the other virgins, Her peers, lived her life in strict order: from early morning until nine o’clock She stood in prayer; from nine to three o’clock in the afternoon She was engaged in handicraft or reading books, and from three o’clock in the afternoon She resumed her prayer, and did not stop praying until an angel appeared to her, from whose hands She was accustomed to receive food.
St. Gregory Palamas in the Sermon on the Presentation of Theotokos in the temple says: “The Most-Holy Virgin, while staying in the temple, freed herself from all material shackles and bonds and cast them aside, at the same time rising above compassion for Her own body and gathering Her mind in focus only towards God, with attention and unceasing divine prayer. And through prayer, Her wholeness became Her own and ascended above the diverse multitude of thoughts, established a new and inexpressible path to Heaven, which I will call “the silence of the mind”. And by surrendering Her mind to this silence, She overcame all creation, and She saw better than Moses, the glory of God, and She was devoted to the divine grace, which is by no means subject only to the power of the senses, but is a wonderful and sacred contemplation, inherent to innocent souls and minds. Because She partook of this contemplation, the Most-Holy Theotokos – as the Church hymns were being sung – became a shining cloud of truly living water, the dawn of the mysterious day, and the chariot of fire of the Logos.”
According to Blessed Jerome, She was visited every day by angels. And if anyone were to ask me how the Most-Pure Virgin spent Her time in Her youth, I would answer: “ It is known only to God, and is inaccessible even unto Her guardian, the Holy Archangel Gabriel, who often came with other angels and with love talked with Her.” Living thus with the angels in the Holy of Holies, the Most-Pure Virgin wished to live forever in angelic purity and chastity. She vowed Her virginity to God, because in the Old Testament it was unusual for girls not to marry, because marriage was more respected than virginity.2 But the Most-Pure Virgin was the first to prefer virginity before marriage, and by promising Herself to God, She served Him day and night in pure virginity, and the Most Holy Spirit, by the will of God the Father, prepared in Her the abode for God the Word.
1) Sticheron on the feast of the Great Vespers.
2) At that time everyone wanted to have offspring so that his memory would be preserved on earth as long as possible, so that if not himself, at least his descendants could become partakers of the Kingdom of the expected Messiah – the Saviour.
Annunciation
Today is the beginning of our salvation and the revelation of the eternal mystery:
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin, as Gabriel announces the good news.
That is why let us also cry to the Theotokos:
Rejoice, O Full of Grace, The Lord is with You!
(Troparion of the Annunciation)
When eleven years of service and abode of the Most-Holy Virgin in the temple of Jerusalem had passed, and fourteen years since Her birth, that is, when She entered Her fifteenth year of Her life, the priests told Her that, according to the Law, She could no longer remain in the temple, but ought to get engaged and get married. But to the great surprise of all the priests, the Most-Holy Virgin replied that She was devoted to God and that She wanted to remain a girl (Virgin) until death, without marrying anyone.
Then, by the providence and inspiration of God, the High Priest Zacharias, the father of Saint John the Baptist, together with the other priests, gathered twelve unmarried people from the tribe of David, to entrust to one of them the Virgin Mary, in order to take care of Her, and to preserve Her girl-ship (virginity). She was entrusted to the old and righteous Joseph of Nazareth, who was also Her relative. At Joseph’s home, the Most-Holy Virgin continued to live as she did at Solomon’s temple.
But when the time which was prophesied by the prophet Daniel came to an end, and when God was pleased to fulfil His promise to Adam and the prophets, the great Archangel Gabriel appeared in the room of the Most-Holy Virgin, as some holy writers write, at the very moment when She held the book open to the prophet Isaiah and ponder his great prophecy: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son” (Isa. 7:14).
Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Most-Holy Theotokos in the Arch-angelical light and announced to Her:
“Rejoice, You who are Full-of-grace! The Lord is with you! ‘, The One who was before You, is now with You, and a little later He will be born of You. He who is before all eternity is now in the time. Oh immense love-of-mankind! Oh unspeakable mercy! ”
Upon hearing this greeting, the Most-Holy Virgin was confused about what that miraculous greeting was. She was confused and amazed, because the Angel had never before come in such great heavenly glory and with such a joyful greeting, and She was also confused by the novelty of the greeting, that She, a girl, is counted among women. The Angel continued:
“Behold! You will conceive in Your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end ”(Luke 1: 30-33).
To this the Most-Holy Virgin Mary said to the Angel: “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (Luke 1:34).
This does not mean that the Most-Holy Virgin did not believe in the words of the Angel, but She, being filled with the grace of God, knew exactly that She would give birth to the Announced One, because She had learned this from God Himself in the temple; She just did not know how this would happen, being a girl, who did not know a man. St. Gregory of Nyssa says, it is as if the Most-Holy Mother of God said to the Angel: “Tell me the way of the Nativity, O Angel! And you will find My heart prepared for God’s purpose. “Because I want such a fruit, but without violating virginity.”
And the Angel answered and said to Her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Highest will overshadow You; therefore, the Holy One who is to be born of You will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35).
“From Him you will conceive in Your womb; He will conceive in You, in a way that is beyond contemplation. The Holy Spirit, The One who does everything, will do that in You, O, Most-Holy Virgin, in Your pure womb He will seedlessly arrange, from Your body, another body for the bodiless God the Word. For through You, a door sealed with purity and with virginity guarded (upheld), the Lord will pass as a ray of sunshine passes through glass and crystal, sanctifying and illuminating You with His divine glory, in order to become a true Mother-of-God, bringing forth a perfect God and a perfect Man, and remaining a virgin at giving birth as you were before giving birth,” said Saint Ambrose.
Hearing this good news, the Most-Pure One answered with the deepest humility: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to Me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). And immediately in Her womb, by the action of the Holy Spirit, incarnation took place in an unspeakable way, without bodily pleasure, but not without spiritual pleasure. Because then the heart of the Most-Pure Virgin was especially melted from the godly yearning, and Her spirit burned with the flame as of Seraphim’s love, furthermore Her whole mind was immersed in God and was delighted by His love in an unspeakable way. And in that, in Her spiritual delight, with sweet love of God and mind observation of God, the Son of God was incarnate, and the Word became flesh and, by incarnation, dwelt among us.
“Because the King of all, greatly desired the mysterious beauty of Ever-Virgin Mary, as David before prophesied” (Ps. 44:11). “He made the heavens to bow and He also and came down” (Ps. 17: 9), and overshadowed Her” (Luke 1:35), that is, the power of the Most High came to dwell in Her in His very Hypostasis. He did not reveal His presence through darkness and fire, as He did with Moses (2Moses 19:16; 18), nor through the storm and the cloud, as He did with Elijah (1 Kings 18:45), but the revealed power of the Highest directly overshadowed the perfectly pure womb of the Virgin without anything mediating, neither the air of the earth or the sky, nor anything visible or invisible. “Because that was not overshadowing, but a perfect union,” said Saint Gregory Palamas.
Nativity of Christ
Your Nativity, Oh Christ our God,
has shone to the world the Light of wisdom!
For by it, those who worshipped the stars,
were taught by a Star to worship You,
the Sun of Righteousness, and to know You,
the Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You!
(Troparion of the Nativity of Christ)
When the righteous Joseph saw that She was heavy with child, he sank into great confusion and sorrow because he thought that She had broken the covenant of virginity. According to St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Joseph, being all confused, said to the Blessed Virgin:
“What has happened to you, Mary? Are You not a chaste Girl, brought up in the sacred courtyards of the temple? Are You not the Mary who did not even want to look at a man’s face? Where is the palace of Your chastity? Where is Your shy face? “I am ashamed, and You are brave because I cover Your sin.”
But She replied: “If I speak for myself, then I will be vainglorious.” “Be patient, Joseph, so the shepherds will make it manifest to you about Me.” And She said nothing else, other than: “The Lord is alive, Who, so far, has kept Me in perfect virginity, so that I know no sin and no one has come near Me, and the Child which is in me is by the will and action of God.”
Joseph, however, planned to leave Her secretly. But the night before he departed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in Her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bring forth a Son and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. ‘
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with Child, and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means, God is with us.’
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took to him his wife ”(Matthew 1: 20-24).
The following is also known: at the time when the Most-Pure Virgin Mary was expectant, the High Priest and the whole Sanhedrin found out about it. Then they brought the Most-Pure Virgin and the righteous Joseph before the High Priest and the Sanhedrin. The High Priest said to the Virgin Mary: “Have you forgotten God, You who were brought up in the Holy of Holies, You who received food from the hands of angels and listened to the singing of angels. What have you done? ”She wept and said,“ Alive is My God, I am clean and I do not know a man. ” Then the High Priest said to Joseph, “What have you done?” Joseph answered: Alive is my God, I am clean from Her. To this the High Priest said: “Because you did not bow your head under the right hand of God to bless your offspring, and secretly met the Virgin, who is dedicated to the Lord as a gift, therefore you are both obliged to drink the water of exposure, that the Lord may make your sin known to all.”
Such a judgment was instituted by God through Moses, described in the fourth book of Moses: if there was a suspicion that someone had committed adultery and did not tell the truth about it, then to that person was given water that carries a curse , this was done by a special priestly act. And after the judgment of God, after drinking that water, there was a kind of exposure (of the sin) in the man who committed adultery, after which the lawlessness was revealed. The High Priest first gave to Joseph to drink of that water and then to Mary, but no exposure of sin occurred. Then the High Priest said to them, “If the Lord did not make manifest your sin, go in peace then.” And Joseph took Virgin Mary, and returned to his house, praising the God of Israel.
When the nine months of the good news (annunciation), announced by the Archangel Gabriel, were fulfilled, in those days a decree was issued by Caesar Augustus to register all the inhabitants of the Roman Empire. “It was the first census of Quirinius’ rule in Syria. So they all went to register, everyone in his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was heavy with Child; So it was, that while they were there, the time came for Her to give birth. And She gave birth to her firstborn Son, and She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn ”(Luke 2: 1-7).
Since there was no room for them in the inn because of the multitude of people who came to be registered, the righteous Joseph and the Most-Holy Virgin took refuge in a cave. There, the Most-Pure and Most-Blessed Virgin, at midnight, prayed fervently to God, and being in theistic mind and burning because of the yearning and love for Him, She painlessly gave birth to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because She conceived purely, so She likewise gave birth, without losing Her virginity, as St. Gregory of Nyssa says: “The Virgin conceived, the Virgin carried, the Virgin gave birth, the Virgin remained. “None of the wonders of this world are similar to this.”
Many miracles happen during the Nativity of Christ. At the same hour, when the Lord Christ was born, in the cave a spring of water began to flow, out of the rock, and in Rome a fountain of oil sprang from the earth and flowed into the river Tiber. The idol temple collapsed, many idols were crushed, and three suns appeared in the sky. But the greatest miracle was when the angels descended to earth, singing songs, and they clearly shown themselves to the people.
Thus the holy announcer Gabriel appeared to the three shepherds and announced the joy of the Saviour’s Birth. In doing so, he pointed to a sign of the truth of his announcement, saying, ” And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:12). And immediately after this appearance of Archangel Gabriel, they went to Bethlehem, and when they arrived into the cave, they saw the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph, and the God-Child wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And they immediately believed that this was Christ the Lord, the expected Saviour, and they told about the appearance of the angel. “And all that heard them were astonished at all that the shepherds recounted. And Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as they were told ”(Luke 2: 18-20).
Meeting of the Lord
Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace!
For from you shone the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.
Enlightening those who were in darkness!
Rejoice, and be glad, O righteous Elder;
For you accepted in your arms the Redeemer of our souls,
Who grants us Resurrection.
(Troparion on the Meeting of the Lord)
On the fortieth day of the Nativity, the Most-Holy Virgin brought Her Divine Son to the temple in Jerusalem, to offer Him to God and to purify Herself, in accordance with the Law (3Moses 12: 2-7; 2Moses 13: 2).
Although neither of the actions were necessary, the Lawgiver did not want to transgress against His Law, which He gave through His servant and prophet Moses. Moreover, the Most-Holy Theotokos being all pure and immaculate, came to be cleansed in order to show that She is obedient to the Law. Being humble, without being proud of Her virginity and purity, but on the contrary, as unclean, She came to stand in the place of the unclean women at the door of the temple of the Lord and to seek purification, not abhorring the unclean and the sinners. Moreover, She offered sacrifice, not like the rich, who offered a sacrifice of a year-old lamb, but like the poor, who offered a pair of doves, or two young pigeons. Thus, She showed humility in everything, She was loving of poverty, and She avoided the pride of the rich.
Holding Jesus in Her arms, She knelt before God, and with great piousness and reverence offered Him and handed Him over to God, saying:
“Primordial Father, behold the One whom You gave birth to without a mother before all ages. And I by Your gracious-will at the end of time gave birth to Him without a husband. Behold the firstborn Fruit of My womb, incarnated in me by Your Holy Spirit, and born of Me in an unspeakable way, as You alone know. Behold My Firstborn, but He is Your Firstborn, co-eternal and co-transcendent to You, the Firstborn, the only One who resemblance You, because He descended from You without deviating from Your Deity. Accept the incarnate Word from Me, by Whom You have established the heavens, by Whom You have founded the earth, by Whom You have gathered the waters in one. Receive from me Your Son, Whom I offer to You, so that You may do with Him and with Me what is Your will, and with His body and blood, which You took from Me, to save the human race. ”
Saying this, the Mother of God laid Her beloved Child in the hands of the High Priest, as if laying Him in the hands of God Himself.
The Holy Fathers say that when the Most-Pure Virgin came to the temple with the God-Child, the Holy Prophet Zacharias did not put Her in the place allocated for women to be cleansed, but in the place allocated for girls (virgins), where women who have a husband could not stand. When the Scribes and Pharisees saw this, they began to disagree and murmur. Zacharias opposed them, saying that this Mother is a pure Virgin even after giving birth. But because they did not believe, the saint (Zacharias) told them that human nature, like every created creature, is subject to its Creator, and it is in His omnipotent hands to act upon every creature according to His will, even to make the Virgin give birth, and after giving birth to remain a Virgin.
When Jesus, as a Child was brought to the temple in Jerusalem by the Most-Pure Virgin Mary, the Spirit of God appeared to the Elder Simeon, a righteous and pious man, who was then very old and white (grey) as a swan. Simeon hurried to the temple and there he recognized the Mother of God with the Infant, according to the light that surrounded them. Being joyful, the Elder took Christ in his arms, and his heart trembled with unspeakable joy, singing joyfully before his repose and saying:
“Lord now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” Then Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for the sign which will be spoken against, and to You also, a sword will pierce through Your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed'” (Luke 2, 29–30; 34–35).
The prophetess Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, also came and spoke prophetically to everyone about the Child.
When the Scribes and Pharisees heard this, they became so angry that they informed King Herod of what had happened. Since the wise men from the east did not return from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to tell Herod about the newborn King, but on an angel’s command went another way to their homeland, King Herod became furious as an angry beast and ordered all the children up to two years of age, in Bethlehem and all around Bethlehem to be killed. This terrible royal order was immediately carried out. His soldiers killed some children with the sword, other children were smashed on stones, other children were crushed with their feet, and yet even other children were strangled by their hands. And the weeping and wailing of the mothers went up to heaven; the screaming and bitter wailing: “Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more” (Jer. 31:15; Matthew 2:18).
But the soldiers did not find the Divine Child, because an Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and told him to take the Child with His Mother to Egypt. And the holy Joseph together with the Most-Pure Theotokos did not return to Bethlehem, but to Galilee, to his hometown of Nazareth, and from there they immediately departed for Egypt. They also took with them Joseph’s eldest son, Jacob, who was later called the Brother of the Lord, and he served them during the journey.
“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him” (Luke 2:40).
Escape to Egypt
“Out of Egypt I called My Son”
(Hosea. 11, 1)
After a few days, the holy travellers found themselves in the waterless desert, through which the people of Israel walked from Egypt to the Promised Land. The road ran through the desert and often disappeared among the sand dunes, where robbers often meandered. In the desert there was no opportunity to procure the food for sustenance, in view of this all that was required had to be brought with them, and they had only one donkey, which the Mother of God needed with the Divine Child. During the day they were exposed to unbearable heat, and at night they were forced to protect themselves from the cold.
According to the Holy Tradition, in one place in the middle of the desert they were attacked by robbers, who wanted to take their donkey. But one of the robbers was so amazed with the beauty of the Divine Child that he did not allow his companions to rob the holy travellers. “If God Himself took on a human form, He would not be more beautiful than this Child!” He said, not knowing himself that he was speaking the truth. Then the Most Holy Mother of God said to the good and prudent robber: “Believe that this Child will not forget your kindness. He will repay you with a good gift, because you have now spared His life!” And this was the exact robber who was later crucified at the right hand of the Lord Christ and who was worthy to be the first to enter Paradise with Him, according to the words of Christ: “Today, you will be with me in paradise!” (Luke 23:43). Thus, in him, the words of the Mother of God were fulfilled.
Near the Egyptian city of Hermopolis was a huge, beautiful tree, in which there was an impure force. The people worshiped that tree and offered sacrifices to it as to a deity. When the Most-Holy Virgin approached it with Her God-Child, the tree shook violently from the root, and the evil spirit, terrified by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, fled, and the tree lowered its branches to the ground, giving due homage to its Creator and to His Most-Pure Mother. The tired travellers took refuge from the scorching heat of the sun under its shadowy branches. Since then, the tree branches has remained lowered as a sign of the Lord’s coming to Egypt, and people began to receive healings from various diseases through its leaves.
After that, Saint Joseph, together with the Most-Holy Theotokos and the God-Child Jesus, entered the idol temple there, which had three hundred and sixty-five idols, and at that very instant all the idols fell to the ground and broke. Thus was fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“Behold, the Lord will sit on a light cloud (that is, in the hands of the Most-Pure Virgin) and will come to Egypt. And the idols of Egypt shall tremble before him” (Isa. 19: 1).
Then they came to the village of Natarea, near Heliopolis, where they lived for several years in a small house. Another miracle happened there: a spring of fresh water suddenly appeared near their house, from which the Most-Pure Virgin drew water for various needs, as well as for bathing Her Child. That spring still exists today, and the most amazing thing is that it is the only source of fresh water in all of Egypt.
How long the holy travellers spent in Egypt is not known. Saint Epiphanius says two years, Saint Nicephorus – three, and George Kedrenos – five years. The Holy Gospel only says that after Herod’s death an angel of God appeared to Joseph again, and, according to God’s command that the angel passed on to him, the holy family returned to the land of Israel. They relocated into the city of Nazareth, where they once lived, to fulfil the prophecy that he would be called a Nazarene.
The love of the Mother of God
Virgin Mary, You are the vessel and the Tabernacle that contains all the mysteries.
You know that which the patriarchs never discerned, you experienced that which was never revealed to the angels, You heard that which the prophets never heard.
In a word, all that was hidden from previous generations was revealed to You;
even more – most of these miracles refer to You.
(Saint Gregory of Neocaesarea the Miracle Worker)
Furthermore in the Scriptures, the Most-Holy Theotokos is mentioned once more, when She together with the righteous Joseph and Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover.
“And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not notice Jesus but supposed Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. So it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. When they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.” (Luke 2: 42–52).
Further, in the Gospel, She is mentioned only towards the end, in the last years of the Lord on earth, in the days of His sufferings. When almost everyone left (forsook) Him, She, despite the dangers, never left Him and was always with Him. Venerable Silouan Atonite considers Her love to be the most perfect among men, and therefore He says:
“We cannot attain to the perfection of the love of the Mother of God, and therefore we cannot bear Her pain either. The love of the Mother of God was perfect. She loved Her Son and Her God infinitely, just as She also loved people. What She did not suffer was when the people She loved so much, and to whom She wished salvation, crucified Her beloved Son? “Her love for God is stronger and more fervent than the love of the seraphim and cherubim, and She is admired by all the powers of heaven, both archangels and angels.”
But Her Son did not leave Her either, but at the point of His death on the Cross He thought of Her, and at the moment of His greatest suffering He said to His beloved apostle John, indebting him: “‘Behold your Mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took Her to his own home ”(John 19:26-27). Jesus also looked at His Mother, who was weeping beside the apostle John, and said to Her, “Woman, behold, Your son!” (John 19:25). Saint John became Her protector, and the Theotokos – his mother. From then, Saint John the Theologian and all the Holy Apostles took Her under their protection and She was always with them. With Her prayers, gentle counsel, meekness, and patience, She greatly helped the apostles of Her Son. Until Her death, She spent most of Her time in Jerusalem, often touring places that reminded Her of the great events and great works of Her Son. She was particularly frequent on Golgotha, Bethlehem, and the Mount of Olives. When our Sovereign Lady, bowing on Her knees, offered prayers and thanksgiving to God on the Mount of Olives, then the following miraculous event took place: the olive trees, as if they had souls, bent their tops to the ground and worshiped God together with the Theotokos. The trees served Her as servants, showing Her respect.
From amongst Her longer travels, the following are recounted; Her visit to St. Ignatius the God-bearer in Antioch, Her visit to the holy Lazarus who was dead for four days and resurrected by Christ, Bishop of Cyprus, Her visit to the Holy Mountain (Mount Athos), which She blessed, and also Her stay in Ephesus with Saint John, during the great prosecution of the Christians in Jerusalem. When, by God’s providence, the Most-Holy Theotokos sailed with Saint John from Joppa to Cyprus, to visit Saint Lazarus who was dead for four days and resurrected by Christ, the ship they were on sailed off course to the then pagan Athos, there they were forced to take shelter near the port of the present-day Iviron Monastery. The Theotokos went off ashore and, being amazed by the beauty of the nature that She saw there, She blessed the surrounding nature and asked the Lord to turn that place into Her garden. Thus, according to the Holy Tradition, a voice was heard saying: “Let this place be Your inheritance and Your garden, paradise and heaven of salvation for all who seek that!”
The Dormition (Falling Asleep) of Theotokos
In giving birth You preserved your virginity,
in falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos.
You were translated to life, O Mother of Life,
and by Your prayers, You deliver our souls from death
(Troparion of the Dormition of Theotokos
In Her old age She often prayed to God in the Mount of Olives, at the place of His Ascension. She prayed to God to take Her out of this world as soon as possible. She often repeated David’s words: “When shall I come and appear before the face of God? My tears are bread day and night ” (Ps. 41: 3-4). When will I see my precious Son? When will I go to Him (to the One?), Who sits at the right hand of God the Father? When will I stand before the throne of His glory? When will I be fulfilled to see His face? Oh, sweet Son and My God! It is time to have mercy on Me, Your Mother, Who in the valley of the weeping of this world mourns that She does not see Your face. Bring My soul out of My body as if out of darkness, for as a deer rushes to brooks, so My soul longs for You, O God, that I may be fulfilled when Your glory appears to Me.”
Once, when She was praying to the Lord Christ to remove Her from the body and take Her to Himself in Heaven, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her and told Her that She would repose in three days. As a sign of Her victory over death, that is, that bodily death will have no power over Her, as well as the soul, the Archangel gave Her a palm frond, which shone with heavenly grace, to be carried at the time of Her funeral.
At the end of the prayer, the Most-Holy Theotokos returned home and immediately everything shook from the divine power that invisibly surrounded Her, and from the most-holy glory that illuminated Her Most-Pure Face. Her face, even before then, shone everywhere with the grace of God. She first informed Her adopted son, the beloved disciple of Christ, John, and when he learned about Her imminent success, he immediately informed Saint James, the brother of the Lord, the first Bishop of Jerusalem. Saint James, furthermore, informed all Christians, not only in Jerusalem, but also in the surrounding towns and villages. And together with Saint James all the relatives and many faithful came to visit the Mother of God.
With great joy, the Most-Holy Theotokos wished to see all the Apostles of Christ once again. The Lord granted Her wish, and all the Apostles, carried on clouds by the Angels, suddenly gathered in the house of Saint John in Zion. It was with great joy that She saw the Holy Apostles. She encouraged them, counselled them, and comforted them, and then the chosen vessel, the godly Apostle Paul, arrived. Falling at the feet of the Most-Holy Theotokos, he bowed to Her and said: “Rejoice, O, Mother of Life and the meaning of my preaching! For although I did not enjoy seeing of the face of Christ, my Lord, here on earth, before His Ascension into Heaven, yet looking at You now, it is as if I were looking at Him.”
The Apostle Paul was accompanied by his close disciples: Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, Saint Hierotheus and Saint Apostle Timothy. Other Apostles from that group of seventy were also present, and the Most-Holy Mother of God, called each of them to Herself by name, She blessed them and praised them for their faith and the hardship they endure in preaching the Gospel of Christ. To each She wished eternal bliss and She prayed for peace in the whole world.
On the third day, at the blessed hour, the Most-Holy Theotokos was lying on a decorated death bed (bier), waiting for the coming of Her much-loved Son and Lord. Then all the people saw the roof of the house open, as the glory of the Lord descended from heaven: and, behold, the King of glory, with His countless Archangels and Angels, and all the Powers of Heaven, and the Holy Forefathers and Prophets that prophesied of Her, and with all righteous souls, He approached His Most-Pure Mother.
Seeing Her Son, the Most-Holy Mother of God exclaimed with great joy: “My soul glorifies the Lord, and My spirit rejoices in God, My Saviour, for He has looked upon the humility of His Handmaid” (Luke 1: 41-42). And rising from the death bed, She worshipped Her Lord. And He, approaching Her, and lovingly looking at Her, said: “Come, My closest; come, My Dove; come, My most precious Pearl, and enter into the abode of eternal life.”
The Mother of God, bowing to Him, answered Him: “Blessed be Your name, Lord of glory and my God! You were pleased to choose Me, Your humble handmaiden, to serve Your mystery. Therefore, remember me, Oh King of Glory, in Your Eternal Kingdom. You know that I loved You with all my heart and kept the riches entrusted to Me by You, and now receive My spirit in peace, and protect Me from the power of darkness, so that no satanic force may meet Me.” Then the Most-Holy One said: “My heart is ready, O God, My heart is ready” (Ps. 107: 1), and then again She repeated Her previous saying: “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Then She peacefully surrendered Her soul to God, without any pain or physical illness.
Then the Apostles, weeping, surrounded the death bed, that is Her honourable body, from which a miraculous fragrance emanated, and accompanied by a multitude of Christians carried Her to the Garden of Gethsemane, to the tomb of Saints Joachim and Anna. By God’s providence, the procession was sheltered by a cloud, from the wicked Jews. A Jewish priest named Athonios grabbed the funeral bier with his hands, intending to turn it over, but at that moment an Angel of God cut off both his hands. Then he begged for help from the Apostles, and after saying that he believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, he was healed.
Also those who received healing, being defeated by their blindness, but now saw their sin and, with repentance, turned to the bier of the Most-Holy Theotokos, and touched it with faith, and they immediately began to see, not only with the physical, but also with the spiritual eyes. For the merciful Mother of all, the Most-Holy Sovereign Lady, Who with Her birth gave joy to the whole universe, so in Her dormition did not want anyone to be sad – like the gentle Mother of the gentle King, She, even mercifully comforted Her former enemies with Her grace and kindness.
When the Holy Apostles, and the multitude of Christians reached the Garden of Gethsemane and laid the bier with the Most-Holy Body on it, there was again weeping and mourning among the people. Giving the last kiss with tears to the All-Pure Body, only towards the evening did they manage to place the All-Pure Body in the tomb. But even then, when they placed the big stone on the entrance of the tomb, they did not leave bound by their great love of the Mother of God. The Holy Apostles spent three days beside the tomb of the Most-Holy Mother of God praying, and during that time a miraculous song of Heavenly Armies was heard in the air, praising God and glorifying the Mother of God.
The Apostle Thomas, by God’s providence, was absent again, in order to be reveal a new and glorious mystery of the Most-Holy Theotokos. Namely,on the third day he also arrived, and wished to kiss the Body of the All-Pure Sovereign Lady. But when the apostles opened the tomb, they found only the shroud, and the body was not inside. And kissing the honourable shroud with tears and adoration, together they prayed to God to reveal to them what had happened to the All-Pure Body of the Most-Holy Theotokos.
In the evening the Holy Apostles sat down to support themselves with some food. And they had such a custom at the table: they left one place empty, and put on it a piece of bread in honour of Christ, and as portion for Him. And at the end of the meal, giving thanks to the Lord, they took the aforementioned piece of bread, called the Lord’s portion, they lifted it up, glorifying the great name of the Holy Trinity, and at the end of the prayer, they said: “Lord Jesus Christ, help us!” and they ate that piece as the Lord’s blessing.
That evening, when at the end of the dinner they wanted to lift up that piece of bread left in honour of the Lord, they suddenly heard angelic singing. Raising their eyes, they saw the Most-Pure Mother of God, alive, surrounded by a multitude of Angels. She said to them, “Rejoice, I will be with you for all ages.” And the Holy Apostles, being filled with joy, instead of the traditional saying “Lord Jesus Christ, help us!” exclaimed: “Holy Mother of God, help us!”
At the hour of the Dormition of the Mother of God, the Lord, together with the Heavenly Angels and Saints, ascended Her soul not to Heaven, but “to His Royal Throne, into the Holy of Holies,” as Saint John of Damascus writes. In regards of Her Dormition, Saint John of Damascus says, “How can the Source of life pass through death into life?” With the death of the life-giving Mother, God passes over death and therefore He does not name it “death”, but “Dormition”, “Holy Intersession” and the way to God. Even if this event is called death, it is life-giving and represents a passage to immortal and heavenly life.
Theotokos our intercessor before God
Saint Ambrose of Milan, speaking of the earthly life of the Most-Holy Virgin Theotokos, describes her as follows: “She was a Virgin not only in body but also in soul, humble in heart, pious, vigilant in her words; she constantly read the Scriptures, she was tireless in her labours, chaste in her conversations, speaking with people as before God. She did not insult anyone, she wished everyone well; she respected everyone, she did not make fun of anyone, but with Her love she covered everything she saw; from Her lips came nothing other than grace; all Her works radiated the most sublime virginity; Her outward appearance was a reflection of Her inward perfection, gentleness, and benevolence.”
According to St. Epiphanius and the ecclesiastical historian Nicephorus Callistus, the Most-Holy Virgin Mary was of medium height or slightly taller, “her hair light brown; her eyes were clear with olive colour; eyebrows curved and dark, nose not short, mouth filled with sweet words; face not round and not sharp, but slightly elongated; hands and fingers longer. ” Her clothes were simple, without any ornaments, as can be seen from Her turban that has been preserved to this day. In a word, the immense grace of God was present in all of Her.
Saint Dionysius the Areopagite also longed greatly to see the Theotokos. Thus, three years after his conversion to Christianity, with the blessing of his teacher, the holy apostle Paul, he travelled from Athens to Jerusalem. Regarding that event, he wrote:
“I confess before God, Oh glorious teacher and guide, that it seemed to me unbelievable that besides our God, there is a being so abundantly filled with divine power and miraculous grace. Yet, not only with the spiritual but also with the physical eyes I have seen what no human mind can comprehend. Yeah, yeah, I saw with my own eyes the God-resemblant, the All-Holy Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, more Holy than the heavenly spirits …
I confess again and again before the omnipotence of God, before the grace of the Saviour and before the glorious perfection of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, that when John, the supreme apostle and the greatest prophet, who shines on earth like the sun in the sky, brought me to the God-resemblant and Most-Holy Virgin Mary, I was enlightened not only on the outside but also on the inside by such a great and immeasurable divine light, and such a miraculous fragrance spread, that neither my powerless body nor my spirit could bear such miraculous signs and primordial (elementals) of eternal bliss. My heart weakened, my spirit weakened within me from Her glory and divine grace.
God is my witness, who was born of Her virgin womb, that I would have acknowledged Her as the true God and worshiped her as I ought to worship only the true God, if your divine teachings and laws were not still fresh in my newly enlightened mind. One cannot attain greater bliss, honour and glory than the bliss I vouchsafed to see the Most-Holy Theotokos. I was perfectly blissful and happy then. I thank the Almighty and Delightful God, the Divine Virgin Theotokos and the glorious Apostle John, and you, the High Representative and Head of the Church, for doing to me such a great good.”
She strengthened them all, comforted them all with the consolation of the Holy Spirit, and she prayed for all. When the holy apostles were imprisoned in darkness, the Mother of God offered for them a prayer of thanksgiving to God, and an angel of God was sent to them, who that night opened the door of darkness and carried them out (Acts 5: 18-19). When the holy first-martyr Stephen was brought to death, the Mother of God walked far behind him, and when he was stoned, she stood far away with St. John the Theologian and earnestly prayed to the Lord to strengthen him in the suffering and to receive his soul. When Saul was bothering and persecuting the Church, the Mother of God prayed fervently to God for him to turn him from a bloodthirsty wolf into a meek lamb, from an enemy to an apostle, from a persecutor to a disciple and teacher of the universe. Through Her intercession and grace, the Church was so strengthened that even the gates of hell could not harm the Church, and for that, the Mother of God rejoiced greatly, in accordance to the words of David, as a mother rejoices over her children (Ps. 112, 9).
*
We respect you even today, O Sovereign Lady, O Sovereign Lady, and again I say: O Sovereign Lady! Virgin Theotokos! By binding our souls with hope to You, as to the most firm and totally unbreakable anchor, fully surrendering our minds, souls and bodies to You, we praise You with ‘psalms, hymns and spiritual songs’ (Eph. 5:19), as much as we can, for we are not worthy. (…)
Intercede for us, O good Sovereign Lady, Parent of the good Bishop, lead us where You want, and stop our shameful passions, calm the storm and lead us to the peaceful harbor of the God’s will, and honour us with the future bliss, with the sweet and wonderful splendour of the Incarnate by You God the Word, Who, together with the Father and the All-Holy and Life-Giving Spirit, is worthy of glory, now and forever. Amen.
Fr. Gavril Galev
Abbot of the monastery “St. Clement of Ohrid”,
Kinglake, Melbourne, Australia
26 / 01 / 2022
[1] Возглас од Божествената Литургија на свети Јован Златоуст.
Exclamation from the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom.
[2] Митрополит Струмички Наум, „Нови личносни односи“, Библиотека Воведение, Велјуса, 2016, стр. 215.
Metropolitan of Strumica, Naum “New Personal Relations” Library of Introductions, Veljusa, 2016 p. 215
