| Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel Commemorated on March 26 Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel: The Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to announce to the Virgin Mary about the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her, to the great rejoicing of all mankind. Therefore, on the day after the Feast of the Annunciation, the day on which the All-Pure Virgin is glorified, we give thanks to the Lord and we venerate His messenger Gabriel, who contributed to the mystery of our salvation. Gabriel, the holy Archistrategos (Leader of the Heavenly Hosts), is a faithful servant of the Almighty God. He announced the future Incarnation of the Son of God to those of the Old Testament; he inspired the Prophet Moses to write the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament), he announced the coming tribulations of the Chosen People to the Prophet Daniel (Dan. 8:16, 9:21-24); he appeared to Saint Anna (July 25) with the news that she would give birth to the Virgin Mary. The holy Archangel Gabriel remained with the Holy Virgin Mary when She was a child in the Temple of Jerusalem, and watched over Her throughout Her earthly life. He appeared to the Priest Zachariah, foretelling the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord, Saint John the Baptist. The Lord sent him to Saint Joseph the Betrothed in a dream, to reveal to him the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God from the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and warned him of the wicked intentions of Herod, ordering him to flee into Egypt with the divine Infant and His Mother. When the Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion, the Archangel Gabriel, whose very name signifies “Man of God” (Luke. 22:43), was sent from Heaven to strengthen Him. The Myrrh-Bearing Women heard from the Archangel the joyous news of Christ’s Resurrection (Mt.28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8). Mindful of the manifold appearances of the holy Archangel Gabriel and of his zealous fulfilling of God’s will, and confessing his intercession for Christians before the Lord, the Orthodox Church calls upon its children to pray to the great Archangel with faith and love. The Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel is also celebrated on July 13. All the angels are commemorated on November 8. Troparion — Tone 4 Gabriel, commander of the heavenly hosts,/we who are unworthy beseech you,/by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory,/and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you:/“Deliver us from all harm, for you are the commander of the powers on high!” Kontakion — Tone 8 Supreme commander Gabriel,/you are the glorious intercessor and servant/before the all-radiant, worthy, all-powerful, infinite and awesome Trinity./Ever pray now that we may be delivered from all tribulations and torments,/so that we may cry out to you:/“Rejoice, protection of your servants!” Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| The Ascension of our Lord The Gospel’s retelling of the Ascension is quite laconic. Christ said to the apostles His last words of comfort and hope (Luke 24:49); then, having walked to the top of the Mount of Olives, He blessed them and went away as if ascending into heaven. Why do I say “as if ascending”? Because the Savior did not fly away to the Moon, but entered into the glory of His Father; He did not leave the world, abandoning us, but is here, among us (Matthew 18:20) always to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20). In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Today we celebrate one of the twelve great feasts of the Church, the Ascension of our Lord. This feast, unlike immovable holidays, is directly related to Pascha and Pentecost. Ascension crowns the celebration of Pascha and prepares us to receive the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. All this time, from Pascha to Pentecost, listening to the words of the Gospel and of church hymns, we as if again and again recall and relive the joy which encompassed the holy apostles. Forty days from Pascha to Ascension they rejoiced in communion with the risen Savior (Acts 1:3): He came to them (Luke 24:36), stayed with them, ate with them (Luke 24:43), taught them and explained scriptures to them (Luke 24:45). We also, keeping our paschal joy like the flame of a small candle, feel the Savior’s presence, commune with Him in the sacrament of the Eucharist, listen to the holy scriptures and teachings. On the very day of Ascension, the Savior led His disciples to the Mount of Olives. Again we relive all the events connected with this marvelous place: it is here that Christ taught His apostles (Matthew 24:3); it is here that He visited Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38); it is here that He raised their brother Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43); here, descending to Jerusalem with the singing of “Hosanna” and “Blessed is he who comes” (Luke 19:38), Christ wept for the Holy City (Luke 19:41-44). At the foot of the Mount of Olives Christ and His disciples passed by the garden of Gethsemane, where on the stones there will always remain the stains from “His sweat” which “was like drops of blood” (Luke 22:44), and where He was betrayed by Judas only a month and a half ago (Mark 14:43); they walked passed the place where Protomartyr Stephen was soon to be killed. The significance of this mountain for Christians was so great that it is here that the Theotokos willed for her most pure body to be buried (from Dormition Matins). And now in this holy place, on top of this holy mountain Christ parted with His disciples. |
| Mary of Nazareth has been given many titles over the last two millennia. She is called the Virgin Mary, Theotokos (Greek: “Birthgiver of God”), Panagia (Greek: “All Holy One”), the Blessed Mother and Our Lady to name a few. No other woman has achieved such enduring fame and influence than has Jesus’ mother Mary. Through eyes of the world, Mary is a historical curiosity. Through the eyes of the Christian however, Mary is the preeminent follower of Jesus and an example to all believers. Everything she does and says points to her Son. A Life of Virtue Early on in the New Testament, we see Mary’s as the paradigmatic “handmaiden of the Lord.” Mary’s cousin Elizabeth greeted her while she was pregnant saying, “In a loud voice she exclaimed, ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed in the fruit of your womb!’ But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’” (Luke 1:43). Later in the scriptures we following the Ascension of the Lord, Mary is the only person mentioned by name in the Upper Room alongside the disciples following their return from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:14). Clearly we can see the importance placed on Mary from the earliest days of the Church. Let us explore some of the key virtues which we can learn from her. Obedience First, in Mary we find the epitome of Christian obedience. We read in the Gospel of Luke, that the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing that she had found favor with God and that she was the chosen vessel to bear the Messiah telling her, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Her simple and humble response was, “Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). As an engaged Jewish teenager in first century Palestine, Mary makes her startling proclamation despite the social stigma, familial estrangement and debilitating economic consequences her obedience might bring about. None of this was done recklessly. Rather, obedience compelled confidence and deeper praise to God. It enabled Mary to proclaim to her Elizabeth, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the low estate of His handmaiden. For behold, from on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is His Name” (Luke 1:47-49). |
| Tweet Нравится The Veneration of the Theotokos According to the Bible Archimandrite Cleopa (Ilie) We Orthodox Christians honor the Theotokos Mary more than all the saints and angels of heaven for she was found worthy to give birth to Christ, the Savior of the world by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. The honor we render to the Mother of the Lord is exceptional, most honorable and most revered, for she is not only " a friend of His,” as are the other saints, but she is Most Holy (Panagia) above all the saints and all the angels. For this the angels as much as people venerate and honor her with prayers, hymns, church services and eulogies. Similarly the Archangel Gabriel greeted her at the annunciation (Luke 1:28-29) as well as Saint Elizabeth, the mother of Saint John the Baptist (Luke 1:40-43). The Most Holy Virgin herself prophesied through the Holy Spirit For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; for He that is mighty has done to me great things (Luke 1:48-49). From these words we understand that the exceptional honor accorded to the Mother of the Lord is intentional and appointed by God Himself. This exceptional honor that is accorded by the Orthodox Church to the Ever-Virgin Mary forms the veneration of the Mother of the Lord. In the framework of the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos, we must firstly mention the great feasts of the Mother of God, which are: The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Entry, the Annunciation, and the Dormition of the Theotokos. Then the services celebrated in the churches and the monasteries in her honor, the salutations, the canons of supplications, the hagiographic icons decorated so beautifully, especially the miraculous ones, and many other prayers through which we ask the help of the Mother of the Lord every day of our lives. We honor the Mother of God because she is the mother who gave birth to the Son of God and the first one who intercedes for the world in the presence of the Most Holy Trinity. She helps us much more in the conquest of salvation by her holy prayers. |
| On The Theotokos & Ever Virgin Mary From an article which appeared in the Dallas Morning News. Because of recent discussions about the Catholic Church’s considering defining a new dogma concerning the Virgin Mary it might be of interest to Christians of other Churches to have some explanation of the Orthodox Church’s position concerning her. The Orthodox Church honors and venerates the Virgin Mary as “more honourable than the Cherubim and more glorious without compare than the Seraphim…” Her name is mentioned in every service, and her intercession before the throne of God is asked. She is given the title of “ Theotokos ” (Greek for “Birth-giver-of-God), as well as “Mother of God”. She has a definite role in Orthodox Christianity, and can in no way be considered an instrument which, once used, was laid aside and forgotten. Objections to the veneration of the Theotokos are based primarily on what is called “a lack of scriptural evidence to support such a practice.” While it is true that the Church depends heavily on her Tradition other than Holy Scripture (Ecumenical Councils, liturgical books, and the writings of the Fathers) for details and the precise definition of the nature of the veneration of the Virgin Mary, there are several passages of the New Testament that really form the basis for our practice. The angel Gabriel was sent by God to announce to the Virgin the birth of the Saviour: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women.” (Luke 1:28) This angelic salutation forms a part of the hymn of the Church most frequently sung in her honor. Could we be wrong in repeating the words of the very messenger of God? Elizabeth, the Virgin’s cousin, considered it an honor for the Mother of her Lord to visit her. “And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43) Is there any real difference between saying “Mother of God” and “Mother of the Lord”? Surely, God is the Lord! (Psalm 118:27) In the course of her visit to Elizabeth, the Blessed Virgin spoke the words that form the principal hymn sung in her honor at the Matins service. |
| Tweet The Veneration of the Virgin Mary in the Orthodox Church Archbishop Dmitri (Royster) Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God. Because of recent discussions about the Catholic Church's considering defining a new dogma concerning the Virgin Mary it might be of interest to Christians of other Churches to have some explanation of the Orthodox Church's position concerning her. The Orthodox Church honors and venerates the Virgin Mary as " more honourable than the Cherubim and more glorious without compare than the Seraphim … " Her name is mentioned in every service, and her intercession before the throne of God is asked. She is given the title of " Theotokos " (Greek for " Birth-giver-of-God), as well as " Mother of God " . She has a definite role in Orthodox Christianity, and can in no way be considered an instrument which, once used, was laid aside and forgotten. Objections to the veneration of the Theotokos are based primarily on what is called " a lack of scriptural evidence to support such a practice. " While it is true that the Church depends heavily on her Tradition other than Holy Scripture (Ecumenical Councils, liturgical books, and the writings of the Fathers) for details and the precise definition of the nature of the veneration of the Virgin Mary, there are several passages of the New Testament that really form the basis for our practice. The angel Gabriel was sent by God to announce to the Virgin the birth of the Saviour: " Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. " (Luke 1:28) This angelic salutation forms a part of the hymn of the Church most frequently sung in her honor. Could we be wrong in repeating the words of the very messenger of God? Elizabeth, the Virgin's cousin, considered it an honor for the Mother of her Lord to visit her. " And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? " (Luke 1:43) Is there any real difference between saying " Mother of God " and " Mother of the Lord " ? Surely, God is the Lord! (Psalm 118:27) In the course of her visit to Elizabeth, the Blessed Virgin spoke the words that form the principal hymn sung in her honor at the Matins service. |
| 1. We believe in one Unbegotten God, Father Almighty, maker of all things both visible and invisible, that has His being from Himself. And in one Only-begotten Word, Wisdom, Son, begotten of the Father without beginning and eternally; word not pronounced nor mental, nor an effluence of the Perfect, nor a dividing of the impassible Essence, nor an issue ; but absolutely perfect Son, living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12), the true Image of the Father, equal in honour and glory. For this, he says, «is the will of the Father, that as they honour the Father, so they may honour the Son also» ( John 5:23 ): very God of very God, as John says in his general Epistles, »And we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ: this is the true God and everlasting life» (1 John 5:20): Almighty of Almighty. For all things which the Father rules and sways, the Son rules and sways likewise: wholly from the Whole, being like the Father as the Lord says, «he that has seen Me has seen the Father» ( John 14:9 ). But He was begotten ineffably and incomprehensibly, for »who shall declare his generation?» (Isaiah 53:8), in other words, no one can. Who, when at the consummation of the ages (Hebrews 9:26), He had descended from the bosom of the Father, took from the undefiled Virgin Mary our humanity (νθρωπον), Christ Jesus, whom He delivered of His own will to suffer for us, as the Lord saith: " No man takes My life from Me. I have power to lay it down, and have power to take it again» ( John 10:18 ). In which humanity He was crucified and died for us, and rose from the dead, and was taken up into the heavens, having been created as the beginning of ways for us ( Proverbs 8:22 ), when on earth He showed us light from out of darkness, salvation from error, life from the dead, an entrance to paradise, from which Adam was cast out, and into which he again entered by means of the thief, as the Lord said, " This day shall you be with Me in paradise» (Luke 23:43), into which Paul also once entered. [He showed us] also a way up to the heavens, whither the humanity of the Lord , in which He will judge the quick and the dead, entered as precursor for us. We believe, likewise, also in the Holy Spirit that searches all things, even the deep things of God (1Corinthians 2:10), and we anathematise doctrines contrary to this. |
| Confessing Christ Today " Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit... " . It is with the giving of glory to, and the invocation of, the Kingdom, that the Church begins the celebration of her fundamental mysteries, the sacraments. It is with the Eucharistic invocation, its giving of glory to, and its contemplation of, the Kingdom, that our lives are transfigured -in the midst of our everyday living - into the mystery and into the " image " of the Kingdom. Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania 31 March 2005 Can it be considered in any way appropriate today to refer to a kingdom – even if it be the Kingdom of God – at a time when criticism of, and hostility to, the institution of the monarchy has reached a state of paroxysm in many parts of the world? What kind of response is likely to be aroused today by such preaching or by the raising of such expectation? But exactly the coming of the kingdom of God means the surpassing of every other type of reign and power. “Thy Kingdom Come”, writes Origen, “that every authority and power and force and every kingdom of the world and sin which reigns in our mortal bodies be abolished, and that God reign over all of these”. “Thy Kingdom Come”, that the hypostatic LOVE (1 Jn 4:16) reigns absolutely in us, and in the universe. To those concerned with the interpretation of Holy Scripture it is clear that the “kingdom of God” or the “kingdom of heaven”, which lies at the core of Christ’s teaching, refers, firstly, to an eternal fact, secondly, to a new reality inaugurated by the life and the work of Christ in the history of mankind and, thirdly, to something that is to be fully realized in the future. We are concerned here with a central motive that dominates the so-called “synoptic tradition”. Luke and Mark predominantly use the expression the “kingdom of God” whereas Matthew usually refers to the “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of the Father”. This difference has given rise to not a few discussions, but eventually nearly all have agreed that the same fact of the “divine kingdom” is referred to in all instances. The same reality is also described as “life” (Mk 9:43, 46; Mt.7:13), “life everlasting” (Mk 10:17) – which in John is the central motive of Christ’s teaching – and these terms are associated with such ideas as “redemption” (Lk 21:28), and “glory” (Mk 10:37). |
| For the heirmoi, the classical chants in syllabic style are collected in a book called the Heirmologion, which may contain as many as 2,000 model stanzas. Like the Western Tonary, the Heirmologion is divided into one section per mode. The nine canticles are: 1 The song of Moses (Exodus 15.1–19) 2 The song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32.1–43) 3 The prayer of Hannah (I Kings 2.1–10) 4 The prayer of Habbakuk (Habbakuk 3.1–19) 5 The prayer of Isaiah (Isaiah 26.9–20) 6 The prayer of Jonah (Jonah 2.3–10) The prayer of the Three Children (the Benedicite, Apoc. Daniel 3.26–56 ) 7 The prayer of the Three Children (Apoc. Daniel 3.57–88 ) 8 The Magnificat and the Benedictus (Luke 1.46–55 and 68–79) Whatever the object of a canon may be (the celebration of a feast of the Lord or of the Virgin, or the commemoration of a saint or martyr), the hymn writer had to allude in each of the nine odes to its scriptural model. Church traditions (wrongly) attribute the invention of the canon to St. Andrew of Crete (ca. 660–740) and his famous Great Kanon of mid-Lent contains the exceptional number of 250 stanzas. But canon composition reached its peak in the 8th and 9th centuries, first in Palestine with examples by St. John Damascene (ca. 675-ca. 749) and St. Kosmas of Jerusalem (also known as St. Kosmas the Melodist or Kosmas of Maiuma; first half of the 8th century), then in Constantinople with St. Theodore, abbot of the Studion Monastery (759–826), and his brother Joseph (d. 833), the two Sicilians Methodios (d. 846) and Joseph the Hymnographer (d. 883), and the nun Cassia (ca. 810–65). SEE ALSO: Kontakion; Liturgical Books; Music (Sacred); Orthros (Matins) REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS Grosdidier de Matons, J. (1980–1) “Liturgie et hymnographie: Kontakion et Canon,” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 34–5: 31–43. Hannick, C. (1990) “The Performance of the Kanon in Thessaloniki in the 14th Century,” in D. Conomos (ed.) Studies in Eastern Chant, vol. 5. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, pp. 137–52. |
| Theologically, the discourse underlines the theme of Jesus» continuing presence with his people. 8046 In place of an eschatological discourse preceding the passion, as in the Synoptic traditions and probably traditions known to the Johannine community (which was, however, also capable of eschatological interpretation; cf. Rev), John treats his audience to an emphasis on the present experience of Jesus» presence through his past return to them. 8047 7995 E.g., Becker, «Abschiedsreden.» For a thorough summary of views on composition and redactional questions, see Segovia, Farewell, 20–47. 8011 Johnston, Spirit-Paraclete, 127. First John has more in common with this discourse than with the rest of the Gospel (perhaps because this discourse focuses on Jesus» message to disciples), though this need not imply the Epistlés author redacting this discourse (Smalley, Epistles, xxix). 8012 " Day, «John,» 770; see further 736–37. Similarly Witherington, Wisdom, 248, who attributes the repetition to sapiential style and «successive discourses given in a short span of time.» 8022 The lack of emphasis may, however, speak against a eucharistie interpretation (pace Moloney, «Reading»). 8024 E.g., Plato Symp.; Xenophon Symp.; Cicero Tusc; Plutarch Dinner; T.T.; Athenaeus Deipn.; Aulus Gellius 7.13. For elements of a mock symposium, see Trimalchiós dinner in Petronius Sat. In a Diaspora Jewish setting, see Letter of Aristaeus (specifically, Hadas, Aristeas, 42–43), which may draw on 1 Esd 3–4 (the latter is not, however, a dinner setting); in the Gospels, Luke 7:36–50; 11:37–54; 14:1–24 (Aune, Environment, 122). 8025 Stauffer, Jesus, 118. Even after a main meal (perhaps occurring here in 13:2) had been finished, people could drink more (Xenophon Cyr. 8.4.9). 8027 E.g„ Homer I1. 13.95–124; Battle of Frogs and Mice 110–112, 132–159; Polybius 15.10; Dionysius of Halicarnassus R.A. 6.6.1–6.9.6; Appian R.H. 8.7.42; 8.17.116; C.W. 4.16.126; Arrian Alex. 3.9.5–7. Such exhortations, however, also occur outside military contexts (e.g., P.Tebt. 703.40–43). |
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