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THE ORTHODOX VENERATION OF THE THEOTOKOS |
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Written by St. John Maximovitch, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco
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The
Orthodox Church teaches about the Mother of God that which Sacred Tradition and
Sacred Scripture have informed concerning Her, and daily it glorifies Her in
its temples, asking Her help and defence. Knowing that She is pleased only by
those praises which correspond to Her actual glory, the Holy Fathers and
hymn-writers have entreated Her and Her Son to teach them how to hymn Her.
"Set a rampart about my mind, O my Christ, for I make bold to sing the
praise of Thy pure Mother" (Ikos of the Dormition). "The Church
teaches that Christ was truly born of Mary Ever-Virgin" (St. Epiphanius,
"True Word Concerning the Faith").
"It
is essential for us to confess that the holy Ever-Virgin Mary is actually
Theotokos (Birth-giver of God), so as not to fall into blasphemy. For those who
deny that the Holy Virgin is actually Theotokos are no longer believers, but
disciples of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (St. Ephraim the Syrian,
"To John the Monk").
From Tradition it is known that Mary was the daughter of the aged Joachim and
Anna, and that Joachim descended from the royal line of David, and Anna from
the priestly line. Notwithstanding such a noble origin, they were poor.
However, it was not this that saddened these righteous ones, but rather the
fact they did not have children and could not hope that their descendants would
see the Messiah. And behold, when once, being disdained by the Hebrews for
their barrenness, they both in grief of soul were offering up prayers to God -
Joachim on a mountain to which he had retired after the priest did not want to
offer his sacrifice in the Temple and Anna, in her own garden, weeping over her
barrenness -- there appeared to them an angel who informed them that they would
bring forth a daughter. Overjoyed, they promised to consecrate their child to
God.
In nine months a daughter was born to them, called Mary, Who from Her early
childhood manifested the best qualities of soul. When She was three years old,
her parents, fulfilling their promise, solemnly led the little Mary to the
Temple of Jerusalem; She Herself ascended the high steps and, by revelation
from God, She was led into the very Holy of Holies by the High Priest who met
Her, taking with Her the grace of God which rested upon Her into the Temple
which until then had been without grace. (See the Kontakion of the Entry into
the Temple.
This was the newly-built Temple into which the
glory of God had not descended as it had upon the Ark
or upon the Temple
of Solomon). She was
settled in the quarters for virgins which existed in the Temple, but She spent so much time in prayer
in the Holy of Holies that one might say that She lived in it. (Service to the
Entry, second Sticheron on "Lord, I have cried,"and the "Glory,
Both Now Being adorned with all virtues, She manifested an example of
extraordinarily pure life. Being submissive and obedient in all, She offended
no one, said no crude word to anyone, was friendly to all and did not allow any
unclean thought (abridged from St.Ambrose of Milan, "Concerning the
Ever-Virginity of the Virgin Mary").
"Despite the righteousness and the immaculateness of life which the Mother
of God led, sin and eternal death manifested their presence in Her. They could
not but be manifested: Such is the precise and faithful teaching of the
Orthodox Church concerning the Mother of God with relation to original sin and
death" (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, "Exposition of the Teaching of
the Orthodox Church on the Mother of God"). "A stranger to any fall
into sin" (St. Ambrose of Milan,
Commentary on the 118th Psalm), She was not a stranger to sinful temptations.
"God alone is without sin" (St. Ambrose, same source), while man will
always have in himself something yet needing correction and perfection in order
to fulfil the commandment of God; Be ye holy as I the Lord your God am Holy
(Leviticus 19:2). The more pure and perfect one is, the more he notices his
imperfections and considers himself all the more unworthy.
The Virgin Mary, having given Herself entirely up to God, even though She
repulsed from herself every impulse to sin, still felt the weakness of human
nature more powerfully than others and ardently desired the coming of the
Saviour. In Her humility She considered Herself unworthy to be even the
servant-girl of the Virgin Who was to give Him birth. So that nothing might
distract Her from prayer and heedfulness to Herself, Mary gave to God a vow not
to become married, in order to please only Him Her whole life long. Being
betrothed to the elderly Joseph when Her age no longer allowed Her to remain in
the Temple, She settled in his house in Nazareth. Here the Virgin
was vouchsafed the coming of the Archangel Gabriel who brought Her the good tidings
of the birth from Her of the Son of the Most High. Hail, Thou that art full of
grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed an Thou among women ... The Holy Spirit
shall come upon Thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow Thee:
wherefore also that which is to be born shall be holy and shall be called the
Son of God (Luke 1:28-35).
Mary received the angelic good tidings humbly and submissively. "Then the
Word, in a way known to Himself, descended and, as He Himself willed, came and
entered into Mary and abode in Her" (St. Ephraim the Syrian, "Praise
of the Mother of God"). "As lightning illuminates what is hidden, so
also Christ purifies what is hidden in the nature of things. He purified the
Virgin also and then was born, so as to show that where Christ is, there is
manifest purity in all its power. He purified the Virgin, having prepared Her
by the Holy Spirit, and then the womb, having become pure, conceived Him. He
purified the Virgin while She was inviolate; wherefore, having been born, He left
Her virgin. I do not say that Mary became immortal, but that being illuminated
by grace, She was not disturbed by sinful desires" (St. Ephraim the
Syrian, Homily Against Heretics, 41). The Light abode in Her, cleansed Her
mind, made Her thoughts pure, made chaste Her concerns, sanctified Her
virginity" (St.Ephraim the Syrian, "Mary and Eve") "Once
who was pure according to human understanding, He made pure by grace"
(Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, "Exposition of the Teaching of the
Orthodox Church on the Mother of God").
Mary told no one of the appearance of the angel, but the angel himself revealed
to Joseph concerning Mary's miraculous conception from the Holy Spirit (Matt.
1:l8-25); and after the Nativity of Christ, with a multitude of the heavenly
host, he announced it to the shepherds. The shepherds, coming to worship the
new-born one, said that they had heard of Him. Having previously endured
suspicion in silence, Mary now also listened in silence and kept in her heart
the sayings concerning the greatness of Her Son (Luke 2:8-19). She heard forty
days later Symeon's prayer of praise and the prophecy concerning the weapon
which would pierce Her soul. Later She saw how Jesus advanced in wisdom; She
heard Him at the age of twelve teaching in the Temple and everything She kept in Her heart
(Luke 2:21-51)
Even though full of grace, She did not yet fully understand in what the service
and the greatness of Her Son would consist. The Hebrew conceptions of the
Messiah were still close to Her and natural feelings forced Her to be concerned
for Him, preserving Him from labours and dangers which it might seem, were
excessive. Therefore She favoured Her Son involuntarily at first, which evoked
His indication of the superiority of spiritual to bodily kinship (Matt. 12:46-49).
"He had concern also over the honour of His Mother, but much more over the
salvation of Her soul and the good of men, for which He had become clothed in
flesh" (St.John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, Homily 21). Mary
understood this and heard the word of God and kept it (Luke 11:27,28). As no
other person, She had the same feelings as Christ (Phil. 2:5), unmurmuringly
bearing the grief of a mother when She saw Her Son persecuted and suffering.
Rejoicing in the day of the Resurrection, on the day of Pentecost. She was
clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). The Holy Spirit Who descended
upon Her taught (Her) all things (John 14:26), and instructed (Her) in all
truth (John 16:13). Being enlightened, She began to labour all the more
zealously to perform what She had heard from Her Son and Redeemer, so as to
ascend to Him and be with Him.
The end of the earthly life of the Most Holy Mother of God was the beginning of
Her greatness. "Being adorned with Divine glory" (Irmos of the Canon
of the Dormition), She stands and will stand, both in the day of the Last
Judgment and in the future age, at the right hand of the throne of Her Son. She
reigns with Him and has boldness towards Him as His Mother according to the
flesh and as one in spirit with Him, as one who performed the will of God and
instructed others (Matt. 5:19). Merciful and full of love, She manifests Her
love towards Her Son and God in love for the human race. She intercedes for it
before the Merciful One, and going about the earth, She helps men.
Having experienced all the difficulties of earthly life, the Intercessor of the
Christian race sees every tear, hears every groan and entreaty directed to Her.
Especially near to Her are those who labour in the battle with the passions and
are zealous for a God-pleasing life. But even in worldly cares She is an
irreplaceable helper. "Joy of all who sorrow, and intercessors for the
offended, and feeder of the hungry, consolation of travellers, harbour of the
storm-tossed, visitation of the sick, protection and intercessor for the inform
staff of old age, Thou are the Mother of God on high, O Most Pure One"
(Sticheron of the Service to the Hodigitria). "The hope and intercession
and refuge of Christians", "The Mother of God unceasing in
prayers" (Theotokion of the Third Tone). "She day and night doth pray
for us and the sceptres of kingdoms are confirmed by Her prayers" (daily
Nocturne).
There is no intellect or words to express the greatness of Her Who was born in
the sinful human race but became "more honourable than the Cherubim and
beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim." "Seeing the grace of
the secret mysteries of God made manifest and clearly fulfilled in the Virgin,
I rejoice; and I know not how to understand the strange and secret manner
whereby the Undefiled has been revealed as alone chosen above all creation,
visible and spiritual. Therefore, wishing to praise Her, I am struck dumb with
amazement in both mind and speech. Yet still I dare to proclaim and magnify
Her: She is indeed the heavenly Tabernacle" (Ikos of the Entry into the Temple). "Every
tongue is at a loss to praise Thee as is due; even a spirit from the world
above is filled with dizziness, when it seeks to sing Thy praises, 0 Theotokos.
But since Thou art good, accept our faith. Thou knowest well our love inspired
by God, for Thou art the Protector of Christians and we magnify Thee"
(Irmos of the 9th Canticle, Service of the Theophany).
From The Orthodox Veneration of the
Mother of God, by St. John Maximovitch
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