You are the crown of virginity, You are the Virgin Mother! And which of the people is able to adequately praise the all-sung Mary? Oh miracle! She is both Mother and Maiden! ( Closing speech at the III Ecumenical Council).
From the prince of this age the virginity of Mary, Her birth, and also the death of the Lord were hidden, three loud sacraments that took place in the silence of God.
Martyr Justin the Philosopher:
The power of God, which came upon the Virgin, overshadowed her and made the Virgin bear fruit.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa:
One and the same Mother and Virgin: neither virginity prevented Her from giving birth, nor did birth violate virginity.
She who said the words: “Behold the Handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) both after she conceived in her womb, the Virgin, and after she gave birth, the Virgin, for the prophet not only announced that the Virgin will conceive, but also what the Virgin will give birth to (Isa. 7:14).
Venerable John of Damascus:
Ever-Virgin Mary is the Mother of God. The Most Holy Virgin Mary gave birth to One who, being the true God, at the very moment of conception in Her womb took on human nature into the unity of His Hypostasis. So, even in the incarnation from Her, He was, and after the incarnation, He invariably remains the one Divine Person, as He existed from eternity before the incarnation. She gave birth to the Lord Jesus Christ - not according to His Divinity, but according to humanity, which, however, from the very moment of His incarnation, became inseparably and hypostatically united in Him with His Divinity. From the very moment of His incarnation, He was deified and became His own Divine Face. So both the conception, and the stay in the womb of the Virgin during a certain period of pregnancy, and the birth from Her actually belonged to His Divine Person. She gave birth not to an ordinary man, but to the true God, and not just to God, but to God in the flesh, who did not bring a body from heaven and pass through Her as through a channel, but who received from Her flesh, consubstantial with us, which received hypostasis in Himself.
Saint John Chrysostom:
The Holy Spirit shone in a pure mirror, in the immaculate body of the Virgin, forming a perfect Man not according to the law of nature, not in time, not from human seed, but with one appearance, spiritual and holy power, he moved the Virgin to birth, inexplicably searching for the Embryo in Her, as if what kind of fabric to save people.
The Virgin (Eve) expelled us from paradise, through the Virgin (Mary) we found eternal life - by which we were condemned, we were crowned.
Venerable Simeon the New Theologian:
The Lord borrowed most pure flesh from His Immaculate Mother, and gave Her Divinity instead of the flesh that She had given Him. Oh, a wonderful and wonderful exchange.
Saint Gregory Palamas:
The Virgin-Mother is, as it were, the only boundary between the created and uncreated Divine nature. And all who see God will recognize Her as the place of the Inconceivable. And all who praise God will sing Her after God. She is the cause of the blessings and gifts that preceded Her to the human race, and the Giver of the present, and the Intercessor of the eternal. She is the foundation of the prophets, the beginning of the apostles, the foundation of the martyrs, the foundation of the teachers. She is the glory of those on earth, the joy of those in heaven, the adornment of all creation. She is the beginning, source and root of the hope prepared for us in heaven, which may we all be worthy to receive through Her prayers for us, to the glory of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who was born before the ages and who was recently incarnate from Her.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa:
Speaking about the Uncorrupted and the Unartificial, it is impossible to use the word “conception” in the proper sense, because the words “virginity” and “carnal conception” are incompatible in One and the Same.
But just as the Son was given to us without an (earthly) father, so the Child is born without carnal conception. Just as the Virgin did not know how a body acceptable to God was formed in Her body, she did not feel birth. According to the testimony of the prophecy, She had a birth without illness: “before her pains came, she was resolved with a son” (Is. 66:7).
Venerable Ephraim the Syrian:
The Virgin Mary became heaven for us, God's throne, because the highest Divinity descended and dwelt in Her in order to magnify us... In Her the Divinity was clothed in a robe for us, so that through it we might receive salvation.
Venerable Nicodemus the Holy Mountain:
When you see the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, turn your heart to Her, the Queen of Heaven, and thank Her for the fact that She appeared so ready to submit to the will of God, that she gave birth to, nursed and raised the Savior of the world, and that in our invisible battle She never fails intercession to help us.
Nikifor Callistus:
She was of average height, or, as others say, somewhat more than average. Her hair was golden, her eyes were lively, her eyebrows were arched and dark, her nose was straight and elongated, her lips were blooming, her face was not round or pointed, but somewhat elongated, her arms and fingers were long.
Saint Ambrose of Milan:
She was a Virgin not only in body, but also in soul: humble in heart, careful in words, prudent, reticent, a lover of reading... hardworking, chaste in speech, considering not man, but God as the Judge of Her thoughts. Her rules were not to offend anyone, to be kind to everyone, to honor elders, not to envy equals, to avoid boasting, to be sensible, to love virtue. Has She ever offended her parents, even with the expression of her face, or been in disagreement with her relatives, been proud of herself in front of a modest person, laughed at the weak, or shirked the poor? She had nothing stern in her gaze, nothing imprudent in her words, nothing indecent in her actions: modest body movements, quiet gait, even voice; so Her appearance was a reflection of the soul, the personification of purity.
Nikifor Callistus:
During the conversation, She maintained modest dignity, did not laugh, was not indignant, and was not especially angry. Completely artless, simple, She did not think at all about Herself, and far from being effeminate, she was distinguished by complete humility. She was content with the natural color of her clothes, as Her sacred head covering now proves. In short, there was a special grace in all Her actions.
Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer:
We all know that the Ever-Virgin Mother of God is filled with grace and all the virtues. They say that She was always cheerful in persecution and troubles, was not upset in need and poverty, was not angry with those who insulted Her, but even did good to them. She was meek in prosperity, merciful to the poor and helped them as much as she could, she was a teacher in piety and in every good deed. She especially loved the humble, because She herself was filled with humility. Those who have seen Her give Her much praise. People worthy of trust told about Her that, due to Her holiness, in Her appearance Her angelic and human natures were united.
Saint Dionysius the Areopagite:
When I was brought before the face of the godlike, most luminous Virgin, a great and immeasurable Divine light enveloped me from the outside and inside, and such a wondrous fragrance spread around me that neither my weak body nor my very spirit was able to endure such abundant and great signs and firstfruits eternal bliss and glory. My heart fainted, my spirit fainted from Her glory and Divine grace! The human mind cannot imagine any glory and honor (even in the state of people glorified by God) higher than the bliss that I tasted then, unworthy, but honored by mercy and blessed beyond all imagination.
Saint Theophan the Recluse:
Annunciation and establishment of the sacrament of Body and Blood. What a combination! We partake of the true Body and true Blood of Christ - those same ones that, in the Incarnation, were received from the immaculate blood of the Most Pure Virgin Theotokos. Thus, in the Incarnation, which took place at the hour of the Annunciation, the foundation was laid for the sacrament of the Body and Blood. And now this is brought to the memory of all Christians, so that, remembering this, they honor the Most Holy Theotokos as their true Mother, not only as a prayer book and intercessor, but also as a nourisher of all. Children feed on their mother’s milk, and we feed on the Body and Blood, which come from the Most Holy Virgin Mary.
Saint Demetrius of Rostov:
Who would not be surprised that during the entire time from Adam’s crime to the incarnation of the Word of God, who came to earth to save the human race in half six thousand years, not a single virgin was found on earth who was pure not only in body, but also in spirit ? She alone turned out to be the first and last such Virgin who, by her physical and spiritual purity, became worthy of being the church and temple of the Holy Spirit. And just as then, thanks to her virgin purity, she ascended and approached God the Holy Spirit and united into one spirit with God, as the Scripture says: “he who is united with the Lord is one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17), so and in her most honorable Assumption she ascended by the same step to him, to heaven and above heaven. She ascended to God the Son by the level of humility, for through humility she became worthy to be His Mother. By the same step She ascended to heaven and surpassed in honor and dignity all the faces of the saints... By the same high level of deepest humility She achieved the highest honor of the Birth of God, incorruptible motherhood, for during Her humble words: “Behold, the Handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1, 38) in Her most pure virgin womb “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1, 14). Humility is the foundation of everything, and all other virtues serve as a kind of superstructure on this foundation. And in her life, the Most Pure Virgin approached God most of all through humility, Who says: “On whom will I look: the humble and contrite in spirit” (Is. 66:2). With the same humility and in her Assumption, She ascended to heaven and was elevated with glory to the throne of the Heavenly Kingdom, for humility reigns as the Most Pure Virgin where pride has been cast down.
She ascended to the third highest person of the Holy Trinity - God the Father - by the third highest step - love, for according to the Apostle “the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13). Through her She became the Daughter of the Heavenly Father. How the Most Pure Virgin loved God, no language can explain this, no mind can comprehend, for love is one of the unknown secrets of the heart, known only to God and the searching heart.
People have different types of love: they love their parents in a special way, or a friend, or a son. The love of the Most Pure Virgin had no differences, for the One Whom She loved was for Her both the Father, and the only Son, and the incorruptible Bridegroom. All of Her all-encompassing love was directed towards the one God, and for her sake She was called the bride of the Holy Spirit, and the Mother of God the Son, and the Daughter, not by such communion as all become faithful children of God, according to the words of Scripture: “To those who believe in His name He gave authority to be children of God" (John 1:12), and in another place: "And I will receive you. And I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 6:17-18) . The Most Pure Virgin became the daughter of God the Father by another, incomparably higher, most honest and closest assimilation.
Let us imagine that a certain man took in two young orphaned girls, raised them as daughters, and called them both his daughters, and then made one of them the bride of his half-blooded son. This young woman, who was married to his son, becomes, according to the law of nature, his closest daughter, related to him to a greater degree than that young woman who was not married to his son. For this one is only his named daughter, the first one, and according to the law of nature, becomes his daughter, since she becomes one flesh with his son, according to the law of nature - the daughter of the same father. The same can be said about the Most Pure Mother of God. So by these three steps (I do not mention countless others) the Mother of God now ascends to what is above: to God the Holy Spirit - with virgin purity, to God the Son with humility, and to God the Father - with love. I will say more: by all these steps She ascended to the one God in the Trinity. For with what she pleased God the Holy Spirit, with the same she pleased both God the Son and God the Father; by what she pleased God the Son, she pleased both God the Father and God the Holy Spirit; by what she pleased God the Father, she pleased God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
The divine body of the God-man was conceived Divinely and born Divinely. Virgo. performed the birth, being at the time of birth filled with the most holy spiritual joy. Disease did not accompany this birth, just as disease did not accompany the taking of Eve from Adam.
The Mother of God was the only verbal vessel into which God indwelt with His very being.
With all the greatness of the Mother of God, Her conception and birth took place according to the general law of humanity, therefore, the general confession of the human race about conception in iniquities and birth in sin also belongs to the Mother of God. The Mother of God confesses before all humanity in the Gospel... that the God born by Her is also Her Savior. If God is Her Savior, then She was conceived and born in sin according to the general law of fallen humanity.
The descent of the Holy Spirit on the Ever-Virgin took place twice. For the first time, the Holy Spirit descended on Her after the gospel spoken by the Archangel Gabriel, cleansed Her, pure according to human understanding, made her pure with grace, capable of receiving God’s Word into herself and becoming His Mother... The second time, the Holy Spirit descended on the Virgin on the day of Pentecost ... Then the Holy Spirit destroyed the dominion of eternal death and original sin in Her, elevated Her to a high level of Christian perfection, and made Her a new person in the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Mother of God did not know the struggle with carnal desires: before lust could act in Her, the Holy Spirit descended on Her, imprinted Her purity, gave Her spiritual pleasure, to which Her heart clung.
The Ever-Virgin is above all the saints, both for the reason that she became the Mother of the God-Man, and for the reason that She was the most constant, the most attentive listener and executor of the teachings proclaimed by the God-Man.
Just as the Lord replaced Adam with Himself, so He replaced Eve with the Mother of God. Eve, being created as a virgin, transgressed the commandment of God and could not retain the holy feeling of virginity... The Mother of God, being conceived and born in the sin of her forefathers, prepared Herself with a chaste and God-pleasing life into a vessel of God.
On the third day after Her blessed Dormition, the Mother of God resurrected and now lives in heaven in body and soul. She not only lives in heaven, She reigns in heaven... The Holy Church, turning with petitions to all the greatest saints of God, to all the Angels and Archangels, says to them: “Pray to God for us,” she asks the Mother of God alone: “Save us ".
Moscow Patericon:
In the summer of 1395, Tamerlane invaded the Russian borders. He boasted that grass does not grow where his horse steps. Tamerlane had already taken the city of Yelets, beat up many people and was moving towards Moscow. Grand Duke Vasily Dimitrievich hastily gathered an army and was waiting for a formidable guest at Kolomna. It was decided to transfer the famous Vladimir Icon from Vladimir to Moscow. There was crying in Moscow churches, countless candles glowed in front of the icons... Residents of Moscow with the grand-ducal family and all the clergy went out to Kuchkovo Field to meet the icon, and a miracle happened. At the hour of the meeting of the icon in Moscow, Tamerlane was sleeping in his tent. In a dream he saw a high mountain. Saints with golden rods descended from the mountain towards him, above them in the air in indescribable grandeur, in the radiance of bright rays, stood the radiant Virgin. Darkness of Angels surrounded the Virgin and held fiery swords in their hands... Tamerlane woke up in horror and called the wise men. “This Virgin,” they said, “is the Intercessor of the Russians, the Mother of the Christian God... Her power is irresistible.” Tamerlane ordered his hordes to turn back. “Tamerlane fled, says the chronicler, driven by the power of the Blessed Virgin.”
Trinity Patericon:
One day, late at night, the Monk Sergius performed the cell rule and sang the Akathist before the icon of the Mother of God, which he did every day... When he finished the prayer, his soul felt the approach of a heavenly phenomenon and he said to his cell attendant, the Monk Micah: “Watch, child: we will have a wonderful visit now." And immediately a voice was heard: “Behold, the Most Pure One is coming!” ...The elder stood up, went out into the hallway, and here a light brighter than the sun shone upon him. He saw the Most Blessed Virgin, accompanied by the apostles Peter and John the Theologian... Unable to bear this wonderful radiance and the indescribable glory of the Mother of Light, the Monk Sergius fell on his face. But the good Mother touched him and said: “Do not be afraid, My chosen one. Your prayer for your disciples has been heard. Do not grieve anymore for your monastery. From now on it will have abundance in everything - not only during your life, but also after that, how you go to God. I will not leave this place and will always keep it."
“The Annunciation is the day of good news that a Virgin has been found throughout the human world, so believing in God, so deeply capable of obedience and trust, that the Son of God can be born from Her. The incarnation of the Son of God, on the one hand, is a matter of God's love - the cross, affectionate, saving - and God's power; but at the same time, the incarnation of the Son of God is a matter of human freedom. St. Gregory Palamas says that the Incarnation would have been just as impossible without the free human consent of the Mother of God as it would have been impossible without the creative will of God. And on this day of the Annunciation, we contemplate the Virgin in the Mother of God, who with all her heart, all her mind, all her soul, all her strength managed to trust God to the end.
And the good news was truly terrible: the appearance of an Angel, this greeting: Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, could not but cause not only amazement, not only awe, but also fear in the soul of a virgin who did not know a husband - how is this could be?..
And here we grasp the difference between the wavering - albeit deep - faith of Zechariah, the father of the Forerunner, and the faith of the Mother of God. Zechariah is also told that his wife will have a son - naturally, despite her old age; and his answer to this message of God: How can this be? This can't happen! How can you prove this? What assurance can you give me?.. The Mother of God poses the question only this way: How can this happen to me - I’m a virgin?.. And to the Angel’s answer that this will happen, She responds only with words of complete surrender of Herself into the hands of God; Her words: Behold, the Servant of the Lord; wake me according to your word...
The word “slave” in our current usage speaks of enslavement; in the Slavic language, a person who gave his life, his will to another called himself a slave. And She really gave God Her life, Her will, Her destiny, accepting with faith - that is, with incomprehensible trust - the news that She would be the Mother of the incarnate Son of God. The righteous Elizabeth says about Her: Blessed is she who believed, for that which was spoken to Her by the Lord shall be done...
In the Mother of God we find an amazing ability to trust God to the end; but this ability is not natural, not natural: such faith can be forged in oneself through the feat of purity of heart, the feat of love for God. A feat, for the fathers say: Shed blood and you will receive the Spirit... One of the Western writers says that the Incarnation became possible when the Virgin of Israel was found, Who with all her thought, with all her heart, with all Her life was able to pronounce the Name of God so that It became flesh in Her.
This is the gospel that we have now heard in the Gospel: the human race gave birth, brought God as a gift to the Virgin, who was able in Her royal human freedom to become the Mother of the Son of God, who freely gave Himself for the salvation of the world. Amen".
We give here his story with brief explanations. In the sixth month after Elizabeth's conception, St. John the Baptist Angel Gabriel, or Archangel, as he is commonly called, (the name Archangel is the highest angel) was sent by God to the little-known Galilean town of Nazareth to the Virgin Mary, betrothed to a husband named Joseph. The reader should pay attention to the fact that the Evangelist Luke does not say: “To the virgin who is married,” but to “betrothed to her husband” because the Virgin Mary was only formally, from the point of view of the law, considered the wife of Joseph, but was not his wife in reality. An ancient legend explains why this happened. Even before the birth of Mary, Her parents, then childless, Joachim and Anna, made a vow, if they had a child, to devote him to serving God. In their old age, God sent them a daughter, whom they named Maria. When Mary was three years old, her parents sent her to be raised at the Jerusalem Temple. Living here for ten years in an atmosphere of prayer and contemplation of God, young Mary loved God so ardently that, of her own free will, she decided to devote herself entirely to Him and promised not to marry. When Mary turned 14, She could no longer stay at the temple, but had to either return home to her parents or get married. However, Her parents had already died several years before. The High Priest, knowing about Her vow of virginity and wanting to help Her fulfill Her intention, formally betrothed Mary to Her elderly relative, known for his righteous life - Joseph. At that time, Joseph was a widower and had a large family from his first marriage. He lived in Nazareth, located in the southern part of Galilee, where he worked as a carpenter (). So, the good old man Joseph agreed to take care of his young niece. Both of them were descendants of King David and were awaiting the coming of the Messiah.
But let's return to the gospel story. Appearing to the Virgin Mary, Angel Gabriel greeted Her: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”“Graceful” means having acquired the special love and favor of God. The appearance of the Angel and his extraordinary words confused Mary, and She began to reflect on their meaning. Calming Her, the Angel predicts to Mary the birth of a Son from Her, who will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign in the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.
The ancient kingdom of David, in which He Himself nominated kings, which was governed by the laws of God and all forms of civil life of which were imbued with the idea ministry God, was an image of the coming Kingdom of God. The main feature of David's kingdom was not its civil structure, but its spiritual ideal - as a society striving to live according to the will of God. After the kingdom of David ceased to exist as a result of the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar six hundred years BC, his ideal continued to inspire Jewish believers who awaited the coming of the Messiah-Savior. These included the Virgin Mary and Her parents, Elder Joseph, the parents of John the Baptist, righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, Elder Simeon the God-Receiver, the prophetess Anna, the Bethlehem shepherds and many other simple and believing Jews. The prophets predicted that with the coming of the Messiah, the kingdom of David would be restored and transformed into the Messianic Kingdom. Believing people from many nations and it will remain forever(Look , , , , ).
Saint Mary, wanting to remain a Virgin, asks the Angel in bewilderment: “How will it be (that I will become a Mother), when I don’t know my husband?” The angel reassures Her, explaining that Her vow will not be broken, since She will give birth to a Son supernaturally, without a husband. Here seedless conception will be carried out by the Holy Spirit, by whose action “The power of the Most High will overshadow Her,” that is, the Son of God Himself will descend into Her womb (According to the figurative comparison of the church song, the Holy Spirit, like the mysterious cloud that overshadowed the Old Testament tabernacle, will descend on the Virgin at the moment of conception,,). The Most Holy Virgin did not demand evidence from the Angel, but the Angel Gabriel himself, in confirmation of the truth of his words, pointed Her to Elizabeth, who conceived the Prophet John the Baptist in old age, by the will of God. After all, nothing is impossible for God. The Virgin Mary, seeing the will of God in all this, humbly answered: “Behold, the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.”
The voluntary consent of the Virgin Mary to become the Mother of the Messiah was absolutely necessary for the incarnation of the Son of God, because it always protects gift of free will which He has endowed on man. Moral freedom is a most valuable property that elevates us above soulless nature and above the animal world. Without it, we would be something like programmed robots, incapable of moral improvement. Being morally free, we can grow spiritually, improve and, thus, become like our Creator (In contrast to God, the devil strives to deprive a person of the God-like property of freedom; he tries to enslave a person - first morally, and then physically). Thus, after the free consent of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Her, and at that moment the greatest mystery was accomplished, incomprehensible, in fact, even to the angels: The inconceivable, unapproachable and eternal Lord descended into the virgin’s womb and, without incinerating her, took from her human nature, consisting of a body and a rational soul. The further development of the Fetus in the virgin’s womb proceeded according to the natural laws of nature, and the Virgin carried the Child within her until the day of His birth in Bethlehem (By the grace of God, the incomprehensible Miracle of the Incarnation of the Son of God is, as it were, repeated at every liturgy, when the Holy Spirit descends on the bread and wine lying on the throne, and transforms them into the Body and Blood of Christ. Thus, in the sacrament of Communion, the Lord introduces us to His Divine nature).
The meaning of the Annunciation
On the day of the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, the ancient prediction of Isaiah was fulfilled that the Virgin would receive in Her womb and give birth to a Son, Who would be called Emmanuel, which means God is with us (). On this day he moved into the womb of the Virgin and became a man in order to free the world from sin and the power of the devil. The miracle of the conception of the eternal Child cannot be understood; it is the secret of piety, accessible only to faith (). In the appearance of Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary he sees “Our salvation is paramount”– i.e. Start our salvation. The Annunciation is the first ray of dawn after a long, tedious night. On this day, our world brought God its best fruit, the brightest, purest thing that he could only create - the Most Pure Virgin Mary. The Lord accepted this gift of humanity and responded to it with the gift of the grace of the Holy Spirit. In the mysterious meeting of fallen humanity with the all-good God, which took place in the pure heart of the Virgin Mary, one can already hear the first unique, jubilant sound of that angelic song, which, according to the conditions of earthly time, could be fully heard on earth only nine months later: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”() “Glory to God” - the Virgin Mary carried in her heart and - “peace on earth” the Savior promised Her for this.
In the caution with which the Virgin Mary reacted to the greeting and promise of the Angel Gabriel, the holy fathers of the Church see a sign of a great virtue called “ prudence” (or “reasoning”). They contrast the wise caution of the Virgin Mary with the gullibility of Eve, who thoughtlessly listened to the advice of the devil, who took the form of a serpent, and instead of happiness found grief.
The appearance of the Angel to the Virgin Mary is framed by two events: the conception of John the Baptist and the visit of the Most Holy One. Virgin Mary of the Righteous Elizabeth. During this visit, St. John the Baptist, an unborn six-month-old uterine baby, is the first to greet the Most Pure Virgin with his movements in the womb of Elizabeth. At this moment, righteous Elizabeth is rewarded with the Holy Spirit and exclaims: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” and then adds - “And where does it come from for me that the Mother of my Lord came to me!”(). Here righteous Elizabeth began her greeting with the same words with which Archangel Gabriel ended his greeting. From these welcoming words came the wonderful prayer that we hear so often in church: “Virgin Mother of God! Hail, full of grace Mary, the Lord is with You: blessed are You among women (among women) and blessed is the Fruit of Your womb. For (because) you gave birth to the Savior of our souls.”
The state of tenderness, holy, heavenly joy in which the Virgin Mary was on the day of the Annunciation is captured in the icon of “Tenderness.” On it, the Virgin Mary is without a Child, with her arms crossed on her chest and with the words around her halo: “Hail, unbrided Bride.” The Monk Seraphim of Sarov prayed on his knees all day and night in front of this icon, and died in front of it.
The first word of greeting from Archangel Gabriel was “ Rejoice.” And the feast of the Annunciation is, first of all, a feast of quiet, heavenly joy! Joy over reconciliation with God and grace returned to earth. At the same time, the Annunciation is a holiday of triumph humility, purity And chastity, a holiday of unshakable faith in the omnipotence of God and the boundless Love of God for perishing man.
From this holiday, “the main thing of our salvation,” begins that spring of “living water,” which later turns into a wide river and, finally, into a boundless sea of New Testament miracles, sacraments and the Grace of the Holy Spirit, with which the Lord, “who gives the Spirit without measure, ” so generously gave drink to those thirsty for truth! The Annunciation is the holiday of the Marriage of Heaven and Earth, when the blue sky descends to earth and combines with it. Annunciation is a “blue” holiday! In the eyes of a believer, on this day everything turns blue, everything becomes cleaner and more transparent. The sky becomes even bluer, deeper. The air and waters turn blue, reflecting the cloudless sky; the first flowers turn blue - snowdrops and violets; at night the stars turn blue. Human souls also turn blue, becoming capable of perceiving the heavenly music of this wondrous holiday.
The proverb, which states that even a bird does not make a nest on the Annunciation, allegorically calls us on this day to put aside everyday vanity and direct our thoughts to Heaven, to joyful communication with God. According to ancient Russian custom, birds are released on this day as a sign of the liberation of the human soul from sin.
“I have become available for consolation” - (Pushkin writes, having released the bird) - “why should I grumble at God; when I could give freedom to even one creature!” Another poet, Tumansky, observing the released bird, writes: “she disappeared, drowning in the radiance of a blue day; and she sang as she flew away, as if she was praying for me.”
Divine service of the holiday
The Annunciation is celebrated on April 7 (March 25 according to the church calendar). Among ancient Christians, the feast of the Annunciation had different names: “The Conception of Christ,” “The Annunciation of Christ,” “The Beginning of Redemption,” “The Annunciation of the Angel to Mary,” and only from the 7th century it received its final name: “The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” The establishment of this holiday dates back to ancient times. Also St. Athanasius the Great, in the 4th century, called it “the first in a series of holidays,” the beginning of the economy of people’s salvation. In the 5th–6th centuries, in contrast to the Nestorian heresy, which humiliated the Virgin Mary, the solemnity of this holiday increased significantly (Nestorius incorrectly taught that the Blessed Virgin gave birth to a simple man with whom the Divinity united after his birth. The name “Theotokos” in relation to the Virgin Mary means , that Jesus Christ at the moment of His conception in Her Virgin womb was the true Son of God. Therefore, the Virgin Mary carried in Her womb and later gave birth to the God-Man. Both natures - Divine and Human - were united at the moment of conception in the person of Christ and have not merged since then. in Him and do not change in their essence).
Due to the fact that this holiday sometimes falls during the Lenten period, and sometimes during Easter, its liturgical order is somewhat complex. If the Feast of the Annunciation occurs on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday of any week of Great Lent, then the All-Night Vigil begins with Great Compline. If the Annunciation happens on Sunday or Monday, then the All-Night Vigil is performed as usual, that is, it begins with Vespers (See our leaflet about the All-Night Vigil, number 38). When the Annunciation occurs on Easter, there is no polyeleos, but the canon of the Annunciation is combined with the Easter canon and after the sixth ode the Gospel is read.
In the stichera (songs of the all-night vigil) of the Feast of the Annunciation, the story of the Annunciation of the Mother of God by the Archangel Gabriel is recalled and attention is drawn to the humility of the Virgin Mary. It talks about the incomprehensibility of the Nativity of the Savior from the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mother of God is compared to a “bush” (a thorn bush that burned in the Sinai desert and was not consumed. Like this bush, the Virgin Mary remained unharmed, having accepted God into Herself). Compares it to the “ladder” seen by Jacob (a ladder that rested on the earth and reached to heaven). It is said that thanks to the birth of the Lord from the Mother of God, heaven is united with earth, renewed, Eve is freed, and we become partakers of the Divine nature and the “church,” i.e. temple of God. Heaven and earth are invited to triumph and rejoicing, because the Son of God, co-throne with the Father, by His goodness enters the virgin’s womb and takes on human nature. At Vespers the following proverbs are read: (excerpts from Old Testament books) , , , , . At the All-Night Vigil and the Liturgy of the Annunciation, the following prayer is sung, called the troparion.
Troparion
The day of our salvation is the main thing, and the sacrament has been revealed since the ages: the Son of God is the Son of the Virgin and Gabriel preaches grace. In the same way, we cry out to the Mother of God: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Today is the beginning of our salvation and the fulfillment of a mystery foreordained from eternity: the Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin and Gabriel proclaims the good news of grace. Therefore, we too will exclaim to the Mother of God: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
The canon at the all-night vigil (a canon is a part of the service compiled according to a certain model, see below) speaks of the condescension of the incarnate Savior to people and points to the greatness of the Blessed Virgin, who received God into herself. The prophecies and various instructions of the Old Testament about the incarnation of the Son of God from the Woman are also mentioned, the power of the All-Holy Spirit, who overshadowed the Mother of God with His descent, is spoken of, and the brief but significant words of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary are explained.
Before the reading of the Apostle at the liturgy, the following prokeimenon is sung: Preach the gospel day by day(daily) salvation of our God. The Apostle () expresses the idea that in order to save people it was necessary for the Son of God to take on human flesh. The Gospel () tells of the appearance of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The next one is sung at the end of the canon and also at the liturgy instead of the song “It is worthy to eat” (which is why it is called “for (i.e. instead of) the worthy one”).
Zadostoynik
Bring great joy to the earth, praise the heavens of God's glory.
Like the animate ark of God, let the hand of the wicked never touch it, but on the lips of the faithful to the Mother of God the voice of the Angel ceaselessly sings with joy and cries out: Rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with Thee.
Earth, proclaim great joy, heavens praise the glory of God.
The hand of the uninitiated (unclean) should not at all dare to touch You, the Animated Icon of God. The lips of believers, constantly chanting the Angel’s greeting to the Mother of God, exclaim in joy: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
At the liturgy before communion it is sung
Involved
The Lord has chosen Zion, and made it His dwelling place.
The Lord chose Zion and desired it as a dwelling place for Himself.
In established liturgical practice, when the Annunciation coincides with Easter, the light of the feast of the Good News does not fade even in the dazzling sea of light of St. Easter and the music of the Archangel's voice is not drowned out by the jubilant sea of sounds of the symphony of the Resurrection of Christ. This is explained by the fact that the nature of the feasts of the Annunciation (“head” - the beginning of salvation) and the feast of the Resurrection of Christ (the final event in the salvation of the world) is the same!
Canon of the Annunciation
The canon for the Feast of the Annunciation was written in the 8th century by Saint John of Damascus and Theophan, Metropolitan of Nicaea. The Orthodox Church, in its liturgical practice, considered it necessary to supplement this conversation with a special service that explains it - the canon of the Annunciation, which is an extended dialogue of the Virgin with the heavenly messenger.
Song 1
Irmos: I will open my mouth, and it will be filled with the Spirit; and I will speak a word to the Queen Mother, I will appear brightly triumphant and in joy I will sing Her miracles ().
David, Your forefather, Lady, sing to You, striking the spiritual lyre: hear, daughter, the joyful voice of the Angel; for he proclaims to You joy unspeakable ().
Angel: In joy I cry to You: incline Your ear and listen to me, who proclaims the seedless conception of God; for You, the All-Pure One, have found such grace before God that no other wife has ever been awarded ().
Mother of God: I would like to know the power of your words, Angel. Tell me more clearly: how will what you say come true? How will I, a young virgin, conceive? And how can I become the mother of My Creator? ()
Angel: You seem to think that my words are deceitful; I rejoice seeing Your caution. Be bold, Lady, for when God pleases, the extraordinary is easily accomplished ().
Song 3
Irmos: Mother of God, living and never-failing source! Confirm Your singers, who created (this) celebration, spiritually and in Your divine glory, reward them with crowns of glory.
Mother of God: The prince of the tribe of Judah has passed away, and the time has already come when the hope of the peoples - Christ - will appear. Explain how I can give birth to Him, being a virgin? (; )
Angel: Do you wish, Virgo, to learn from me the image of Your conception? But he is inexplicable! The Holy Spirit will accomplish it, overshadowing You with creative power ().
Mother of God: My foremother, having accepted the suggestion of the serpent, is deprived of divine pleasure in paradise. That is why I, fearing a fall, am afraid of your strange greeting.
Angel: I, who stand before God, have been sent to proclaim to You the will of God. Why do You, All-Immaculate One, fear me, when I myself fear You much more? Why are You, Lady, terrified of me, when I myself am in awe of You?
Canto 4
Irmos: Seated in glory on the throne of the Divine, the divine Jesus came on a light cloud, carried by an imperishable hand, and saved those who called. Glory, Christ, to Your power (; ).
Mother of God: I heard the words of a prophet who in ancient times predicted that a certain sacred Virgin would give birth to Emmanuel. But I want to know how the nature of mortals can withstand union with the Divine? ()
Angel: The bush, engulfed in flames and remaining fireproof, foreshadowed the wonderful mystery taking place in You, O Blessed One, glorified by all; for even at birth you, pure, will always remain a virgin ().
Mother of God: Gabriel, herald of truth, illuminated by the radiance of God Almighty! Tell me the very truth: how can I give birth in the flesh to the disembodied Word, keeping My purity intact?
Angel: With fear, like a slave before his mistress, I stand before You, with reverent awe I now look at You, Young Lady. For, like rain on a meadow, the Word of the Father will descend on You, according to His good pleasure ().
Song 5
Irmos: Everything is amazed at Your divine glory. For You, the Virgin, who did not know marriage, had the Most High God in your womb and gave birth to the flightless (eternal) Son, giving peace to all who sing of You.
Mother of God: I cannot fully comprehend the meaning of your words, for there were often miracles performed by Divine power, signs and images of the law. But a maiden has never given birth without a husband ().
Angel: You are surprised, All-Immaculate. And truly, the miracle of Your conception is wonderful. For You alone will receive in the womb the King of all who will be incarnate, and You are typified by the sayings and fortune-telling of the prophets and the signs of the law ().
Mother of God: Incomprehensible to nothing and invisible to no one, how can he move into the womb of the Virgin, which He Himself created? And how I will conceive God the Word, co-beginning (the Word is the Son of God. He is co-beginning, that is, has no beginning, like the Father and the Holy Spirit). Father and Spirit? ().
Angel: He who promised Your forefather David to elevate the Fruit of Your womb to the throne of His kingdom, He, the beauty of Jacob, chose You alone for a reasonable village (; ).
Song 6
Irmos: Transforming the three-day burial of the Lord, the prophet Jonah, praying inside the whale, exclaimed: deliver me from corruption, Jesus, King of hosts!
Angel: You have been given divine joy, Mother of God. To you, Bride of God, all creation exclaims: Rejoice! For You alone, pure, are predestined to be the Matter of the Son of God ().
Mother of God: Through Me now let Eve’s condemnation be destroyed, through Me now let her debt be extinguished; through Me may this ancient debt return with profit ().
Angel: God promised, O Pure One, to the forefather Abraham that in his seed the nations would be blessed. Now through You this promise is fulfilled (;).
Song 7
Irmos: The godly youths did not serve the creature instead of the Creator, but courageously trampled upon the threatening fire and rejoiced, singing: Blessed are You, the glorified Lord and the Fathers.
Mother of God: Proclaiming that the immaterial Light, out of great mercy, unites with material flesh, you now proclaim to Me the joyful gospel, the divine sermon: blessed, All-Pure, is the fruit of Your womb ().
Angel: Rejoice, Lady Virgin, rejoice, all-pure one, rejoice, receptacle of God; Rejoice, lamp of Light, restoration of Adam, redemption of Eve, holy mountain, bright sanctuary and chamber of immortality ().
Mother of God: The influx of the all-holy Spirit cleansed my soul, sanctified my body, created Me as a temple containing God, a tabernacle adorned by God, an animated sanctuary and the pure Mother of Life ().
Angel: I look at You as a bright candle and a well-appointed palace. You, Bride of God, like a golden ark, now accept the Giver of the Law, who through You was pleased to deliver the corruptible human being ().
Song 8
Irmos: Hearken, O maiden, pure Virgin. May Gabriel announce the original true will of the Most High. Be ready to perceive God, for through You the Inconceivable One began to live with mortals. Therefore, in joy I exclaim: all the creatures of the Lord, bless the Lord (;).
“Every mortal mind,” answered the Virgin, “is exhausted, trying to comprehend the words that you speak to Me. I listen to your words, but in amazement I fear lest by seduction, like Eve, you remove Me from God. However, I exclaim: All the creatures of the Lord, bless the Lord and exalt Him forever ().
“Behold, Your bewilderment has already been resolved,” Gabriel says to this. “For You rightly, with the words of Your mouth, called this matter incomprehensible. Obey and do not doubt it as if it were fiction, but believe as if it were a real event, for I exclaim with joy: All the creatures of the Lord, bless the Lord and exalt Him forever.
This is the law from God to mortals,” answers the Immaculate One, “so that birth occurs from mutual love.” But I do not know the pleasures of marriage at all: how do you claim that I will give birth? I'm afraid you're cheating. However, I exclaim: All the creatures of the Lord, bless the Lord and exalt Him forever ().
The words that You speak to me, Venerable One, the Angel calls again, refer to the ordinary birth of mortal people. I proclaim to You that the true one, in an ineffable and incomprehensible way, as He Himself knows, is incarnated from You, therefore in joy I exclaim: All the creatures of the Lord, bless the Lord and exalt Him forever ().
“You are a broadcaster of truth to Me,” answered the Virgin. “For you have come as a harbinger of universal joy; and since I am purified in my soul along with my body, let it be done to Me according to your word. May God dwell in Me, to whom I cry with you: All the creatures of the Lord, bless the Lord and exalt Him forever.
Song 9
Irmos: Let the hand of the uninitiated (unclean) not touch the animated ark of God (the ark, or ark of revelation, was the place where God appeared to Moses;), but the lips of the faithful, chanting incessantly the appeal of the Angel to the Mother of God, let them exclaim in joy: O full of grace, the Lord is with Thee.
Having incomprehensibly conceived God, You, the Young Lady, surpassed the laws of nature: for You, being perishable by nature, did not experience at birth what is characteristic of mothers. Therefore, it is worthy to hear: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you ().
Human language cannot explain how You exude milk, O pure Virgin. For You manifest a work alien to nature, exceeding the limits of the laws of birth. Therefore, it is worthy to hear: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you ().
The Holy Scriptures speak mysteriously about You, Mother of the Most High. So Jacob in ancient times, seeing the ladder that represented You, said: This is the way of God, therefore you deserve to hear: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with You ().
The bush and the fire predicted a wondrous sign for the cleric Moses. Seeking its fulfillment later, he said: I see this in the pure Virgin, to whom, as the Mother of God, let it be said: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you ().
Daniel calls You a mental mountain; Isaiah - Mother of God; Gideon sees You in the form of fleece (sheep's skin, miraculously watered).
And so, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a joyful day for an Orthodox person. He was especially so for our pious ancestors, who fell in love with the Virgin Mary for Her virtues, so akin to the soul of the Russian person: humility, meekness and the desire for the ideal. Russian people dedicated many churches and monasteries to the Most Holy Theotokos and called their fatherland “The House of the Most Holy Theotokos.” The Virgin Mary responded to the love of the Russian people for Her with Her heavenly help and many miraculous icons.
The Feast of the Annunciation recalls the great love of God for people and the fact that the Son of God became man in order to make us partakers of His Divine nature. The Feast of the Annunciation calls us to imitate the Most Pure Virgin in Her feat of purity and chastity and to strive for Heaven, where angels and saints rejoice in eternal light.
On the day of the Annunciation, we all acquired in the person of the Virgin Mary a warm Intercessor at the throne of God. Let us thank God for His mercies towards us and ask the Most Pure Virgin to help us reach the quiet haven of the Kingdom of Heaven.
« Revealing the Eternal Council to You, the Young Lady, Gabriel appeared..." the Holy Church sings at the beginning of the festive service of the great feast of the Annunciation.
Until the age of 14, the Blessed Virgin was raised in the temple, and then, according to the law, she had to leave the temple as having reached adulthood and either return to her parents or get married. The priests wanted to marry Her off, but Mary announced to them her promise to God - to remain a Virgin forever. Then the priests betrothed Her to a distant relative, the 80-year-old elder Joseph (he already had two daughters and four sons), who was also a descendant of King David, so that he would take care of Her and protect Her virginity.
The Holy Fathers of the Church - Athanasius the Great, Basil the Great, John of Damascus - indicate that, under the guise of marriage, the Lord protected the Blessed Virgin Mary from the malice of the enemy of the human race, the devil, thus hiding from him that She is the very Blessed Virgin prophesied by Isaiah. Living in the Galilean city of Nazareth, in the house of Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary led the same modest and solitary life as at the temple.
One day the Blessed Virgin Mary was reading the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and stopped at the place where it was said “ behold, a virgin will receive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Emmanuel"(what God means with us) (Is. 7:14) and reflected on the greatness of the One who is worthy to be the Mother of God. With all her heart, Saint Mary wanted to see the Chosen One of God and in deep humility she wanted to be Her last servant.
And then an angel appears to Her and greets Her: “ Rejoice, Blessed One. The Lord is with You: blessed are You among women" These words became the first “good news” for humanity after its fall.
When she saw him, she was embarrassed by his words and wondered what this greeting meant.
And the Angel said to Her: “ Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, 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. - Mary said to the Angel: how will this be when I don’t know my husband? The Angel answered Her: The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the Power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God... Then Mary said: Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word. And the Angel departed from Her"(Luke 1:28-38).
It is believed that it was at this moment that the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God took place.
If righteous Sarah received the news of the birth of Isaac from her with confusion, and righteous Zechariah, with a similar foreshadowing of the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord, demanded a sign from the angel, then how much higher than the most righteous is the Most Holy Virgin Mary, when the annunciation of the birth from Her of Christ the Savior, the Son of God , supernatural, incomprehensible, Divine, accepts without confusion, without distrust.
It’s scary to even think what could have happened if there had not been found on earth one most worthy of receiving the highest Gift of God:
According to the interpretation of Irenaeus of Lyons, the obedience of the Virgin Mary balances the disobedience of Eve. Mary becomes the "new Eve". The text of the famous hymn Ave maris stella (9th century) says that the name Eva is an anagram of the word Ave, with which Gabriel addressed the “new Eve”. In other words, to mention Eve was to also mention Mary. Jerome deduced a condensed formula: “ death - through Eve, life - through Mary" Augustine wrote: “ through a woman - death, and through a woman - life».
The mysterious conception of the Virgin Mary, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, refers to the great mystery of piety: in it, humanity brought as a gift to God its purest creation - the Virgin, capable of becoming the mother of the Son of God, and God, having accepted the gift, responded to it with the gift of the grace of the Holy Spirit. According to the words of St. John of Damascus, he knows how and in what way the insertion of the Son of God into the womb of the Blessed Virgin takes place, “ only God Himself, and man should not speculate about the nature of that which is inscrutable and incomprehensible”.
The Orthodox Church firmly believes that Mary remained a Virgin even after the birth of her firstborn Jesus, according to prophecy (Ezek. 44:2). " And the Lord said to me: This gate will be shut and not open, and no man will enter through it, for the Lord God of Israel has entered through it, and it will be shut." The icons of the Mother of God depict three stars - on the shoulders and on the head cover of the Blessed Virgin. They symbolize the virginity preserved by Her before Christmas, at Christmas and after the Nativity of Christ.
According to Saint Theophan the Recluse, the Annunciation is closely connected with the establishment of the sacrament of Body and Blood. " We partake of the true Body and true Blood of Christ, the same ones that were received in the Incarnation from the immaculate blood of the Most Pure Virgin Theotokos. Thus, in the Incarnation, which took place at the hour of the Annunciation, the foundation was laid for the sacrament of the Body and Blood. And now this is brought to the memory of all Christians, so that, remembering this, they honor the Most Holy Theotokos as their true Mother, not only as a prayer book and intercessor, but also as a nourisher of all. Children feed on their mother’s milk, and we feed on the Body and Blood, which come from the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Eating this way, we essentially drink milk from Her breasts.».
The date of the Feast of the Annunciation is connected with the date of the Nativity of Christ: March 25 is exactly 9 months from December 25. It is believed that on the same day, March 25, the Creation of the world took place - thus, humanity was given a second chance.
Saint John Chrysostom called the Annunciation “the root of the holidays,” the beginning of all others. Among the ancient Christians it bore various names: “The Conception of Christ”, “The Annunciation of Christ”, “The Beginning of Redemption”, “The Annunciation of the Angel to Mary” - and only in the 7th century the name “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary” was forever adopted for it. During the 5th-8th centuries, due to heresies that humiliated the Face of the Mother of God, the holiday was especially exalted in the Church. In the 8th century St. John of Damascus and Theophan, Metropolitan of Nicaea, compiled festive canons, which are still sung by the Church.
According to the rules, on this day, despite Lent, the full liturgy must be celebrated, even if the Annunciation occurs on Good Friday (liturgy is excluded on this day). Due to its greatness, the Feast of the Annunciation is not canceled even if it falls on Easter. It very rarely happens that the Annunciation coincides with Easter and the holiday seems to double. Then it's called Easter Kyriopaskha. Such a coincidence occurred in 1817, 1828, 1912, 1991. The next Kyriopascha will be in 2075.
The events of the Annunciation were described by the only evangelist - the Apostle Luke. There are also apocryphal texts, but they do not change the general history of the Annunciation, but add a number of details to it. The apocrypha - the so-called “Proto-Gospel of James” and the “Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew” (“The Book of the Nativity of the Blessed Mary and the Childhood of the Savior”) tells of two appearances of an Angel. First, Gabriel appeared to the Virgin at the well and only then in Joseph’s house, where She, by fate, was spinning a purple curtain for the Jerusalem temple. These apocryphal legends significantly influenced the iconography of the holiday.
The subject of the Annunciation has long been popular in religious painting. Its iconography began to take shape very early. Its main attributes were: lily- symbol of the virginity of the Virgin Mary; spinning wheel, spindle (with red yarn) - an image of the flesh of Christ; book the prophet Isaiah, read by Mary; heavenly branch in the hand of the Archangel Gabriel; the olive branch is a symbol of reconciliation between God and creation; well- a symbol of Mary's purity. The first images appeared already in the 2nd century in the Roman catacombs, for example, on the wall of the tomb of St. Priscilla. They were finally formed in the Middle Ages, finding their most complete embodiment in the works of the 15th century.
In Western European painting of the proto-Renaissance, it is especially worth noting the works of Fra Beato Angelico, Simone Martini; from the Renaissance works - paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli, and from the northern works - Jan van Eyck, Robert Campin and Rogier van der Weyden. In the next era, El Greco painted several memorable paintings. Starting from the Baroque era, as happened with other subjects, many liberties and deviations penetrate into the interpretation of the plot.
In the iconographic tradition, it is customary for one wing of the archangel to remain extended behind his back, and the other to be raised as a sign of greeting. This symbolic movement has become part of the Orthodox liturgical system and is performed by the deacon when pronouncing the litanies. He raises the orarion with his right hand - the image of raising the Archangel's wing as a sign of greeting and respect. The Annunciation is translated from Greek as good news. Traditionally, in the Orthodox Church, the icon of the Annunciation is placed on the Royal Doors, surrounded by four evangelists. Thus, all the symbolism of the Royal Doors turns out to be connected with the gospel: “... through the Annunciation, the Word became the flesh that we can taste in Communion. And we can take part in this Eternal Meal only because we are called by the apostles and evangelists.” The gates are an additional symbol of the Mother of God (an image from the Old Testament prophecy of Ezekiel about the “closed” doors facing the east, through which the Lord enters).
The earliest “Annunciation” in Russian art (1040s) is a mosaic on two pillars in the Kiev Cathedral of Hagia Sophia.
Annunciation, mosaics on two pillars of St. Sophia of Kyiv, c. 1040
The oldest depiction of a scene in Russian art. In the hands of the Mother of God is red yarn that comes from apocryphal stories.
Among the Russian icons on this subject, it is worth noting the “Ustyug Annunciation”, painted in the 12th century in Veliky Novgorod, the icons of Rublev and Daniil Cherny, as well as the fresco of Dionysius in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin. The works of Borovikovsky date back to a later period.
Annunciation of Ustyug. 30-40s XII century
In the Moscow Kremlin, the miraculous icon of the Annunciation was previously especially revered. Tradition says that during the reign of Ivan the Terrible she miraculously appeared written on the wall of the Kremlin tower. Her appearance was associated with prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos for her release of a certain innocently convicted prisoner held in the tower. Having learned about the “self-painted” icon, Tsar Ivan the Terrible freed the prisoner. Soon a wooden chapel was built near the miraculous icon, then a stone church, and the tower began to be called the Annunciation Tower.
One of the most famous temples dedicated to this holiday is Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, founded as a house temple of the royal family at the Kremlin palace. And the protopresbyter of the Annunciation Cathedral was the confessor of the august persons until the 20th century. In March 1584, from the porch of the Annunciation Cathedral, Ivan the Terrible saw a cruciform comet. “This is the sign of my death,” he said, and a few days later he was gone.
Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin
On this day, according to ancient Russian tradition, after the Liturgy in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin, the Patriarch, clergy and children release birds into the wild. This custom was revived in 1995 and is now performed in many temples.
According to the words of His Holiness the Patriarch, this tradition, full of deep meaning, “symbolizing that the birds are no longer in a cage, but in freedom, reminds us that in our free will is the search for the Kingdom of God.”
This tradition of the Feast of the Annunciation was very loved by St. Patriarch Tikhon, on this holiday he completed his path of confession, releasing his soul to God.
The Gospel words of the Archangel Gabriel and the righteous Elizabeth formed a well-known prayer - the Song of the Most Holy Theotokos: “ Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls».
In the Catholic tradition, it corresponds to the Ave Maria prayer - one of the most beautiful and famous chants in the world. Many pieces of music have been written based on the text of the prayer. Among the authors of the music are Palestrina, Gounod (based on a prelude by Bach), Dvorak, Verdi, Mascagni, Caccini, Liszt, Saint-Saens.
Franz Schubert's "Third Song of Ellen" is often inaccurately called "Schubert's Ave Maria", although in fact the text on which this music is set is taken from a German translation of Walter Scott's poem about the Celtic Lady of the Lake ("Maiden of the Lake", 1810) and includes only the first two words of the prayer. Subsequently, Ave Maria began to be sung in its entirety to the music of this song by Schubert, although the composer did not have this in mind.
In Rus', the Feast of the Annunciation has always been treated with reverence. The Orthodox did not work on this day and strictly observed this rule. They said that on this day “the maiden does not braid her hair, and the bird does not build a nest.” The Day of the Annunciation was considered a day of mercy. People visited prisoners in prisons and gave alms. Dinners were held for the poor in the royal chambers, during which the Emperor himself bestowed generous alms on the poor.
Svetlana Finogenova
Troparion of the holiday, ch. 4
The day of our salvation is the greatest, and the sacraments have been revealed since the ages; The Son of God is the Son of the Virgin, and Gabriel preaches grace. In the same way, we also cry out to the Mother of God: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with You!
Kontakion of the holiday, ch. 8
To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil, let us sing thanks to Thy servants, O Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Thee: Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.
Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt. "The Beginning of Salvation." (Word on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary):
“The sacrament that took place on this day amazes not only human, but also all angelic, high minds. They are also perplexed, how God, without beginning, immense, unapproachable, descended to the form of a slave and became a man, without ceasing to be God and without in the least diminishing the glory of the Divine? How could the Virgin contain the unbearable fire of the Divine in her most pure womb, and remain undamaged, and remain forever the Mother of God incarnate? So great, wonderful, such Divine wisdom is filled with this sacrament of the Annunciation by the Archangel to the Most Holy Virgin of the incarnation of the Son of God from Her! Rejoice, earthly beings, rejoice, especially faithful Christian souls, but rejoice with awe before the greatness of the sacrament, as if surrounded by the filth of sin; rejoice, but immediately with sincere and living, deep repentance, cleanse yourself with the grace of God from the filth of sin.
Magnify with pure hearts and lips the Mother of God, exalted and exalted above all creatures, Angels and men, exalted by God Himself, the Creator of every creature, and remember that the mystery of the incarnation and incarnation of the Son of God took place for our salvation from sin, the curse righteously pronounced upon us in the beginning from God for sins, and from death, temporal and eternal. With fear and joy accept the Lord, who is coming to us to establish on earth, in our hearts and souls the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of truth, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and hate God-hating sin, malice, impurity, intemperance, pride, hard-heartedness, unmercifulness, selfishness , carnal knowledge, all untruths. Christ came to earth for this purpose, in order to raise us to heaven.”
Father Elijah Minyatiy. Word on the Annunciation of the Mother of God:
“How different are God and man! But God, having become man, did not abandon the nature of Divinity in the perception of the flesh. And how different are the Virgin and the Mother! But the Virgin, having become a Mother, did not lose the glory of virginity in maternal pregnancy. What a strange communion of two natures - Divine and human, seamlessly united into one hypostasis! The divine nature adopted human characteristics, and God became a perfect man; the human became involved in the properties of the Divine, and the same man became perfect God.
In the same way, what an extraordinary combination of girlish purity and maternal pregnancy, which were strangely combined in one Wife! Virginity gave the Mother the purity that the Mother of God should have had, all pure, all immaculate, beautiful as the sun, chosen as the moon, as the Holy Spirit calls Her (see: Cantos 6, 9). Wombbearing gave virginity the blessing that the Virgin should have had in accordance with how the archangel greeted Her: Blessed are You among women (Luke 1:28).
There this wonderful union was born - the God-Man; here another connection takes place, equally wonderful, the Virgin Mother. “Strange and wonderful and in many ways deviating from ordinary nature: one and the same Virgin and Mother, abiding in the sanctification of virginity and inheriting the blessing of childbearing,” proclaims the unappearing Basil. Such a Son, I repeat, must have such a Mother; the Son, who was born a man and did not cease to be God, has a Mother who gave birth to the Son and did not cease to be a Virgin.”
Bishop Nikolai (Velimirovich):
“Never has any spring water been such a pure mirror of the sun as the Most Pure Virgin Mary was a mirror of purity. (“O purity, creating joy in the heart and transforming the soul into heaven! O purity, good acquisition, not defiled by beasts! O purity, abiding in the souls of the meek and humble and creating these people of God! O purity, in the midst of the soul and body, like a flower that flourishes and filling the entire temple with incense!” St. Ephraim the Syrian.
And the morning dawn, giving birth to the sun, would be ashamed before the purity of the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to the Immortal Sun, Christ our Savior. No knee will bow before Her, no mouth will cry out: “Rejoice, full of grace! Rejoice, Dawn of human salvation! Rejoice, Most Honest Cherub and Most Glorious Seraphim! Glory to Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit - the Trinity, Consubstantial and Indivisible, now and ever, at all times and unto ages of ages. Amen."