Feast of the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos
Her life told by the Tradtion of the Orthodox Chruch through the major feasts dedicated to her.
An animated story from the Hamatoura Monastery in Lebanon
Nativity of the Theotokos - September 8
The birth of Mary was a major turning point in the history of humanity. It marks the time when our enslavement to sin and death was passing away. This little baby girl born to aged parents, Joachim and Anna, began a sequence of historical events that opened the Gates of Paradise, bringing about the union of Heaven and Earth, God and humanity.
Go here for the following information
• Sources of Knowledge about Mary
• Parentage of Mary
• Nativity of Mary
• Icon of the Nativity of Mary
• Hymns
• Sermon on the Nativity of the Virgin Mary by Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete (c. 650 – 740)
• Homily On The Nativity Of The Most Pure Theotokos by St. Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov (1651 - 1709)
• Immaculate Conception - A false doctrine
Entry of Virgin Mary into the Temple -
November 21
The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, also called The Presentation.
According to Tradition, the Virgin Mary was taken —presented—by her parents Joachim and Anna into the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem as a young girl (3 yrs), where she lived and served as a Temple virgin until her betrothal (~13yrs) to St. Joseph.
"God predestined Her before the ages for the salvation and reclaiming of our kind. She was chosen, not just from the crowd, but from the ranks of the chosen of all ages, renowned for piety and understanding, and for their God-pleasing words and deeds." Saint Gregory Palamas
Go here for the following information:
• Entry of the Virgin Mary into the Temple at 3 years old.
• Growing Up in the Temple
• Selecting a Husband - Joseph
• The Betrothal
• Caring for James and Weaving the Temple Veil
• Hymns
• Icon for the virgin Mary's Entry into the Temple
• Discourse On the Entry of Theotokos Into The Temple by Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica (1296 - 1359)
• Beautiful Animated story of The Virgin Mary's entry into the Temple by Hamatoura Monastery, Lebanon
Annunciation Of Virgin Mary -
March 25
According to the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce to her that she would conceive and bear a son, even though she "knew no man." According to holy tradition Mary had come home to her parents when she was only fifteen when she was visited by Gabriel.
Go Here for the followin information:
• Lifestyle of Mary
• Outward Appearance
• Depiction in Icons
• Appearance of Gabriel and the Holy Spirit
• Icon of the Annunciation
• Sermon by Saint Gregory the Wonderworker
Dormition of the Theotokos -
August 15
This feast commemorates the death, resurrection, and glorification of Christ's mother.
According to Orthodox Tradition, Mary died like all humanity, "falling asleep," so to speak, as the name of the feast indicates. She died as all people die, not "voluntarily" as her Son, but by the necessity of her mortal human nature which is indivisibly bound up with the corruption of this world.
To help us in our preparation of this feast, it is preceded by a two week fast.
Go Here for the following information:
• Preparations for Her Repose
• Her Repose
• Procession and Internment in Garden of Gethsemane
• Translation of Her Body to Heaven
• Appearance to Apostles
• Hymns
• A Homily on the Dormition by Saint Gregory Palamas
Virgin Mary the Theotokos as Mediatress
Go Here for the following information:
• Mary as Mediatress
• What Does the New Testament say about the Virgin Mary the Theotokos
• Icon - Platytera Ton Ouranon, the Large Mosaic that is in the asp above the Altar.
“The heavens were astonished and stood in awe, and the ends of the earth, O maiden, were sore amazed, for God appeared bodily to mankind as very man. And lo, thy womb hath proved to the vaster and more spacious that heaven’s heights. for this, O Theotokos, the choirs and assemblies of men and angels magnify thy name “