The Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

On the 26th of the month of March we celebrate the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel, which has been handed down to us from the beginning and from God, because this Archangel ministered in the divine, supernatural, and ineffable mystery of the economy of Christ.

According indeed to the note of the Venerable Nikodemos the Hagiorite in his Great Synaxaristes, “Gabriel means man and God (that is, man of God), according to Proclus of Constantinople. For this reason he is the one who served in the mystery of the incarnate economy of God the Word. And Theophanes Kerameus, the Bishop of Tauromenium, also says that the seven letters contained in the name Gabriel signify that Christ, whose Birth Gabriel proclaimed, will come for the salvation of the whole world, which is measured by the week and comes to completion in seven ages.”

The Holy Hymnographer, namely Joseph the Hymnographer, is moved ecstatically as he refers to the “all-great Gabriel.” There is almost no troparion either at Vespers or in the Canon for the Archangel that does not reveal his admiration and his awe-filled stance toward him, not only for the fact of Gabriel’s participation in the revelation of the mystery of the coming of God into the world as a man to the pure maiden Mariam, but also for his twofold unceasing and eternal stance before the Lord of all, the Triune God: the glorification of His holy name and the readiness of obedience to the commands of His will. For example:

Prologue in Sermons: March 26

Why the Archangel Gabriel Is Called the Herald of Joy

March 26

(Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

The Holy Archangel Gabriel is called among us the Herald of Joy. Why is this so?

First, because he proclaimed to people, in general, only one thing — joy. In the Prologue it is said of him:

“This Holy Archangel Gabriel is one of the great princes of the heavenly hosts, who from the beginning is sent by God to the earth, proclaiming every joy to human nature.”

Then the Archangel Gabriel announced joy to the Prophet Daniel concerning the deliverance of God’s people from the Babylonian captivity and about the time of the Messiah. 

He announced joy to Zechariah concerning the birth of the Forerunner from a barren mother and said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John; and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth” (Luke 1:13–14).

The Annunciation of the Theotokos in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

 

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

March 25th is “a festival of faith and freedom,” according to the poet. It is a day on which we are called to remember the struggles undertaken by our heroic forefathers in order to cast off the four-hundred-year slavery under the Turks. It is a sacred landmark, since it is considered the starting point for the acquisition of our national freedom. But it is also a day that more deeply calls us, the faithful — who perceive the depth of these events — not merely to remember something or to take example from something, but to participate in the greatest event ever realized in human history: the incarnation of the Son and Word of God within the All-Holy Virgin. And if the one feast is great because it marks the beginning of our national freedom, the other — the Annunciation — is a most great feast, because it marks the beginning of our existential and eternal salvation.

The Apolytikion (Dismissal Hymn) of the day helps us approach the meaning of the feast, and so we will comment briefly on it below:

“Today is the beginning of our salvation and the manifestation of the mystery from all eternity. The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the good tidings of grace. Therefore we also, together with him, cry aloud to the Theotokos: Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with You.”

Germanos of Old Patras and the Greek War of Liberation

By Protopresbyter Fr. George Metallinos

His Contribution to the Struggle for Liberation

Germanos of Old Patras was an outstanding figure of the Greek Revolution and a distinguished clergyman, with significant contribution to both the Church and the Nation. His secular name was Georgios Kozias or Kotzias. He was born in Dimitsana on March 25, 1771, Great Friday. His family was large and poor. At the school of his birthplace he learned his first letters, but he continued his studies under the teacher Agapios Leonardos in Argos. His intelligence and academic performance attracted the attention of the Metropolitan of Argos and Nafplion, Iakovos, who took the young Georgios as his secretary, tonsured him a monk giving him the name Germanos, and ordained him a deacon.

Shortly before 1797, Germanos was in Smyrna with his compatriot Metropolitan Gregory. When the latter was elected Ecumenical Patriarch (1797), Germanos followed him to Constantinople. From that time the two men were bound by close friendship. It is not absolutely verified whether Germanos followed the exiled Gregory V to Mount Athos. It is certain, however, that he remained in the City as Archdeacon of Kyzikos under Joachim and later became his Protosyngellos. When Joachim, who had resigned, was succeeded by Makarios of Old Patras, Germanos was elected as his successor, to shepherd in difficult times one of the most important dioceses of the Greek lands. It was March of 1806. He arrived at his see in the summer of that year and was received with enthusiasm by his flock.

The “Excommunication” of Alexander Ypsilantis

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

About ten years ago (around 1988), an excellent book was published under this title. It was written, based on archival material, by the capable author and historical researcher Mr. Petros Georgantzis. The book deals with a subtle aspect of the Greek Revolution of 1821, namely the so-called “excommunication” issued by the Ecumenical Patriarchate against Alexander Ypsilantis.

Much has been said about this issue, most of it shaped by particular ideological perspectives, without a proper study of the historical and canonical data that led to this “excommunication.” The book is divided into two parts. The first is titled: “Historical Investigation of the ‘Excommunication’ of March 1821,” and the second: “Ecclesiastical–Canonical Investigation of the ‘Excommunication.’”

Both parts contain various chapters that provide extensive information and valuable material for understanding this event. It should be noted that the author consistently places the word “excommunication” in quotation marks, because he clearly does not accept that this text is truly an act of excommunication.

Homily for the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (Fr. Daniel Sysoev)

  

Homily for the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos 

By Fr. Daniel Sysoev

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit!

Today is the joy of the Annunciation. Today heaven and earth are united. Today the ancient curse disappears, Adam’s transgression is erased, and sorrow is turned into joy. Today is the day when God became man so that man might become god. Today the heavens have broken through the barrier set by human sin, through the humble consent of the Virgin and her creative word: “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

God became man so that man might ascend to heavenly heights. God took on weak, sinful, mortal human nature in order to grant it sinlessness, incorruption, and purity. God receives flesh from the most pure Virgin in order to teach us divine purity. And today is the day of the Gospel, the day of the Good News, when we hear of the hope for which we live. This is the hope of deification, because we are called to become gods by grace.

Homily Two for the Day of the Annunciation (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

Homily Two for the Day of the Annunciation 

By Archpriest Rodion Putyatin

(Delivered on Holy and Great Saturday)

I do not know what to say to you today, devout listeners.

Should I say, “Weep”? But you will say, “How can we weep when today joy has been proclaimed to the whole world?”

Should I say, “Rejoice”? But others will say, “How can we rejoice when Jesus Christ, our joy, lies today in the tomb?”

In this uncertainty, the following thought came to me: can you force a person to rejoice if he is not inclined to joy? Of course, it is difficult. And can you force a person to weep if he is not inclined to tears? That too is difficult. So let each person today remain in whatever disposition he is in — but that disposition must be given the proper direction.

Are you inclined today to rejoice? Then rejoice.

Are you inclined today to weep? Then weep.

Both sorrow and joy are fitting for this day.

Homily at the Paraklesis of the Theotokos: On Imitating the Virtues of the Mother of God (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily at the Paraklesis of the Theotokos:
On Imitating the Virtues of the Mother of God 

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit!

“Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” (Luke 1:28). With these words the heavenly messenger greeted the Most Holy Virgin, bringing her the good news that she would give birth to the Savior of the world. In response to this angelic greeting, we hear prophetic words that she, the Most Holy Virgin Mary, spoke to her relative, the righteous Elizabeth. These words were not spoken out of passing emotion, but under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

“For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). These prophetic words have been fulfilled for two thousand years, as people throughout the world glorify the Most Pure One as the Mother of God, exalt her as more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, and bless her as the protectress of the Christian people.

Homily Three on the Annunciation (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Three on the Annunciation 

By St. John of Kronstadt

“Today is the beginning of our salvation 

and the revelation of the mystery from all eternity:
the Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin.”
(Troparion of the Feast)

Beloved brothers and sisters!

This present day is the beginning of our salvation from sin, which entered the human race through our forefather Adam; today the greatest mystery of God has been revealed, foreordained by God before all ages: the Son of God, without beginning, all-powerful, the Source of wisdom and understanding, the Source of goodness, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Creator of Adam, becomes the Son of the Most Pure Virgin, and the Virgin becomes the Mother of God; God becomes man without ceasing to be God, in order to restore man from the fall, from sin, to deliver him from death and eternal torment, and to make the sinner holy.

O wondrous mystery, surpassing all understanding! O ineffable goodness of God! To fallen man, deserving of every punishment, such immeasurable mercy has been given! Yes, mercy truly divine and boundless — but mercy, however, for sinners who truly repent; for the unrepentant, there will be the greater condemnation, because, trampling upon such great gifts of God by their lawless life, they have not desired to repent sincerely.