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.

March: Day 25: Teaching 3: Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos

March: Day 25: Teaching 3:
Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos
 
(What Does the Annunciation Mean, and What Does It Teach Us?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Why is the present day called the day of the Annunciation? — Obviously, because of some good tidings for all of us. What is this tidings?

a) It is the tidings that to us poor ones on earth there has now descended the Only-begotten Son of God, the eternal Word, by Whom all things visible and invisible were created and are sustained in being. He descended to such an extent that He clothed Himself in our nature, became in all things like us except for sin, a man, and this not for some temporary period, whether small or great, but for all eternity.

b) It is the tidings that this incarnate Son of God will accomplish for our salvation everything that is necessary: He will enlighten us with the light of truth and show us the way to eternal life; He will take upon Himself our sins and blot them out by His sufferings; He will descend into the grave and by His Resurrection dispel for us the darkness of the tomb and the fear of death; He will grant us the Holy Spirit and with Him the fullness of the gifts of grace, so that, being cleansed from every impurity, we may become capable of dwelling in heaven with the angels.

Prologue in Sermons: March 25

One Must Not Approach the Holy Mysteries Without Preparation

March 25

(A Word of John of Damascus on the Communion of the Body of Christ)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

One must not approach the Communion of the Holy Mysteries without preparation, as the Holy Apostle Paul also says: “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Body of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:28–29).

In what, then, should preparation for receiving the Holy Mysteries consist?

Saint John of Damascus reasons about this as follows:

“Many receive the Body of Christ simply out of custom, and not as they ought according to the law, with a pure thought and mind, during the holy Fast and in the Paschal season. First of all, one must pass through the holy Fast in purity and cleanse one’s conscience, and only then partake; otherwise, one who is unclean will be unworthy to taste of the Table of Christ. Remember that even in the Old Testament people approached the sacrifices with fear and purified themselves beforehand. But we receive the Body and Blood of Christ with defiled hands and without fear, whereas even the angels tremble before them.

And you, Christian, know the time of Communion, yet you do not prepare yourself for Communion itself. Consider: can you approach even an earthly king with foul-smelling lips? How then shall we approach the Heavenly King with them? Do you not hear what is proclaimed in the Church? ‘Let those in the state of catechumens depart, and let those who are not in repentance not receive!’

Therefore, let only the worthy approach Holy Communion, and let the unworthy not partake, because they will receive the Holy Mysteries unto judgment for themselves, unto condemnation and torment. For this reason the priest proclaims: ‘The holy things are for the holy!’ that is, let only the holy approach. It is not said simply ‘pure,’ but ‘holy.’ ‘He who eats this Bread and drinks this Cup unworthily is guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord.’”