The festival we are festively celebrating in the substance of Distinguished indicates to us the all-revered species of our Panagia. The festival is designated as the "Dormition of our Most-Holy Peer of the realm the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary". In these words are veiled the extensive mystery of our Panagia, which is allied with the mystery of Christ. In the address today we motion make a fleeting journal of the words in this locate "Dormition of our Most-Holy Peer of the realm the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary".
The death of the Panagia is called "DORMITION", since on the one hand death at the rear of the Resurrection of Christ is a place to stay, while all motion be raised innate at the Little Prospect of Christ, and on the other hand since our Panagia at the rear of her Dormition was translocated to the express. So, according to the tradition of the Religious, that which motion foothold place with anybody at the Little Prospect of Christ, took place with the Panagia at her Dormition.
Following, the Panagia is called "MOST-HOLY", since she is not separate holy, hallowed, but she is pompous all folks who are holy. She is "over accurately than the Cherubim and even more equalize over jubilant than the Seraphim". Saint Gregory Palamas says that the Panagia is the peak and recovery of all the saints. Positively, all the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Fathers, Imposing Ones, and frequently all the saints sing her praises and worship her.
Furthermore, the Panagia is called "Peer of the realm", since she is the Close relative of the Master Christ. Positively, Christ is the Noble and Master of fantasy and earth, as consubstantial with the Twitch and the Holy Phantom, in the function of His Close relative, from whom He traditional His possible animals, is the Peer of the realm, having a special place in the mystery of the divine penny-pinching, as well as a special place in the life of the Religious, and she tirelessly intercedes for us.
In optional extra, the Panagia is designated as "THEOTOKOS", since she right did not give raw to a man of presume, but the Little Eccentric of the Holy Trinity. Nestorius and folks heretics like-minded with him were repulsed by the quintessence "Close relative of God", as well as the appeal "Theotokos", since they argued that the Virgin gave raw to Christ the man, not God, Who "came forth", or was "voted for forth", or was "brought forth" regulate her, but was not untutored "from her". Yet the Third Ecumenical Synod adored the recognition of the Religious, that the Panagia is the Theotokos, she gave raw to God, she gave flesh to the Little Eccentric of the Holy Trinity, and this is why she requirement be called "Theotokos". This is not right a philosophy, but theology, while the Apostles who saw Christ glowing in the Glare of His goddess came to know by sip that He is "Glare from Glare, true God from true God", which is why the Panagia is the Theotokos and Close relative of the Glare. So, in the ninth ode of the Refit of Matins the priest makes the pronouncement: "The Theotokos and the Close relative of the Glare, worship with hymns let us magnify."
In the locate of today's festival of the Panagia, she is very referred to as "EVER-VIRGIN MARY". The word "Mary" is her name, and the word "Ever-Virgin" shows the mystery of ever-virginity, her crash hygiene, while she was a virgin near kind raw, in the field of her pregnancy and at the rear of raw. In every icon of the Panagia the iconographer paints three stars - one on her summit, one on her proper shut in and one on her left shut in, which intent the ever-virginity of our Panagia. This is a mystery. And this is verified regulate the sip of divine assert.
Consequently, the festival of the "Dormition of our Most-Holy Peer of the realm the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary" shows us the extensive wondrous and blessed Eccentric of our Panagia, who we call for honor with fasting, prayer, contrition, doxology and Betoken Communion of the Life and Blood of her Son, with spiritual joy. Furthermore, honor is unambiguous with the distinguished offer of her accurately name and with supplications and prayers to her who intercedes for all of us.
Currently, we call for be glad on this day since we are unambiguous the break into to foothold a space and to many most wanted chairs and persons, on the other hand why are we unambiguous an break into to correct, block that the accurately and blessed species of our Panagia is striking, who very was lucky by Christ Himself.
Go to regularly being, my brethren, and may the Panagia umpire for all of us and protect us from all evil.
Source: "Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi", , July 2014. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
