The Virgin Mary: A Celebration of Our Faith: Handouts—Outline for Presentation

OUTLINE FOR PRESENTATION:

I. Narrative details in the Life of the Theotokos revealed in the icons of four of her feast days.

A. The Nativity of the Theotokos

Kontakion of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Tone Four)
By your Nativity, O most pure Virgin,
Joachim and Anna are freed from barrenness;
Adam and Eve, from the corruption of death.
And we, your people, freed from the guilt of sin, celebrate and sing to you:
"The barren woman gives birth to the Theotokos, the Nourisher of our Life."

“Nothing about this event is mentioned anywhere in the Holy Scriptures. But why should there be? Is there anything remarkable, anything especially unique about the normal birth of a child, a birth like any other? And if the Church began to commemorate the event with a special feast, it was not because the birth was somehow unique or miraculous or out of the ordinary: but because on the contrary, the very fact that it is routine discloses something fresh and radiant about everything we call “routine” and ordinary, it gives new depth to the “unremarkable” details of human life. What do we see in the icon of the feast when we look at it with our spiritual eyes? There on the bed lies a woman, Anna according to Church tradition, who has just given birth to a daughter. Next to her is the child’s father, Joachim, according to the same tradition. A few women stand by the bed washing the newborn baby for the first time. The most routine, unremarkable event. Or is it? Could it be that the Church is telling us through this icon that every birth, every entrance of a new human being into the world and life is a miracle of miracles, a miracle that explodes all routine, for it marks the start of something unending, the start of a unique unrepeatable human life. The beginning of a new person. And with each birth, the world is itself in some sense created anew and given as a gift to this new human being to be his life, his path, his creation.” pp. 23 – 24, Schmemann.

B. The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

Kontakion Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (Tone 4)
The most pure Temple of the Savior, / the precious Chamber and Virgin,
The sacred Treasure of the glory of God / is presented today to the house of the Lord.
She brings with her the grace of the Spirit / which the Angels of God do praise.
Truly this woman is the Abode of Heaven!

C. The Annunciation – March 25

Troparion of the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos (Tone 4)
Today is the beginning of our salvation,
the revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin
as Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.
Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos!
Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you.

D. The Dormition - August 15

Troparion of the Dormition (Tone 1)
In giving birth you preserved your virginity!
In falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos!
You were translated to life, O Mother of Life, and by prayers you deliver our souls from death!

Kontakion of the Dormition (Tone 2)
Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos,
who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions.
For being the Mother of Life, she was translated to life
by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb!

II. The Theotokos as a model for us today.

A. Various iconographic representations

1. The Hodigitira or Pointer of the Way
2. The Elouesa or Loving Kindness (Compassion)
3. The Oranta and the Oranta of the Sign
4. The Protectress

B. Lessons we have learned from the Theotokos

“All of creation rejoices in you, O Full of Grace, the assembly of Angels and the race of men. O Sanctified Temple and Rational Paradise! O Glory of Virgins! From you, God was incarnate and became a child, our God before the ages. He made your body into a throne, and your womb He made more spacious than the heavens. All of creation rejoices in you, O Full of Grace! Glory to you!”