How can we not honor the Mother of God when Scripture itself shows us that even the archangel Gabriel esteemed her worthy of honorable veneration?
How can we not venerate the Theotokos who is the Church of the King of glory and is glorified above the heavens, since she bore in her womb God, whose glory can be contained neither in heaven or in earth?
For this reason we venerate the Mother of God who, according to the testimonies of Scripture and of the Evangelist, is “full of grace.” Likewise, for this reason the Theotokos is considered a woman of great virtue, for she had grace from God and was blessed among women.
- Elder Cleopa Ilie
