Theotokos: She is “the bridge by which God descended,” and again, “she who conducts those of earth to Heaven...

So, the Lord Jesus gives us this possibility to unite with God and return to the primary purpose which God ordained for man.
Therefore He is described in Holy Scripture as the way, the door, the good shepherd, the life, the resurrection, the light. He is the new Adam who rights the wrong of the first Adam.
The first Adam separated us from God with his disobedience and his egotism. With His love and His obedience to the Father, obedience unto death, to “death on the cross,” the second Adam, Christ, brings us back once more to God. Once again He orients our freedom towards God, so that by offering Him our freedom, we unite with Him.

The work of the new Adam pre-supposes the work of the new Eve, the Panagia who put right the wrong done by the old Eve. Eve drove Adam to disobedience.The new Eve, the Panagia, contributes to the incarnation of the new Adam who will guide the human race towards obedience to God. Therefore, as the first human person who achieved Theosis –in an exceptional and, of course unrepeatable, way– the Lady Theotokos played a role in our salvation which was not only fundamental, but both necessary and irreplaceable.

According to St. Nicholas Cabasilas, the great
14th century theologian, if the Panagia, in her obedience, had not offered her freedom to God, had she not said “yes” to God– God would not have been able to incarnate. Once God had given freedom to man, He would not have been able to violate His gift, so He would not have been able to incarnate if there had not been such a pure, all-holy, immaculate psyche as the Theotokos, who would offer her freedom, her will, all of herself totally to God so as to draw Him towards herself and towards us.
We owe so much to Panagia. This is why our
Church honours and venerates the Theotokos so much, so that St. Gregory Palamas, summarising Patristic theology, says that our Panagia holds the second place after the Holy Trinity;that she is god after God, the boundary between the created and the uncreated. “She leads those being saved,” according to another fine expression by a theologian of our Church. Recently St.Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, the steadfast luminary and teacher of the Church, pointed out that the angelic ranks themselves are illumined by the light they receive from the Panagia.

Therefore, she is praised by our Church as “more honourable than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim.”
The incarnation of the Logos and the Theosis
of man are the great mystery of our Faith and Theology.
Our Orthodox Church lives this every day with its Mysteries, with its hymns, with its icons, with its whole life. Even the architecture of an Orthodox Church witnesses to this. The great dome of the churches, on which the Pantocrator is painted, symbolises the descent of Heaven to earth; it tells us that the Lord “bent down the Heavens and descended.” The Evangelist St.John writes that God became man “and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
So, we represent the Theotokos in the apse of the altar to show that God comes to earth and to men through her, because He became man through the Theotokos. She is “the bridge by which God descended,” and again, “she who conducts those of earth to Heaven,” the Platytera of the Heavens, the space of the uncontainable,who contained the uncontainable God within herself for our salvation.
To continue, our Churches show deified men; those who became gods by Grace because God became man. In our Orthodox Churches we can picture not only the incarnate God, Christ, and His immaculate Mother the Lady Theotokos,but we also show the saints around and below the Pantocrator; on all the walls of the Church we paint the results of God’s incarnation: sainted and deified men.

Thus, when we enter an Orthodox Church and see the beautiful holy icons, this is an immediate experience through which we learn what God’s plan is for man; what is the purpose of our life.
Everything in the Church talks to us about the incarnation of God and the Theosis of man.

Taken from"THEOSIS" THE TRUE PURPOSE OF HUMAN LIFE
ARCHIMANDRITE GEORGE
ABBOT OF THE HOLY MONASTERY
OF ST. GREGORIOS ON MOUNT ATHOS

Dormition of St. Anna, mother of the Theotokos

  July 25

Reading:

According to tradition, Anna, the ancestor of God, lived for sixty-nine years, and her spouse Joachim, for eighty; according to one account, Saint Joachim died two years before Saint Anna. The Theotokos had been orphaned of both her parents already when she was eleven years of age, when she was living in the Temple (see Sept. 8 and Nov. 21). Saint Anna is invoked for conceiving children, and for help in difficult childbirth.

Apolytikion of Dormition of St. Anna in the Fourth Tone

O Godly-minded Anna, thou didst give birth unto God's pure Mother who conceived Him Who is our Life. Wherefore, thou hast now passed with joy to thy heavenly rest, wherein is the abode of them that rejoice in glory; and thou askest forgiveness of sins for them that honour thee with love, O ever-blessed one.

Kontakion of Dormition of St. Anna in the Second Tone

We celebrate now the mem'ry of Christ's ancestors, while asking their help with faith, that we may all be saved from all manner of tribulation as we fervently cry aloud: Be thou with us, O Lord our God, Whose pleasure it was to glorify them both.

An awesome recent vision of the Theotokos!

Note: This is the summary of an astonishing recent vision regarding the help of the Theotokos. In some ways it resembles prior visions, such as those of Panagia Paramythia from Vatopedi, and the Holy Protection to St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ. Please note that I have not independently confirmed this, I have only provided my amateur translation as presented on the source site.
Several points though may benefit from clarification:
1. Christ has utter love and mercy, and He shed His Blood for the whole world. When scriptures discuss punishment or "wrath" of God, this is an idiom of our perception. Christ allows trials and tribulations as a last ditch effort to bring us to contrition and repentance, only when nothing else will work.
2. This does not mean to imply that the Theotokos would ever disobey or dishonor Christ. It just underlines how much she loves and cares for us, as she did at the Wedding at Cana. 3. As long as we repent and return to the Church during our lives, there is no sin that overcomes the love and mercy of Christ.
4. Though this might seem primarily for the people of Greece, the admonition is just as applicable for the whole world. We all have great sins to repent of, and if we do not repent speedily, it may soon become too late to do so.

May we speedily repent and return to our Lord, Who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth! May the Most-Holy Theotokos continue to bless, protect and guide everyone throughout the world!


About one year ago, one of our more enlightened, great Athonite Elders from the outside [i.e. outside of Greece], saw an astonishing vision, which we offer below in summary:

Our Panagia was kneeling before Christ, the Righteous Judge. She was entreating Him to save Greece from some great danger and catastrophe which would later come!

“No, my Mother,” the Lord said, “Look at what is happening in Greece. Look at the sin (bringing to mind the carnal and other sins)...”

“Forgive them, my Son, save Greece which believes in You and loves us...”

“No, Mother. They do not love me nor do they believe in me, with such carnal sins...”

“I entreat You my child,” as the Panagia now entreats the Lord with tears, “Do not let this happen...”

“It is not going to happen, Mother, and I ask you not to seek this,” said Christ, embittered by the Greeks, who had lost every piety and measure, every purity and spirituality, polluting themselves with sin and evil and impious deeds, both small and great...

“Listen, my child and my Lord,” the Panagia persisted, “Hearken to my prayers and to my children who call upon me, and who entreat me to entreat of You..”

“It's not going to happen, O Mother...Sin has overflowed...Do not persist...” says the all-radiant Christ, as He disappeared...

Therefore, our Panagia was saddened, and as the Champion General of Greece, she does something unexpected. She stands upright, takes off her mandya, and holds in a protecting manner above Greece! As the Holy Protection! As the Awesome Protection!

An astonishing vision, with which our Christ leaves us with one final opportunity for repentance and correction, only in thanks to His Mother! He holds the door half open for us still, astonishingly, on behalf of our Mother, the Mother of Greece, who has saved us through how many storms and wars and earthquakes, for centuries!

Our Panagia defends us with her own responsibility, because we so greatly call upon her, and have continuous supplications and prayers, especially of our Monasteries, and we seek her continuous protection, despite our sinfulness, which brings forth the wrath of God, such as atheism, cursing holy things, utter impiety, and especially adulteries, of the mouth, and every carnal passion, and the terrible homosexuality, which is the greatest sin of the world, and which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and brought about the Cataclysm of Noah...

A short time before the terrible dangers that are coming, of which we are unable to comprehend, but which may include poverty, destitution, hunger, civil war, invasions, earthquakes, epidemics, individually or all together, the evils which we see in Syria, Libya, Africa, let us take advantage of this movement of love and sacrifice of our Panagia! Let us return to our Christ! With a simple movement! Repenting, ceasing immediately, now, today, from this instant and forever, whatever evil things that we have done, whatever we do, say, think, or plan to do, sacrificing “pleasures and delights, egotism and evils”, in order to win over the love of the Queen of the Angels, and of God Himself! In order to save ourselves, and the most beautiful and once blessed Greece!

And then, let us run to a spiritual father or Elder to confess, seeking with tears and contrition, for forgiveness from Christ, Whom we have wounded and embittered so...
It is very easy...

It is such a small beginning step, which however takes us immediately to the other shore of the All-Mighty Kingdom of Christ, and eternal joy and Grace.

That our Panagia might rejoice!
That we might justify her deed and her choice!
That we might not disappoint her!
That we might return now to the honors and beginnings passed down from the Fathers!
To our Orthodoxy!

And it is sure that thus we will be saved and glorify our Greece, with the help of Panagia, who so much will give their eyes a scrubbing! Like in 1940!

And let us send as our first sign into Heaven, the lighting of our candle, the prayer of our soul!

And finally, let us chant, as ones besieged and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of savages and barbarian enemies of the City [Constantinople]:
O Champion General, I your city now inscribe to you triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude, being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. But since you have the dominion unassailable, from all kinds of perils free me so that unto you, I may cry aloud: rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

Most-Holy Theotokos save us!
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
 
Source
Source

An awesome recent vision of the Theotokos

The wondrous icon of Panagia Paramythia, Vatopedi Monastery, Mount Athos (source)

Note: This is the summary of an astonishing recent vision regarding the help of the Theotokos. In some ways it resembles prior visions, such as those of Panagia Paramythia from Vatopedi, and the Holy Protection to St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ. Please note that I have not independently confirmed this, I have only provided my amateur translation as presented on the source site.
Several points though may benefit from clarification:
1. Christ has utter love and mercy, and He shed His Blood for the whole world. When scriptures discuss punishment or "wrath" of God, this is an idiom of our perception. Christ allows trials and tribulations as a last ditch effort to bring us to contrition and repentance, only when nothing else will work.
2. This does not mean to imply that the Theotokos would ever disobey or dishonor Christ. It just underlines how much she loves and cares for us, as she did at the Wedding at Cana.
3. As long as we repent and return to the Church during our lives, there is no sin that overcomes the love and mercy of Christ.
4. Though this might seem primarily for the people of Greece, the admonition is just as applicable for the whole world. We all have great sins to repent of, and if we do not repent speedily, it may soon become too late to do so.
May we speedily repent and return to our Lord, Who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth! May the Most-Holy Theotokos continue to bless, protect and guide everyone throughout the world!

About one year ago, one of our more enlightened, great Athonite Elders from the outside [i.e. outside of Greece], saw an astonishing vision, which we offer below in summary:

Our Panagia was kneeling before Christ, the Righteous Judge. She was entreating Him to save Greece from some great danger and catastrophe which would later come!

“No, my Mother,” the Lord said, “Look at what is happening in Greece. Look at the sin (bringing to mind the carnal and other sins)...”

“Forgive them, my Son, save Greece which believes in You and loves us...”

“No, Mother. They do not love me nor do they believe in me, with such carnal sins...”

“I entreat You my child,” as the Panagia now entreats the Lord with tears, “Do not let this happen...”

“It is not going to happen, Mother, and I ask you not to seek this,” said Christ, embittered by the Greeks, who had lost every piety and measure, every purity and spirituality, polluting themselves with sin and evil and impious deeds, both small and great...

“Listen, my child and my Lord,” the Panagia persisted, “Hearken to my prayers and to my children who call upon me, and who entreat me to entreat of You..”

“It's not going to happen, O Mother...Sin has overflowed...Do not persist...” says the all-radiant Christ, as He disappeared...

Therefore, our Panagia was saddened, and as the Champion General of Greece, she does something unexpected. She stands upright, takes off her mandya, and holds in a protecting manner above Greece! As the Holy Protection! As the Awesome Protection!

An astonishing vision, with which our Christ leaves us with one final opportunity for repentance and correction, only in thanks to His Mother! He holds the door half open for us still, astonishingly, on behalf of our Mother, the Mother of Greece, who has saved us through how many storms and wars and earthquakes, for centuries!

Our Panagia defends us with her own responsibility, because we so greatly call upon her, and have continuous supplications and prayers, especially of our Monasteries, and we seek her continuous protection, despite our sinfulness, which brings forth the wrath of God, such as atheism, cursing holy things, utter impiety, and especially adulteries, of the mouth, and every carnal passion, and the terrible homosexuality, which is the greatest sin of the world, and which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and brought about the Cataclysm of Noah...

A short time before the terrible dangers that are coming, of which we are unable to comprehend, but which may include poverty, destitution, hunger, civil war, invasions, earthquakes, epidemics, individually or all together, the evils which we see in Syria, Libya, Africa, let us take advantage of this movement of love and sacrifice of our Panagia! Let us return to our Christ! With a simple movement! Repenting, ceasing immediately, now, today, from this instant and forever, whatever evil things that we have done, whatever we do, say, think, or plan to do, sacrificing “pleasures and delights, egotism and evils”, in order to win over the love of the Queen of the Angels, and of God Himself! In order to save ourselves, and the most beautiful and once blessed Greece!

And then, let us run to a spiritual father or Elder to confess, seeking with tears and contrition, for forgiveness from Christ, Whom we have wounded and embittered so...
It is very easy...

It is such a small beginning step, which however takes us immediately to the other shore of the All-Mighty Kingdom of Christ, and eternal joy and Grace.

That our Panagia might rejoice!
That we might justify her deed and her choice!
That we might not disappoint her!
That we might return now to the honors and beginnings passed down from the Fathers!
To our Orthodoxy!

And it is sure that thus we will be saved and glorify our Greece, with the help of Panagia, who so much will give their eyes a scrubbing! Like in 1940!

And let us send as our first sign into Heaven, the lighting of our candle, the prayer of our soul!

And finally, let us chant, as ones besieged and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of savages and barbarian enemies of the City [Constantinople]:
O Champion General, I your city now inscribe to you triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude, being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. But since you have the dominion unassailable, from all kinds of perils free me so that unto you, I may cry aloud: rejoice, O Bride unwedded.


The Holy Protection of the Theotokos 

Most-Holy Theotokos save us!
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

source

The Flock of the Theotokos

The Most-Holy Theotokos "Gerontissa" ("The Abbess"), depicted with Holy Angels and several Monastic Saints

M.M. Elder, let us move onto a different topic. Speak to us on the relationship that you and every Athonite has with the Panagia.

Elder Markellos: It is Her Garden, and we are her children. Once, an Athonite monk was sick. In order to be healed, he took refuge in the Panagia of Tinos. There, of course from reverence, he slept at night within the church. In reality, therefore, Panagia visited him, but in a...unique manner. She gave him a motherly slap, saying at the same time: "What do you want here?"

He replied: "My Panagia, I came to find my health."

"Well, why didn't you call me and entreat me in my Garden? I'm there every day along with you. Was there a need to come here?" Then the poor monk lost it, and awoke thinking: "Wow, what a fool I am, what am I doing here?"

This motherly position Panagia has before all of us, and when we are pleasing before Her--according to Her promise--she gives us everything. The blessed Elder Ephraim of Katounakia said: "Are you being tempted? Grab hold of the Panagia by her dress and call upon Her! She is a mother, she will hear you." He said this with joy, and also with faith that it would thus occur. When he sought for something from the Panagia, She gave it to him.

There is a story regarding an astonishing vision having to do with the Athonite Fathers and the Most-Holy Theotokos, which depicts her many times as an Abbess, as the Gerontissa of the Holy Mountain, with Her rod and mandya. She visits, she keeps vigil, she cares for Her children.

An Elder saw this astonishing vision: "The Second Coming, the Last Judgment had come. The Panagia as an Abbess passed by the cemetaries of the Holy Monasteries, by the Sketes, by the Hermitages, where there were the graves of the Fathers. As she passed by the place of the Fathers' rest, she would hit Her staff on the graves, and the Fathers would rise!"

An astonishing vision... All the resurrected Fathers followed the Panagia, who went before them, and arranged them into a large flock, the flock of the Most-Holy Theotokos. The Athonite Fathers were and are Her children, and she led them and leads them to the Kingdom of the Heavens.

An incredible vision. But once in a while, from certain graves, the Panagia did not take the Fathers. She left them there. They were those monks who did not take care in their life, who did not keep their monastic promises and their monastic duties. These cried out, mourned, wailed, entreated: "Take me too, Panagia! Take me together with You!" However, she did not take them, and they remained complaining and estranged from the great brotherhood, the Synodeia of the Most-Holy Theotokos.

Every Athonite monk senses the Panagia as his Mother. Whatever he asks of Her with faith and purity, the Panagia brings about, but he must try to always be pleasing before Her in his life. In other words, he must try to not make his life something that would sadden his Mother.
 
From Elder Markellos of Blessed Memory, Former Abbot of Karakallou Monastery, Mount Athos. From the Book: Logos Athonos, by Manolis Melinos.

source

Prayer to the Theotokos ( St. Seraphim of Sarov )

Ο my All-Merciful, Sovereign Lady! All-Holy Lady, Most Pure Virgin, Theotokos Mary, Mother of God, My undoubting and my only Hope: Disdain me not, reject me not, forsake me not, Help me, intercede, hear and behold me. Ο Lady, help me, forgive me, forgive me, Ο Pure One!

St. Seraphim of Sarov

The Most Holy Theotokos - According to Saint Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain - Presented in San Francisco, October 6, 2012 by CZ

Your eminence Archbishop Kyrill,

Holy Fathers, Deacons, monastics, guardians of Our Myrrh streaming Virgin Nectary, brothers and sisters, Christ and His Mother are in our midst.

Our Most Holy Mother will always be with us because, although totally unworthy, we belong to the generations of Christians who call her blessed. Our presence here at Our Lady Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral, with St. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco, continues to fulfill the prophetic words of her magnificent ode, after the Annunciation: “Behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed!” And even though we belong among the most sinful generations of Christians, her miraculous and ever so fragrant presence among us validates and justifies the early melodist of our holy Church: “During Birth you preserved your Virginity and after your Dormition you did not abandon the world O Theotokos.”

What could be greater proof for this truth! For the past five years, she has blessed us with the paradisiacal myrrh of her Son. She anoints us with the heavenly fragrance of the Holy Trinity, the oil of gladness, according to the 45th Messianic psalm of King David. Yes, we can boast in the Lord, His Mother and our Mother Church, the pillar and foundation of the Truth! Only in Orthodoxy do we taste Paradise in this Life! We see, smell, taste, touch, and live the majesties of God with our body and soul! Emmanuel, God with us! At the same time, we are saddened by the orphanage of millions of non-Orthodox Christians around us, because they have never truly felt the warm embrace of such a majestic mother—the sweet kiss of our celestial mother. The myrrh, pouring from this icon that our impure lips come in contact with, is the sweet kiss of our Glykofilousa—the sweet kissing ever Virgin Mother.

The holy Virgin’s distant forefather David, the prophet and king, beautifully captures what we have been experiencing not only this weekend, but for the last five years with her miraculous myrrh steaming presence. Approximately 3060 years ago, he wrote about the majesties of the Messiah, His Bride the Church, and the Theotokos—the Virgin Mary—because our Virgin Mother is synonymous with the Church—and I quote:

“Therefore God, your God has anointed you with the elaion aggaliaseos, with the oil of gladness, more than your companions.”

What a stunning prophecy about the hidden mystery—hidden before all ages! Oil is material, and anointing can only take place in the physical world! A spirit cannot be anointed with oil! What God can be anointed? The God Who would be betrothed to His physical creation. The God Who would assume a physical body, in time. Therefore “God, your God has anointed you” … refers to the human nature of Christ.

The devil hid this verse from Arius and his contemporaries who fought the divinity of Christ. Remember, the Triune God addressed Jesus Christ as God approximately 3060 years ago! The next verse is equally astounding… “All your garments are scented with myrrh, aloes and cassia… All your garments are perfumed with Myrrh…” This is a phenomenal prophesy about the companions of Christ: the Virgin Mary, first and foremost, and all the Holy Virgins that she will lead to the palace of the king, according to the same psalm. We all have been sanctified and covered our spiritual nakedness with the garment called Christ! For as many of you have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ, according to Saint Paul. Adam and Eve were clothed with a God-woven garment, an immaterial garment, the garment of the Uncreated light… But after their tragic disobedience, they lost that fragrant garment, and they were dressed with the skins of dead animals. They lost the fragrance of Paradise, and they chose the stench of death and corruption…Our predecessors’ ill use of the gift of free will removed God from the center of their lives, so to speak… Yet, the love and the longing of the Hypostatic Wisdom was to live with men… One of the titles of Christ in the Old Testament is the Wisdom of God. “I the Wisdom (with capital W) was beside Him as a Master craftsman, and my delight was with the sons of men…” we read in the eighth chapter of Proverbs.

I am not giving out verses anymore… this is a good way to get some of you to read that whole Chapter.

Several weeks ago I was speaking at one of your parishes, The Holy Apostles in Beltsville Maryland and we had a most pleasant surprise … Metropolitan Ilarion stopped by to visit and stayed for the presentation. I protested and tried to convince him to teach, but I was unsuccessful. I was stunned by his simplicity and humility…With such leadership, it is no wonder God is blessing you with miraculous icons…I tried again to persuade him to speak after my talk, and he said very few words. Yet he was the real teacher that evening. He taught all of us by his simplicity and humility. May God grant him and all your hierarchs many years! One of his comments that evening was that we Orthodox are lazy in reading the Scriptures… So I thought from now on it would be a good idea to provide (only) the chapter, and those who love the word of God enough, will read through the chapter to locate the verse.

So, the delight of the Wisdom—Proverbs, Chapter Eight—was to wear garments and live with the sons of men. This was the kat’evdokian—the prior or primary will of God. God created the entire Universe through His Master Craftsman, Wisdom—His Word and beautified it to share His love with us.

The rebellion of Adam and Eve left the Wisdom homeless. Sin, death, and corruption insulated nature from God. He needed to borrow His initial physical garments from this physical world, but there were none compatible with the brilliant purity of God. According to St. Gregory of Thessaloniki, God cannot touch anything unclean, and the fall made the world unclean. The garments of man were full of blood, treachery, and evil.

According to the church Fathers and St. Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain, the Incarnation of God was independent of the fall. The Wisdom would incarnate regardless of the fall. The ultimate purpose of man is to reach theosis, and this could not take place without the hypostatic (personal) union of the two natures of Christ. Thus, the prior or primary will of God was to incarnate and live with His creation. The delight of the Wisdom was to live with the sons of men.

His foreknowledge of the fall pre-eternally worked out a few minor adjustments. My elder and teacher, Athanasios Mitilinaios, calls this the concessionary or secondary will of God. This is extremely important especially for those converts who may struggle with the western doctrine of predestination. The foreknowledge of God does not contradict the concept of man’s free will. God predestines with His primary will but He economizes—He mends—the bad choices of man’s free will with His Secondary will. For example, the primary will of God was for Adam and Eve to stay in the garden without sin, then mankind would increase and multiply in an angelic manner.

In view of the fall, however, in view of that tragic ancestral sin, God’s foreknowledge pre-installed a sort of a safety net called gender, or marriage. So marriage between a man and a woman is that safety net that safeguards man from the inherited consequences of that early fall. Virginity and purity were the primary will of God, the state of His Kingdom. Marriage is certainly blessed by God, but it is His secondary will, and as such, it will not exist in the Kingdom of God where only His primary will shall prevail.



While preparing these lines, I glanced through the first chapters of Genesis and at the end of every creating day, God used the refrain: and God saw that it was good. He does this for all natural creation but not for mankind.

There we read: So God created man in His own image; male and female He created them. Here the refrain and God saw that it was good is missing.

At the end of the same Chapter, however, we read: Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. This very good, according to St. Nicodemos, who often quotes Saint Gregory Palamas and Saint Maximos the Confessor, includes the contribution of our Most Holy Virgin. Her amazing virtue and purity would work in a synergistic action with God to reverse Adam’s fall. Her words Let it be done to me according to your will would repair Adam’s ill will. God had His eyes on her and through her the renewal of man when He said everything was indeed very good.

The sin perpetuated by Adam and his descendants made the Wisdom homeless, incapable of acquiring His garments, His human nature. He needed a House according to the ninth chapter of Proverbs: Wisdom has built her house. She has hewn out Her seven pillar. …The house and real Temple of the Wisdom was Mary of Nazareth. Wisdom needed a sinless virgin to cloth Himself, so He could give birth to His Bride, the Church, to establish Her with the seven pillars—the sacraments of the Church—and to cry out: Come, eat of my Bread and drink of the wine I have mixed with water!... That water is the Zeon that our altar boys carry to the liturgist priest.

None of these mysteries could take place without the Let it be done according to your will of our Fragrant Virgin.

Please forgive me if I exhausted some of you with this lengthy and perhaps too theological introduction, but this knowledge will help us somewhat understand our saints’ preoccupation with, admiration, and adoration of the person of the Most Holy Theotokos. … The Great Gregory, the second theologian of our Church, sharply warns Kleidonios and all his followers past and contemporary: “Anyone who does not call Mary Theotokos— Birthgiver of God—is separated from divinity—he is godless…” very strong language from this otherwise very sensitive and most meek theologian.

Rightfully then and most befittingly, Saint Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain concludes that only one person in human history surpassed the spiritual height of even the angelic world. According to this holy Father, all creatures communed “only of God’s energy, while our Lady received in herself, hypostatically, the second person of the Holy Trinity, ending up mainly and truly Theotokos … setting to prove that according to the volition and foreknowledge of God, the Theotokos was the most purposeful and utmost end of the entire creation.”

Naturally, the teaching of St. Nicodemos echoes the holy patristic teaching on the most Holy Theotokos, the teaching of the Church. The Saint’s most fervent eros of soul for the most Holy Theotokos is parallel to the deep love and the deep piety all holy Fathers felt towards the venerable person of the Mother of the Lord. Moreover, this is axiomatic in the area of Orthodox hagiologion: One cannot be a saint without first being a lover of the Mother of God. The theology of the Theotokos of Saint Nicodemos is the result of the profound piety, love, and personal experience of the Saint, who lived and was in constant occupation with her name. According to the verbal tradition of his contemporary monks, the Most Holy Theotokos would often appear to him and tell him: “I bless you, my child Nicodemos, and strengthen you to write.”



Of course, all the saints (precisely because they were saints) with their strong spiritual vision discerned that the Most Holy Theotokos drew the love of God, and she became very beloved and desired of the only desired One because of her universal holiness. However, even the Saints confess their complete inability to approach, even partially, the bottomless ocean of the mystery of her ever virginity. Basil of Seleucia writes relatedly, “How can I dare to investigate the virginal ocean and depth of the great mystery, unless you O Theotokos teach me, the inexperienced swimmer that I am, to cast off the old man corrupted from the deception of desire?”

Saint Nicodemos’ great love for the person of the most Holy Theotokos drove him to be insatiably occupied with her name, with the blessedness, and with all the majesties which the Mighty One did for her (Luke 1:49).

The saint wrote in his Theotokarion, which includes 2450 hymns to the Virgin, full of contrition and read in our monasteries daily, “[from all the creatures] she only from birth became by disposition completely unmoved towards evil. She had forever put to death the passionate inclinations of the three parts of soul [noetic, appetitive, and irascible] for she gave birth to the Creator of all and (to) a man crucified in the flesh.” In the interpretation of the Ninth Ode, Saint Nicodemos continues to develop his theology of the superior worth of the Theotokos compared to the rest of the created world of people and angels, “The Virgin Mary, with her ultra supernatural purity in all her life and especially during the period of the twelve years in the Holy of Holies, was deemed worthy to become Mother of the Son and Word of God Himself.”

And the Saint continues, “Who else was more theoretical* and capable to transverse into the mysteries of heaven more so than the Theotokos; no one, from the ranks of Angels or men more than her, understood the majesties of God.”

Yet in our recent theology, especially in the academic area where the Protestant influence has been intense, we may hear the expression “the first after the One” distinguishing the intellectual and theological profundity of the “mouth of Christ” of the Apostle Paul. The Apostle of the Gentiles certainly was a vessel of grace, a chosen vessel, a tireless servant of the Word.

But the holy living Tradition which saves the Church from this sort of intellectual theologians through the centuries, singles out one theologian par excellence who is “higher than the heavens and purer than the rays of the sun” according to St. Nicodemos, who summarizes the universal consciousness of the Fathers of the Church by attempting to appraise the unrepeatable and forever unique person of the Theotokos. As St. Nicodemos expounded in his confession of faith, in Orthodox theology “the first after the One” is our Virgin Mother, and the Orthodox views of the Kollivades (Saint Nicodemos, Saint Makarios of Corinth, and Athanasios Parios) stressing the need for continuous holy Communion and concerning the performing of memorials on the appointed day of Saturday and not Sunday created storms in the souls of the 18th century “zealot and uneducated monks of the Holy Mountain” resulting in him being slandered with rage for twenty-two years.

The sacred community of the Holy Mountain, naturally, justified and acquitted the Saint from this unsacred war, whose cause was a daring hypothesis in the footnotes of his newly published book, Unseen Warfare, which said, “With every right the Holy Triune God, enjoyed and greatly rejoiced before the ages foreknowing according to His divine knowledge, the Ever Virgin Mary. Because it is the opinion of certain theologians that if we were to assume that all the nine ranks of angels would be torn down from the heavens and would become demons, if all of the people from the ages would become evil and all go to hell … With all of this, all these evils compared to the Theotokos’ fullness of holiness would not be able to sadden God, because the Lady Theotokos alone would be able to please Him in all and for all. …she alone loved Him above all, because she alone obeyed His will, above all, and because she alone was capable and receptive of all those natural, optional, and supernatural gifts—which God distributed to all creation …”

All these gifts of the Most Holy Theotokos are listed in the content of his interpretation of the Ninth Ode where the insatiable longing of the Saint is poured out, “Oh most sweet in person and in name Mariam, what passion is this that I feel in myself? I cannot get enough of the praises of your majesties! For the more I praise them all, the more I desire them, my longing is forever kindled, and my desire becomes insatiable …”

In the passage “for He looked upon the humility of His handmaiden,” Saint Nicodemos underlines the depth of our Virgin’s humility and footnotes, “The Theotokos did not only have the depth of humility rooted in her heart, but as from a spring springing forth, it flooded all the external members of her all pure body …” In her whole demeanor, in her movements, in her words, and in all her inner character and appearance, her humility shone like the sun … Generally speaking, the presence of the Lady Theotokos radiated so much divine grace and respect, that, whoever first gazed upon her, received in his soul such reverence and compunction … even from that initial glance one knew—merely from her external character—that she truly is the Mother of God …

St. Dionysius the Areopagite, like all the saints, had great love for Christ, his Lord. When he was informed that Christ’s all pure Mother was still alive, he travelled from Athens to meet her. When he first gazed upon her divine countenance and her amazing and royal beauty, not to mention all the angels who were encircling her as a queen, he was dumbfounded… finally upon hearing the godly words of her all pure mouth, he was amazed and awestruck, confessing that her physical character and appearance alone proclaimed her to be the Mother of God.”

The Lady fully possessed the God-woven garment of humility. Although she was chosen to be the true Mother of God and queen of all creatures visible and invisible, she addressed herself as the slave of the Lord at the annunciation of Archangel Gabriel with the most natural ease. The more a soul is purified and perfected, the more she feels her weakness and unworthiness. Such was the depth of the Ever Virgin’s humility that she considered herself unworthy to be the servant of the Virgin of Isaiah, who would give birth to the Messiah according to our host, St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco (Isaiah, 7:14). Also some teachers consider “that the Virgin, out of her great and unparalleled humility, did not reveal the annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to her betrothed Joseph, so that she might not seem boasting and proud, but she left God to inform him from above.”

Some of the personal majesties of the Theotokos are her relative sinlessness and her personal struggle. According to Saint Gregory of Thessaloniki, as a little child, the Theotokos in the Holy of Holies invented the “noetic action” and was the inventress of noetic prayer and noetic hesychasm, “for through the return of the nous to the heart and everlasting prayer, she was elevated above each form and shape and thus constructed a new path to heaven—noetic silence—through which she ascended above all creatures and envisioned the glory of God more perfectly than Moses, saw divine grace which cannot be captured by the senses, but is a most graceful spectacle of angels, monks, and of pure souls.”

St. Nicodemos in his book Garden of Graces continues with the “majesties that the mighty One has done for her”:

1. God foreknew her and fore chose her before all creation to serve in the mystery hidden before all ages.

She is the distillation of all seventy-seven generations of the righteous, before and after the law, from Adam all the way to Righteous Joachim according to Saint Basil the Great.

2. She is the acrostic of every prophet and the beginning of all the prophecies beginning in Genesis.

3. She is the mother of Grace before the time of grace.

4. He has made her wider than the heavens for having contained the Uncontainable God in her womb.

5. The majesty of all majesties was the supernatural conception of God the Word, Who did not grow in her womb according to the common laws of developmental biology. Saint Basil teaches in his Christmas homily that “the Infant formed itself instantly and not by small divisions [of cells and blastomeres]…” The saint is suggesting that in the absence of gametes and ova, there was a different kind of development, not so different from that of the Old Adam. The Master crafting Wisdom fashioned the Old Adam out of clay. Once again, 2000 years ago the same Master-crafting Wisdom fashioned His garment, His human nature from the all pure blood of the Virgin, and the King of all was seen for the first time by the Archangel Gabriel during the Annunciation according to the Theotokion of the first tone, “While Gabriel was saying rejoice to you oh Virgin, at the sound of the voice the Master of all was incarnating. … The Virgin carried the tiny Infant which continued to grow naturally for nine months without any birth pains and without any feeling of weight or exhaustion.

6. Finally, she gave birth to the One through Whom all was made without any change and corruption. She preserved and maintained her virginity during this supernatural birth and for the rest of her life, since she was totally devoted to the primary will of God, which preordained virginity. In the absence of this crystal clear patristic Orthodox theology, our non-orthodox Christian neighbors struggle with the brothers of Jesus for centuries now and very recently have slipped to the sad point of ascribing carnal thoughts and even a marriage to the Son of God, Whom they obviously no longer accept as One with the Trinity. This is nothing other than the spirit of the Antichrist according to Saint John the Divine. The Orthodox position is that the hypostatic union of the two natures made Jesus totally immune to any worldly desires and temptations. Jesus was the only true man who never deviated from the perfect will of God as the Father proclaimed during Epiphany and Holy Transfiguration: “This is my beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased.”

According to Saint Nicodemos, the Lady Theotokos continued her personal struggle after her Son’s Resurrection and Ascension, “The Lady Theotokos strove honorably to also struggle after the Ascension of her Son, with fasting, prayers, prostrations, and with every kind of ascetic struggle …”

In the passage of the ode “and my spirit rejoiced in God my Savior” the Saint summarizes the Church’s teaching on the Theotokos’ relative sinlessness. He Who would save the world from its sins also saved the Theotokos from the ancestral sin, because although the Theotokos was higher than every voluntary sin, forgivable and mortal … she was, however, subject to the ancestral Sin until the Annunciation. Then she was cleansed of this through the coming of the Holy Spirit.” Saint Nicodemos places her ever-virginity, Resurrection, Translation, and Ascension in the Kingdom of the Heavens, in the supernatural majesties of the Theotokos.

Saint Nicodemos in his book, Garden of Graces, includes Saint Augustine’s testimony on the Theotokos’ inconceivable worth, “If the great Creator God, Who brought everything into being from non being, was able to make more perfect creatures, of course, He was able by being Almighty; three things, however, God Himself could not do more perfectly: the humanity of Christ, the birth-Giving worthiness of the ever Virgin Mary, and the everlasting glory of the Blessed ones.”

In the light of the above, we cannot agree with the opinion of some theologians in the Orthodox sphere who claim that the Virgin’s mediation or intercession, as they hasten to call it, does not differ essentially from the intercession of other saints. It is known that a few decades ago, the Tradition of the Church of Christ which prays “Most Holy Theotokos save us” was doubted. Only God, they say, saves. The All Holy Virgin Mary can only intercede like every saint. Certainly, the Church prays “by the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior save us” but also chants “and I have you as a mediatrix towards the philanthropic God,” and since our Lady is “More Honorable than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim,”—“the Saint greater than saints,”—“God after God,” all this implies that her intercession—her mediation—is incomparably higher than that of the saints and angels.

It seems the danger of rationalism and humanism continues to lurk in the Orthodox world today. This danger was much greater in the age of Saint Nicodemos because the Orthodox lands were impoverished by the enslavement to the Ottoman Turks. The “saved” missionaries of Protestantism “were running rampant in the forsaken vineyard of Balkan Orthodoxy attempting to save the Orthodox.” Perhaps this is why Saint Nicodemos puts forth an excellent argumentation for the superior mediation—intercession—of the Virgin Mother to her Son and God. The Saint begins his apology from the inspired canon of Pentecost “…look, he argues,… the melodist did not say that the Virgin gave or granted, or another such word, but that she lent flesh to the Creator of all, she gave a loan to the Word of the Father… This implies that the Theotokos, through such a loan, made the Son of God a debtor to herself.” The Saint further elaborates that this was a loan of a different type and irrelevant to the “external” loans of money and objects which are usually returned with interest in the commercial world. The loan to the “All-crafting Wisdom of God” was inner and everlasting, and with no prospect of repayment. The hypostatic union of Christ is irrevocable since God the Word will be endlessly united with the human nature (a loan from the All Holy Virgin Mary) because this presence of human nature makes him the ontological Mediator between Creator and creature, God and man. Without the presence of human nature, the “impossibility of the Old Testament Moses to see God” would be prevailing until today. As a result, those various heretics who set the boundary for the work of Christ’s salvation at Golgotha and those who argue that the body of Christ dissipated during the Ascension are delirious! Far be it! Saint Nicodemos would say, who further theologizes: “What can we conclude from this? Since the Son of God is permanently indebted to His Mother, for this reason first He needed to glorify her with all the Godbefitting glories and honors unknown to another creature; secondly, since the loan He received from her is endless, He must now endlessly fulfill the petitions and requests of His Mother…”



And the Theotokofilos Nicodemos continues, “Did you ever see such glory, my beloved? Did you see the majesties of the Virgin? Hasten to her with piety and faith and your prayer requests in all matters of salvation will be answered.”

Your Eminence, the love and compassion of the Queen of heavens knows no boundaries according to this wonderful story from St. Cosmas the Aetolian.

According to St. Cosmas, a certain Christian named John surrendered to the evil path of thievery. He became the captain of a band of an hundred thieves, but he also had great reverence for the Mother of God, which he probably inherited from his pious home. He never failed to pray the salutations to our all holy Mother, morning and night.

Soon enough, the mercy of God, through the intercession of the Panagia, the all holy Virgin enlightened a holy ascetic to visit this band of robbers and preach to them the word of salvation. He convinced the captain, John, to summon all his followers, and the clairvoyant ascetic saw that one was missing. “Who is missing?” he asked. Indeed, the cook was missing. The ascetic requested his presence, and this cook upon his arrival refused to look at the man of God in the face. The holy ascetic ordered this strange cook: “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to tell us your name and where you come from…” He replied, “I am the master of lies…but now that you have bound me with the Name of Christ I am forced to tell the truth… I am a demon and my master sent me here to serve Captain John, eagerly waiting for that first day that he would skip his prayers to the Mother of God, so I can take his soul straight to hell. I have been here for fourteen years and he has never omitted his ‘Rejoice Bride Unwedded’!”

The ascetic distanced the demon to the other side of the world, and then he evangelized the thieves who showed exemplary repentance. Some became monks, and some were married and lived very pious lives.

Your Eminence, my brothers and sisters in Christ, this story beautifully exemplifies the love of our Lord and His mother for every sinner. There is nothing more precious to the Lord on this earth than a few drops of tears from a contrite heart. Even one tear of true repentance outweighs a ton of good works done in the absence of repentance.



EPILOGUE



Your Eminence, the par excellence theological title, which renders the All Holy Virgin Mary’s position in Orthodox theology, is Theotokos. The term Theotokos goes directly to the heart of the Christological dogma and, due to this, it was natural for it to be contested by a number of heretics, who distorted different aspects of the Christological doctrine and the hypostatic union of God the Word. In the Church’s conscience, the Theotokos is classified as the “bulwark of faith” and as an unshakable term, it comprises a formidable fortress against all Christological heresies. In the unanimous teaching of the Fathers, the name Theotokos is unbreakably associated with the soteriological consequence of the name Theanthropos, and the Theotokos, as a term and as a person was, and remains throughout the centuries the anchor of salvation “of those who kiss her venerable icon.” Alongside the title of Theotokos, the Fathers and teachers of the Church validated the title ever Virgin Mary in the Fifth Ecumenical Counsel in the Ninth Canon, formulating the correct faith about Christ, “incarnated of the holy glorious Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary” as the Liturgy of the Sacred Chrysostom preserves till today.

The multitude of prophecies, depictions, types, and symbols of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Old Testament proclaim the unrepeatable person of the All Holy Virgin Mary, truly making her the “ladder, bridge, and gate” of mankind’s salvation. In his work “Eortodromion” Saint Nicodemos conducts comprehensive commentaries interpreting the hymnographers and melodists throughout the centuries who “borrowed” from the prophetic word for the interweaving of their hymns for the Mother of God. Extending the theology of the Fathers, Saint Nicodemos declares that the “center, end and purpose of the whole law, all the sayings and enigmas of the prophets is the Theotokos herself, and before her, God the Word Who incarnated from her.” Like other Theotokos-loving Saints, Nicodemos used a large part of his writings to express his insatiable longing for the “incomprehensible miracle” of the Mother of God.

Interpreting the Ninth Ode, St. Nicodemos theologizes on the superior worth of the Most Holy Theotokos vis-à-vis the other creatures. The Theotokos exceeds every creature in purity, brilliance, simplicity, inexpressible longing, and perfect obedience to the will of God. So the gifts of the Theotokos make her “full of grace” before the Annunciation and Mother of grace before the time of grace, Pentecost. With the “behold the handmaid of the Lord” the all holy Virgin Mary was cleansed of the Adamian stain and “became spotless and undefiled” to serve the mystery of “rebirth” lending her all pure blood to the new Adam.

The indwelling of Christ in the virginal womb of the Theotokos graced her and deified her to an incomparable degree in relation to any other creature and, according to Fr. Athanasios Mitilinaios, He made her the ontological mediatrix between the human race and the new Adam, her Son, although this may sound excessive to some.

The Most Holy Theotokos certainly saves because according to the davidic psalm, she is the Queen who is standing at the right of the King, her Son, Who sits “at the right of the Father” in the kingdom of the heavens.

Most Holy Theotokos protect us, shield us, and save us from the fiery darts of the evil one through the prayers of our holy Hierarchs. Amen.





Written (in Greek) by C. Zalalas

Translated by Fr. Nicholas Palis

Edited by Eliades/Zalalas/Reznic

Why do we fast for the 15 days of the Dormition of the Theotokos

It would be a gross understatement to say that much has been written about the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. Yet very little has been written about the fast that precedes it.

Every Orthodox Christian is aware and generally knows the reason behind the fasts for Pascha and Christmas. But while they may know of the Dormition Fast, few follow it, and more than a few question why it is there, neither knowing its purpose. First, given the pervasive misunderstanding of the purpose of fasting itself, a refresher on its purpose is always a good idea.




There is a perception that we should fast when we want something, as though the act of fasting somehow appeases God, and seeing us “suffer” gets Him to grant our request. Nothing can be further from the truth. It is not our fasting that pleases God, it is the fruits of our fast (provided we fast in the proper mind set, and do not merely diet) that please Him. We fast, not to get what we want, but to prepare ourselves to receive what God wants to give us. The purpose of fasting is to bring us more in line with another Mary, the sister of Lazarus, and away from their sister Martha, who in the famous passage was “anxious and troubled about many things.” Fasting is intended to bring us to the realization of “the one thing needful.” It is to help us put God first and our own desires second, if not last. As such it serves to prepare us to be instruments of God’s will, as with Moses in his flight from Egypt and on Mt. Sinai, as well as our Lord’s fast in the wilderness. Fasting turns us away from ourselves and toward God. In essence it helps us become like the Theotokos, an obedient servant of God, who heard His word and kept it better than anyone else has or could.

So why do we fast before Dormition? In a close-knit family, word that its matriarch is on her deathbed brings normal life to a halt. Otherwise important things (parties, TV, luxuries, personal desires) become unimportant; life comes to revolve around the dying matriarch. It is the same with the Orthodox family; word that our matriarch is on her deathbed, could not (or at least should not) have any different effect than the one just mentioned. The Church, through the Paraklesis Service, gives us the opportunity to come to that deathbed and eulogize and entreat the woman who bore God, the vessel of our salvation and our chief advocate at His divine throne. And as, in the earthly family, daily routines and the indulgence in personal wants should come to a halt. Fasting, in its full sense (abstaining from food and desires) accomplishes this. Less time in leisure or other pursuits leaves more time for prayer and reflection on she who gave us Christ, and became the first and greatest Christian. In reflecting on her and her incomparable life, we see a model Christian life, embodying Christ’s retort to the woman who stated that Mary was blessed because she bore Him: blessed rather are those who hear His word and keep it. Mary did this better than anyone. As Fr. Thomas Hopko has stated, she heard the word of God and kept it so well, that she of all women in history was chosen not only to hear His Word but give birth to it (Him). So while we fast in contemplation of her life, we are simultaneously preparing ourselves to live a life in imitation of her. That is the purpose of the Dormition Fast.

When the assumption of thine undefiled body was being prepared, the Apostles gazed on thy bed, viewing thee with trembling. Some contemplated thy body and were dazzled, but Peter cried out to thee in tears, saying, I see thee clearly, O Virgin, stretched out, O life of all, and I am astonished. O thou undefiled one, in whom the bliss of future life dwelt, beseech thy Son and God to preserve thy people unimpaired.

(Sticheron after the Gospel, Orthros)

The Mother of God gave many gifts to many saints (Part 3)

St. Maximus the hut-burner, who is commemorated on January 13, was adorned with many divine gifts. During a conversation with St. Gregory of Sinai, he related the way in which he received the noetic prayer from the Mother of God as follows:
"I will not hide from you, my dear father, the miracle that the Theotokos performed for me. From a young age I had tremendous faith in my Lady the Theotokos, and I would beseech her with tears to grant me the gift of noetic prayer. One day when I had gone to her church, I begged her as usual for this favor with extreme fervor from the depth of my heart. As I venerated her holy icon with much desire, I suddenly felt
warmth in my chest and a flame light in heart, which came from her holy icon and which did not burn me but rather refreshed me, sweetened me, and induced overwhelming compunction within my soul. Henceforth, my heart started to say the prayer, 'Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me,' and my mind feels extreme sweetness from the recollection of my Jesus and my Theotokos. Ever since then, the prayer has never been absent
from my heart."

Later, the Virgin Mary also gave to him the gift of discernment and teaching. When he was living at the Monastery of Great Lavra on Mount Athos and was under the obedience of the Abbot, the Theotokos appeared to him on the Sunday after the Ascension. She was holding the Lord in her arms and said to him, "Follow me, most-faithful Maximos, and ascend to the peak of Athos in order to receive the grace of the
Holy Spirit, as you desire." After seeing this divine revelation three times, he left Great Lavra Monastery, and seven days later he arrived at the summit. All night long on the Saturday before Pentecost he kept vigil along with other monks who had gathered there to celebrate the feast day. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, all the
monks departed, whereas the divine Maximos continued there all alone for three more days and nights,
praying ceaselessly to the Lord and the Theotokos. During this time, the enemies (i.e. the demons) attempted with every means possible to make him leave. They staged various deceptive illusions: during the night, they made it seem as if thunder and lightning where striking the peak, and an earthquake was rocking the entire mountain; during the day, wild voices and cries would be heard nearby, as countless fearsome beings carrying slings and arrows supposedly made their way up the mountain from all directions, determined to attack the saint. All this took place through demonic imagination because the accursed demons could not stand to see him dwelling there. 



However, the divine Maximos was not scared in the least, nor did he pay any attention to them, as the grace of the Holy Spirit dwelled within him. Rather, he devoted himself completely to noetic prayer, beseeching the Lord and his protectress and advocate, the Theotokos, for help. Things being as such, the Theotokos appeared to him with immense glory as a queen holding her Son in her arms, and accompanied by several young noblemen. The saint recognized her from the spectacular brilliance and divine light that was radiating
from her and illuminating the entire surrounding area, and having been informed that this was not a demonic deception but a divine revelation and true appearance of the Theotokos, he praised her with inexplicable joy, saying, "Rejoice, thou who art full of grace. The Lord is with thee," in addition to other such hymns. Then he fell to the ground and worshipped the Lord along with the Lady Theotokos, at which time he received a blessing from Christ and heard the Panagia saying the following to him:  "Receive grace against the demons, O venerable athlete, and take up residence at the base of this summit of Athos, because it is the will of my Son for you to ascend to the height of virtue and to become a teacher and guide for many, in order for you to save them." Next, he was handed heavenly bread to eat in order to gain strength because he had not eaten for several days. As soon as he placed the bread in his mouth, he was engulfed from above by a divine light and heard angelic hymns, and thus theTheotokos ascended back to the heavens, while the saint stood motionless and ecstatic on account of the celestial fragrance and heavenly brilliance that remained at the peak of the mountain. Thus he no longer wanted to come down from that spot, lest he be deprived of the heavenly fragrance and splendor. Nevertheless, after three days he came back down from the peak as the Theotokos had instructed him, and he went to a nearby chapel dedicated to her. After spending a series of days there, he climbed back up to the peak and venerated the specific spot where the Theotokos had stood in divine
glory and beseeched her with tears to appear once more. This time, however, he was limited to seeing the brilliant light and smelling the wondrous fragrance, which flooded his existence once more with indescribable joy and happiness.

Through his holy prayers and the intercessions of the Theotokos, may Christ our God
have mercy on us. Amen.

Miraculous Icon of the Theotokos: the "Megalochari" of Tinos

Miraculous Icon of the Theotokos: the "Megalochari" of Tinos
"The miracle-working of the Holy Icon of the Annunciation of the Island of Tinos has been known since long age all over the world and thousands of Christians souls in every part of our planet feel its graceful influence in the difficult moments of their lives. The Sacred Church of the Megalochari [meaning “Great Grace”, referring to the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel to the Theotokos “Hail of Full of Grace, the Lord is with you!”] of Tinos has since long been internationally recognized as a place of pilgrimage and as a philanthropic organization.

The sacred emotion and the mystical atmosphere present among the mass of believers at the Great Feasts of the Church, shake even those who know but few things about the Holy Icon.
No foreigner among those who visit the island remains unmoved in front of the Church of the Holy Virgin, which like a divine crown adorns, covers and guards the town of Tinos and most of the days of his stay there his interests is attracted by the Church.

The present edition is addressed to all our foreign fellow-men, who, irrespective of their language, nationality or religion, would like to get to know the Holy Foundation of the Annunciation of Tinos. It will try to present as shortly as possible a vivid picture about the Sacred Church, the history of the miracle-working Icon, the philanthropic, social and national activity of the Foundation. It will also deal with the narration of certain miracles of the innumerable ones which continuously happen, by which the Divine Grace sanctifies and saves the believers.

CHAPTER I - HISTORY
HOW THE WONDER-WORKING ICON OF OUR LADY WAS FOUND

The present site of the Marble Palace of the Virgin, with the numerous chapels, cell and the offices, has been since ancient times a place of religious gatherings and manifestations.
Excavations have proved that in pre-Christian times existed a temple of Dionysos of panhellenic projection. Next to the temple, on the Western side, there was an ancient theatre, where musical, gymnastic and dramatic games were held.

When the religion of the Nazarene established itself on the Cyclades, this ancient temple was transformed into a Christian church dedicated to the Holy Mother of Christ and to St. John the Forerunner. In this the wonder-working Icon of the Megalochari was kept and venerated.

This Sacred Church was destroyed in the middle of the 10th century during a great historic invasion of the Saracene pirates, who burned down and dug up this ancient building.
Since then the Holy Icon lay buried in the earth, until in the year 1823 the spade of a pious worker brought it to the surface and it became since then an invaluable relic and holy treasure of Christendom.

For the finding of worker-working Holy Icon many miraculous happenings occurred, which started from the Monastery of Kechrovounion lying on the slope of a mountain of the same name, 20 minutes by car from town. The Monastery was built about the 10th century and has always been example of the virtue and piety.

St. Pelagia the Righteous of Tinos, holding the Miraculous Icon which Panagia revealed to her 

THE VISION OF THE NUNIn this monastery during the year 1822, a pious nun named Pelagia saw repeatedly in her visions the Holy Virgin, who ordered her to go to the town and to inform the elders to start the excavations in order to find Her Icon, buried since many years ago in the uncultivated field, which the Holy Virgin described exactly, and to built Her Church on that place.

At first the nun hesitated, but soon she came to understand that the Divine Grace has chosen her to bring to the inhabitants of Tinos the happy announcement. She thus went to town and told the Bishop of the island about her Divine Visions. The Bishop, a wise prudent and pious man, knew about the virtue and holiness of Pelagia; after having listened attentively the believed in the words of the nun. He also brought to his mind the narrations of an old man of his town, who just a few years ago saw in his vision the Virgin Mary, Who expressed also to him Her desire that Her Holy Icon be bound. And he thought that the Christian history, which is full of miracles, teaches that many times God has revealed his Divine Will by visions.

Deeply moved, the Bishop gave his blessing to the pious nun and rallied the same day by ringing the church bells the people of Tinos, to whom he spoke with words full of faith about the vision of Pelagia and explained to them the desire of Our Lady. The people of Tinos, well known for their faith and adherence to the Christian principles, believed in the vision of the nun and the words of the Bishop and full of enthusiasm and sacred emotion started immediately in September 1822 the excavations.

THE FIRST FINDINGS
The first excavations brought to light the ruins of the foundations of the Church already mentioned, a deep but dry well, marble plates with various inscriptions, articles of religious worship and other things. However, the Holy Icon, about which the vision of Pelagia spoke, could not be found. Several days of fruitless searches passed. Little by little the enthusiasm started to diminish - an example of human weakness- and finally the excavations stopped.

Simultaneously, however, with the discontinuation of the excavations, a formidable illness made its appearance on the island with continuously increasing fatal outcomes.

Full of scare, the people of Tinos asked for the protection of the Virgin Mary, repenting for the disobedience they have shown to her Divine Orders.

With a warm and moving proclamation, the Bishop invited all the inhabitants to resume the excavations, which then started with greater zeal and enthusiasm.

This time the excavations were made in a systematic way. A special commission of inspection was formed. The inhabitants of the villages took also turns in the work in order to hasten up the searches.

After about one month's work it was decided to start, parallel to the searches of the Holy Icon, the building of the Sacred Church. Thus, on January 1st 1823 the corner stone of the Church of the ''Zoodohos Pighi'' (Life-giving Well) or of the ''Evresis'' (Finding), as it has been called after the finding of the Icon, was laid. This church is situated exactly below the brilliant Church of the Annunciation.

THE FINDING OF THE HOLY ICON

It was January 30th 1823. In spite of the great feast of the Three Hierarchs, the work was continued by the inhabitants of the village Phalatas, whose turn it was to work on that day.
They restricted the work mainly to the excavation of the floor of the Church under construction, the leveling and transportation of the earth.

By 2 p.m. one of the workers engaged in the transfer of earth, felt at a distance of about 2 metres from the well that his hatchet struck some wood. Frantic with joy and emotion, he saw that it was a part of the icon showing the angel holding the lily. Immediately he called al his colleagues and together they soon found the remaining part of the Icon showing the Virgin Mary, kneeling and accepting the Divine Message of the Incarnation of the Savior.

After cleaning in haste the Holy Icon, they joined two, parts and kissed it with religious fear.
The news of the finding of the Holy Icon spread with a lighting speed to the town of Tinos and the near-by villages. Masses of people with tears of emotion in their eyes started to assemble from all directions in order to adore they Holy Icon. Among the first ones to arrive was the Bishop with the clergy and the notables. Piously and full of emotion, they adored the Holy Icon and placed it on an old double legged stand outside the Church under construction, leaving it there for the people to adore it.

The Icon of the Theotokos the "Megalochari" above the Image of the Church of the Panagia "Evangelistria" of Tinos 

THE HOLY ICON

The Holy Icon of the Annunciation of Tinos, the Megalokhari, as it is called by the people, existed on the poor island of Tinos since the first Byzantine years and decorated the ancient Church of St. John the Forerunner, which was built after the destruction of the idols and the death of worship of the Olympian gods on the ruins of the pagan temple of Dionysos.

When this Holy Church was destroyed and burned down by the Saracenes in the 10th century A.D., the Icon was buried among the debris of the Church and was thus saved from that terrible catastrophe, which is mentioned by history with special emphasis.

Thus the Icon remained hidden in the ground till its discovery by the pious worker from Phalatas at noon January 30th 1823, after about 850 years. The fact that it remained in the humidity and the earth for so many years without practically any damage, can only be attributed to the wonder-working power and presence of the Holy Virgin.

It portrays the Megalokhari in a room, kneeling with Her head bent in prayer, in front of a small low stand, wearing a golden-yellow-green dress. On the stand is an open book, on which are written the words pronounced by the Virgin herself after the Annunciation by the Angel.
In the background of the small room and on both upper sides one can distinguish the separations of inner windows, while in the centre of the upper part of the Icon, we see the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending from heaven.

Above Her and to the right we see a rod protruding from the wall, on which is hung a light-colored curtain. The fine and impervious material of the curtain is folded at the lower part towards the wall.

Opposite to the Virgin and turned towards Her stands the illuminated figure of the Archangel Gabriel, also wearing a golden-yellow-green robe and holding in his left hand the symbolical lily of purity.

On the back the Icon bears traces of the fire, which as it seems finished up the catastrophic work of the pirates during their terrible attack, from which the Icon was miraculously saved.
The art of the Holy Icon does not belong to the Byzantine age, but is much older, belonging to the early Christian age. Those who studied the origin of the Icon come to the unanimous conclusion that the Megalokhari of Tinos is the work of the Apostle and Evangelist Luke. They even consider it to be one of the first three Icons painted by St. Luke during the life-time of the Holy Virgin of Nazareth. It is also asserted threat the Icon has received its wonder-working power from the Holy Virgin herself, Who being satisfied by the true presentation of the Divine Moment of the Annunciation by St. Luke, blessed the Icon with the following words: ''THE GRACE OF HIM WHO WAS BORNE BY ME BE THROUGH ME WITH IT''. This is the reasonable explanation given by the weak human mind to the infinite greatness of the finding of the Holy Icon by the divine order and indication of the Holy Virgin, as well as to Its wonder-working power, which is an inexhaustible source of consolidation, healing, salvation, peace and love for the Christians.

Like most of the relics of Christendom of the Holy Icon of the Megalokhari of Tinos is covered with plenty of gold and precious stones, which the devoted Christians deposit with piety in front of the Throne of Her Grace, wishing to express in this way their faith and gratefulness to the Mother of the whole world, offering Her the most precious articles that they have acquired by hard work and privation.

When looking at the Icon the pilgrim is filled unwillingly with emotion and awe. He kneels instinctively and prays and asks the Virgin to mediate so that Her Son Christ would give him from heaven strength and consolidation.

By observing closely the Icon one can see the face of the Virgin painted in the right direction and the face of the Archangel Gabriel in the left direction. The sides and the back of the Icon are in a golden frame, while the front surface is covered by the relief gold plate to which are attached jewels, rings, medallions, brooches, ear-rings, precious stones, diamonds, rubles emeralds and real pearls of great value.

A copy of the Icon can be seen in the Vestry next to the Church which we are going to describe below.

The Miraculous Icon of the "Megalochari" as it appears today, covered with the gold and jewels given in thanksgiving for miracles of the Theotokos 

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION (EVANGELISTRIA)

Immediately after the finding of the Holy Icon, it was decided to build a big Church above the chapel of the Life-giving Well (Zoodochos Pighi). For this purpose the Lower Church was extended to the right and to the left by proper porticos in order to enlarge it and above it was started the construction of the brilliant Church which we see to-day, after the plans of Eustratios Kallonaris, an architect and artist from Smyrna.

The whole work of construction, the iconography and the finishing of the Church, with the surrounding grounds and extensions was terminated by 1830, i.e. within eight years.

The work that was accomplished by our renowned forefathers within a relevantly short period of time is really surprising. Moreover, if we take into consideration the bad conditions prevailing at that time, the construction of this wonderful marble complex, which is preserved nearly unchanged up to-day, must cannot be attributed to nothing else but a miracle.

Only two years before the Holy Icon was found, the great and nation-saving Greek War of Liberation (1821) broke out.

The whole Greek Nation was fighting for its national liberation in and uneven inexorable fight against the Ottoman Empire. Destruction, blood and fire were commonplace.

The small, barren and poor island of Tinos, which also constituted a port of the fighting Country, answered the national call and its brave people found themselves together with all the other Greeks from the very first days in the first line of the fight

Besides, thousands of refugees from Chios and other islands that had received the wrath and the revenge of the Turks, had flooded the islands in a search of protection and salvation from the sword of the conqueror.

The poor island tried desperately to feed a multiple number of inhabitants. And in spite of that the Church of Megalokhari rose quickly to become a brilliant throne of the glory of the Mother of the Most Gracious King Christ.

The best technicians worked to produce the most brilliant marbles. The best known artists produced the wonderful inner ornamentation. The most famous artisans of that time built the marble palace of the Virgin. Tens of workers and unskilled technicians helped by carrying the raw materials and by executing the orders of the artisans.

Nobody tried to take advantage of or to receive high pay for his skills. Everybody worked for the sake of the Virgin, without receiving his normal wage.

Marbles and columns from the ancient temples of Delos and Poseidon at ''Kionia'', Tinos, were used for the construction of the Church, as well as marble from the quarries of Panormos, Tinos.

Every vessel that passed by the island loaded with lime, timber or another building material, being informed about the needs of the Church, donated part of its cargo for its construction.

When at a certain moment the funds of the Church were nearly exhausted, the Virgin, by one of the innumerable miracles that happen in her Holy Church, replenished the treasury again with money and the work continued without the slightest interruption.

The Church and the holy complex were thus built, and it has been preserved up to-day with only slight changes or renovations, which however have not changed at all its initial form. Anybody entering the Church is filled with religious awe and sacred emotion.

The gold and silver, lavishly offered to Her Grace by pious Christians from all over the world, give it a specific appearance. The enormous chandeliers and the hundreds of icon-lamps hanging in unending rows, offer to the Megalokhari the humble light of the sanctified oil and to the pilgrim and visitor a spectacle of surrounded by a mystic atmosphere.

Below each icon-lamp hangs an offering - a vessel, a silver child, a golden woman, an instrument, an animal, a house, a heart and many, many other things.

Each one of them is a living story of a cause of the offering, as well as of the divine intervention, to the desperate captain, whose vessel and crew were saved by the Megalokhari, to the sick child that was healed with the help of Her Grace, to the orphan and to the weak woman, who with the help of the Great Mother of the World found the courage and the strength to face the difficulties of life, to the poor bread-earner whose faith in the Virgin and the Protectress of the persecuted lead him to progress and promotion, to the unprotected girl, who with the help of the Virgin got what she desired in life- a house and a household.

To the left, at the marble praying desk, the Holy Icon brilliant framed with golden offerings and flowers, sheds its sweet light. At any time of the year or of the day, the visitor of the Church will see somebody in front of Her Gase who invokes the help and succour of the Virgin.


In the background, the icons of the bauster, also clad in gold and silver, compose and underline together with all the vestry the sacredness of the place and the greatness of the Church.

Good-voiced chanters and revered priests in golden dresses chant continuously thanksgiving hymns to the Lady of the Angels and pray for the salvation of the world.

By a tradition taken over from the seat of the Patriarchat at Constantinople, the Divine Liturgy and vespers are held every day of the year, from the inauguration of the Church and up to day.

Church of Panaga "Evangelstria" (of the Annunciation) - Tinos 

THE MIRACLES OF THE MEGALOKHARI OF TINOS
The whole history of the Holy Church of the Megalokhari of Tinos, from the first vision of the nun Pelagia and up to day, is full of unquestionable miraculous events, which prove the divine presence and the divine action, there were it is impossible for the normal flow of things to act and to give an explanation.

Even the most rationally minded researcher, however indifferent and abstemious he might try to be when examining the reality about the Megalokhari, he will not be able to avoid the feeling of the presence of the Virgin in every step of his and in the end he will whisper full of piety: ''Great art Thou, o Lord, and wonderful art Thy works''.

Besides, the innumerable offerings are the biggest proof of the miracles, because all of them are an expression of faith, gratefulness and thankfulness on the part of the saved towards the Virgin.


For the sake of the reader, we will mention several of the remarkable and characteristic miracles of the Megalokhari, out of the numerous miracles happening daily, most of which are confirmed by the official written history of the Church.

The ornate interior of the Church of Panagia "Evangelistria" of Tinos. Many of the vigil lamps and decoratons were given out of thanks for miracles of the Theotokos.

HOW TINOS WAS SAVED FROM THE EPIDEMY [Epidemic?]
As the first miracle of the Holy Icon after its finding one should mention the salvation of the island from a terrific epidemy, which carried daily to death hundreds of the island's inhabitants. As witnessed by the historians o that time, as soon as the joyful announcement o the finding of the Holy Icon reverberated in the frozen atmosphere, the epidemy stopped and from that moment on no more cases of the disease were reported. Even those who were attacked by the disease got well again.

THE WELL OF SANCTIFICATION [Agiasma, Holy Water]
As told above, the mouth of a well was found during the excavations made in search of the Holy Icon. The well was completely dry and could not be used for anything.

As there did not exist any well near to the building site, on the day of the laying of the corner-stone of the Holy Church, the Bishop sent a small boy to bring some water from the town for the celebration of the hallowing of the waters.

Shortly afterwards the child was back and told the Bishop that the well next to the foundations was full of water. Having heard this the Bishop, accompanied by the notables went to the spot and all of them saw with great surprise that the dry well was now filled up to the brink with water.


They all made the sign of the cross for this miracle and after that took from the well the water necessary for the celebration of the hallowing.

From that time, the water of the well has been used by the pious pilgrims as a sacred water and everybody takes it along with him in special vials and keeps it at home as a talisman.

THE SAVING OF THE ENGLISH FRIGATE.
During one of the first years of the construction of the Church and n a period of great financial difficulties for treasury of the Church, which would have lead to the suspension of the construction works, a big English frigate was anchorched at the beach of the town, which at that time did not have a harbour. On board of the frigate was the English vice-concul H. Flick, a Catholic by confession.

Suddenly, as it often happen in the Aegean, a storm broke out and placed in a difficult situation the master of the frigate, which was in danger of being crushed on the wild rocks of the coast.

The frightened vice-consul standing on the deck saw at a distance the Church under construction and prayed spontaneously for his salvation and promised a substantial amount of money.

It happened them, as told by an eye-witness, that while the storm continued to rage out in the sea, around the frigate named ''As You Like It'' the waters were absolutely calm, as if a divine hand had removed from there the wild waves.

The vessel was saved and the vice-consul, faithful to his promise, went to the Church, adored the Icon and deposited at the treasury 100 Spanish dollars, which permitted the continuation of the construction works.
This miracle is representative of a great number of others, by which the Virgin helped for the works of the construction of the Church never to stop.

THE PRESENT OF THE MOSLEM OFFICIAL.
It is not only among the Orthodox that the Divine Grace acts by the Holy Icon of the Annunciation. It also acts among people of other confessions and nationalities.

As an example is mentioned the case of a Turkish colonel, a Moslem by confession, who was suffering from an incurable disease and visited the Church of the Megalokhari to ask for Her Help. The Virgin granted his prayers and healed him.

Full of gratefulness, the Turk undertook the expenses for the construction of a wonderful marble fountain next to the marble staircase of the upper Church, here the hallowing of the waters is celebrated on Epiphany every year.

THE VESSEL WITH THE FISH.
Around the middle of last century a vessel sailing in the Mediterranean met with an anti-cyclone. The ship fought hard, but the wild waves opened a breach in the ship's hold and it started to sink. The frightened crew, while doing everything in their power to stop the water, sent their warm prayers to the Lady for help. After tremendous efforts and hardships they succeeded to bring the vessel to safety into a leeward harbour.

Their first thing to do was to repair the damages caused by the storm. It was then that they found out to their surprise that a big fish was caught in the breach of the vessel, as a result of which the influx of water stopped.

They considered this as a sign of the divine intervention of the Megalokhari and in their faith and emotion they hurried to send Her the ''tama'' (offering).

Thus a model of that vessel, with the fish in the breach, made of gold and silver, can be seen hanging on one of the big icon-lamps of the Church of the Annunciation of Tinos.

THE SILVER ORANGE TREE.
A Greek, who lived for many years in America got blind after a heavy sickness. He heard about the miracles of the Megalokhari of Tinos and asked the Lady with help to give him back his health. He promised that he would offer to Her Grace anything that he will see first.

The divine Grace acted through the Mother of God on the sick Christian , who after many years found again his sight.

Faithful to his promise and full of gratefulness he sent to the Church of our Lady of Tinos his offering, which presents a wonderful orange tree with ripe fruits, bearing on the ends of the top branches fine supports for small lamps, all made of pure silver, because the first thing that he saw after the miracle was an orange tree.
This wonderful offering can be seen on the right side of the entrance.

THE HEALING OF THE DYING KING
In 1915 the King of the Hellenes Constantine was down with a heavy illness. His health deteriorated quickly and his physicians were anxious about the state of his health. A deep sorrow spread among the Greek people, who adored the Warrior-King and followed with agony the development of the illness, praying at the same time for his salvation.

In the general atmosphere of anxiety and pain, the Megalokhari of Tinos appeared as a ray of live-giving light and the hopes of everybody were turned to her.

The Holy Icon was transferred with great honours to Athens and thousands of people accompanied Her to the Palace. It was for the first time that the Icon left Her House.

The King, embraced by the nightmare of the long fever, became aware of the presence of the Megalokhari and with trembling lips asked to kiss Her Icon.

From that moment on the illness started to recede and within a few days the King was healthy again.

The King thanked the Virgin and out of gratefulness dedicated to Her a golden plate on which he is presented riding on his horse.

The offering is attached to the old wood carved praying desk. During the stay of the Holy Icon in Athens, tens of sick people were healed, as is witnessed by many official documents and confirmed by various offerings.
It is a fact that our Kings, continuers of the great Byzantine tradition and faithful Christians, have always expressed their reverence and adoration to the Megalokhari and Protectress of the Nation and many and precious offerings are royal presents.

Lately, the late King Paul asked on his death - bed strength and consolidation from the Holy Icon of the Megalokhari of Tinos, which the then Heir and now King Constantine placed at his pillow during his last moments.

Ocean of Ink would not suffice for the narration of the miracles of the Megalokhari. Innumerable cases are mentioned in his official documents of the Foundation and thousands of pious Christians witness with their letters and offerings the acts of Divine Grace.

As already mentioned, every molecule of the building of the Holy Church and of the Foundation of the Annunciation of Tinos is a living proof of the miracle.

THE NATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE OF THE FINDING OF THE HOLY ICON OF THE MEGALOKHARI.
The finding of the Icon took place when Greece was in a dramatic situation.

Only two years ago (1821) the whole Greek Nation had revolted against the tyranny of the Turks and had declared before God and men its political existence and independence, based on its indestructible moral forces and the help of the God.

All Greeks believed in the sacredness of their fight, since they fought for the basic ideals which compose the human entity, i.e. the liberty and the national dignity. This belief became for the fighting men a deep set conviction and the leaders of the war of independence used to say that God had signed the liberation of Greece.

Thus, when the news spread that on the small island of Tinos the Icon of the Virgin was found under miraculous circumstances and the first miracles became known, all Greek should felt a great joy and came to believe that its finding was a divine sign, which meant an approval of the fight and a confirmation of the liberation.

Great soldiers and leaders of the fighting Nation among them Kanaris, Miaoulis and Kolokotronis, visited the Megalokhari of Tinos and lit before the Holy Icon the candle of gratefulness and reverence.

Thus the history of the Holy Icon is closely bound to the History of modern Greece and the feasts of the Church have always a national religious character, where the Government is officially represented in the presence of high military, administrative and judicial authorities.

THE FEASTS OF THE HOLY CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF TINOS
The Church of the Annunciation is for Tinos the centre of all religious and national manifestations of its inhabitants. All services and doxologies for great historic events are held there.

The most important holidays of Christianity, like Christmas, Easter, the services of the Akathist and of the Passions of Our Lord, are celebrated there in an atmosphere of contrition and surprising greatness, similar only to that of the period of the height of the Byzantine age.

Many foreigners spend their holidays during these feasts on the island of Tinos.

But the feast of the Holy Church of the Megalokhari are mainly the following:

January 30th - Anniversary of the Finding of the Holy Icon.
On this day the religious feelings of the believers find strongest expression. The whole population of the island and many visitors, who disregard the winder storms of the Aegean offer their thanks to the Great Mother and Proctress of the Christians, Who deigned to reveal Her Holy Icon for the salvation of all those who really believe.

In the afternoon on the eve the Holy Icon is transferred with great honours to the Lower Church and its placed near the point where is lay buried for centuries. This is followed by a special service dedicated to the finding of the Icon.

The next day, an official episcopical [presided over by Bishops] [Divine Liturgy] is celebrated and by 2 p.m. unde the continuous ringing of the bells of all churches, the Holy Icon is carried through the decorated streets of the town in its gold and silver canopy supported by the church wardens, the local authorities and the representatives of the population. After a short prayer at the quai the Holy Icon is returned to Her marble palace, where a prayer is said in memorial of the builders of the Church, whose tombs are situated at the East side of the Church, and of all those who have sacrificed their fortunes and themselves for the construction of the Church.

After vespers the President of the Church Committee pronounces the panegyric of the day, which refers mainly to the activity of the Holy Foundation during the past year and the planned activity of the new year.
In the evening the school-children lead by the orchestra of the Church march through the streets holding lighted multi-colour lamps and singing various hymns referring to the finding of the Holy Icon.

Icon of the Holy Annunciaton of the Theotokos 

March 25th, The Annunciation of Our Lady.This day has double meaning for the Greeks, because they celebrate at the same time the Annunciation of Our Lady by the Archangel Gabriel and the anniversary of the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire, which brought the liberation of our nation.

In the Church of the Megalokhari the celebration has a national religious character, which is attended by members of the Government, who arrive on the eve aboard a special Navy vessel. Very often the celebration is attended by the Royal family, who have have a special respect for the Megalokhari.

Up to the year 1920 great masses of Christians, mainly from the Asia Minor regions flooded the island in order to participate in the celebrations. However, after the exchange of the populations with Turkey and the uprooting of the Greek element from the shores of Asia Minor, the flow of pilgrims from these stopped. Today, inspite of the heavy climate conditions of that time of the year, the attendance amounts to several thousand people.

On the eve a service is held with the participation of navy bishops, after which the Church remains open, permitting the pilgrims to pass the night inside the Church and to offer continuous prayers to the Virgin. Many miracles happen every year these all night long prayers.

On the day of the feast an episcopal mass is celebrated after which the Holy Icon is carried in a procession up to the quai of the town.

July 23rd, Anniversary of the Vision of St. Pelagia.This day the people of Tinos consecrates to memory of that pious nun Pelaghia, who had the great privilege to be visited on that day in her poor cell by Our Lady and to the first person to annunciate the finding of the Holy Icon.

Early in the morning of that day, accompanied by the nuns of the Monastery and a crowd of believers, is transferred to the Monastery where St. Pelaghia lived. A festive mass is celebrated there and in the afternoon a requiem s held in the cell of St. Pelaghia, where the visitor can still see her humble belongings, her ascetic bed and may adore her holy head.

Later in the afternoon, the Holy Icon is returned to Her Church surrounded by the clergy and thousands of people.

August 15th, The Assumption of the Holy Virgin.This day is concentrated to Megalokhari. Thousands of pilgrims from all parts of Greece and from abroad, surpassing 30.000 people every year, come to the Megalokhari full of faith and threats, warm, implores of Her Grace. Among them are many distressed human beings, physical and mental invalids, persecuted and suffering people.

The representatives of the Government, other official, as well as the military guard of honour arrive on the eve, while masses of people are crowded in front of the Church, trying to adore the Megalokhari and if possible to secure a place inside the Church.

While the adoration continues throughout the night, those who remain nude the Church offer continuous prayers and ask Our Lad to give them health and peace to the whole world.

Many of them carried away by the mystical and inspiring atmosphere which is created inside the Church and flooded by the lights of faith, come to see the optasy of the Virgin n the trembling light of the lamps and the smoke of incense. Then the shouts, the outbursts of the sacred emotion, ascend to the heavens and electrify the crowds, who in an unworldly uproar sing hymns of thanks, expectation and faith. These are the moments when the Divine Grace chooses to act and to perform miracles.

Mutes find suddenly their voice and mad with joy run to kneel in front of the Icon. Paralytic children, blind girls find again their precious health and in a confusion of shouts and emotions express their gratitude to the Megalokhari.

On the day of the feast, the noise and the traffic on Tinos resemble that of a Megalopolis. Its population of 3000 is increased ten times overnight. Its houses and streets are full with people. In its small harbour a forest of masts is rolling rhythmically and the flags greet the light of the brilliant day of the feast of our Lady, which is also a feast of every Christian soul. On the quai the agitated crowds are moving towards the Church.

In endless queues, which are formed in front of the Church, the pilgrims wait for their turn under the burning August sun to adore Her Grace. The big candles, which every one of them has vowed to light in front of the Holy Icon, protrude from the crowd in the form of real spears and arrows of a strange army fighting for the salvation of its soul.

Black-dressed mothers with children loaded on their backs, persecuted orphans and black-dressed youths, who have lost their health, ascend the wide avenue on their knees. Sweat running down their faces like drops of blood waters the hole earth, their faces changing from the superstension, while continue their hard course, because they have vowed to walk in this way the distance between the quay and the Throne of Her Grace, because they believe that the love and protection of the Great Protectress will be much sweeter, after they have felt the agony and hardships, and have gave through the martyrdom of Jesus Her Son in the ascend to Golgotha for the explanation and the salvation of the world


At 10 a.m. an official processation of the Holy Icon takes place, after which the clergy and the officials go aboard a special vessel to the point exactly where on August 15th 1940 the destroyer ''ELLI'', one of the best Greek navy vessels at that time, was treacherously and cowardly sunk by an Italian submarine. There a requiem is held and a laurel crown is thrown on the wet tomb of the glorious ship and of the innocent victims of its crew.

At noon starts the departure of the believers by the big passenger liners, which on that day make special passages to Tinos


All leave the island re-baptized [not referring to a second Sacrament of Baptism] in the eternal source of the Grace of the Megalokhari."

Icon of the Theotokos "Megalochari" of Tinos 

 

Troparion of the Mother of God Tone 1

O people of Tinos and all faithful, come and acclaim with hymns our Protectress; the all-venerable icon of the pure Mother of God/ is found to be a source of healing for us. Let us cry to her: Rejoice, O our glory and boast. Rejoice, thou who hast delivered mankind from the ancient curse.

Most-Holy Theotokos, save us! Amen!