Six months after the appearance of the angel to Zacharias,
the Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to the city of Nazareth to the Holy Virgin Mary with the glorious news that the
Lord had chosen Her to be the mother of the Saviour of
the world.
The Archangel appeared in the home of the righteous Joseph while Mary
was reading the Holy Scriptures. He came to Her and
said, "Rejoice, who art full of grace (that is, filled with the grace of
God — the gift of the Holy Spirit), the Lord is with Thee: blessed art Thou
among women."
Mary was troubled by the words of the angel and
thought: what manner of salutation could this be?
The Archangel said to Her, "Fear not,
Mary; for Thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, Thou shalt conceive in
Thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be
great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and He shall reign for ever."
Mary in bewilderment asked the Archangel,
"How shall this be, seeing I know not a
man?"
The angel answered Her
that all this would be accomplished by the power of Almighty God. "The
Holy Spirit shall come over Thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
Thee; therefore also that Holy One, which shall be born of Thee, shall be
called the Son of God. And, behold, Thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also
conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her, who was
called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible."
Then, Mary with humility said, "Behold the
handmaid of the Lord; be it unto Me according to thy
word."
And the Archangel Gabriel departed from Her.
The Annunciation of the Holy Virgin is celebrated
by the Holy Orthodox Church on the 25th of March (7th
of April, NS). The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the greatest feasts. The
words annunciation news (in Russian and Greek means "good news" or
"joyful tidings") are that the emancipation of man from sin and
eternal death has begun.
Troparion of the Feast.
Today is the fountainhead of our salvation, and the
manifestation of the mystery which was from eternity. The Son of God becometh
the Virgin’s Son, and Gabriel proclaimeth the good tidings of grace; wherefore,
we also cry to the Theotokos with him: Rejoice, Thou who art full of grace! The
Lord is with Thee.
Note: See
the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38.
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