The Holy Annunciation! The most beautiful tidings ever received by humanity! The greatest joy brought to us by the Angel, due to the humility of the Virgin, Who with Her \u201cbe it unto me\u201d brought God down to Earth, initiating our salvation. What words can the soul find today to sing of this great gift to us all?! Whom to praise more? The merciful Lord, Who did not disdain our sinful nature and condescended to clothe Himself in our mortal flesh, or the Most Pure His Mother, Who at that moment, with faith humbly bowed before the will of God, and with her blessed \u201cyes\u201d received the angel\u2019s annunciation on behalf of us all?! That gentle and quiet voice that came from her virgin soul as if thundered powerfully in the universe, shook the anchored iron grips, and opened the door to eternity. It showed Adam the path to the long-lost Paradise. A path that leads through the Golgothic suffering and the cross of our Savior. Is it a coincidence that today, rejoicing in the Annunciation, we also venerate the Cross, seeking strength to complete the Lenten endeavor?! The Annunciation goes hand in hand with the Cross. Had it not been for the gentle news that fell on a humble heart like fertile soil, there would be neither Crucifixion nor Resurrection.<\/p>\n
That gentle news that once built a bridge between Heaven and Earth, last evening directed the path of many faithful hearts towards the Most Pure\u2019s Monastic Abode, to there, in the warm embrace of the age-old Sanctuary, to join the all-night prayer celebration and homage to the heavenly protectress of the human race, for She today commenced the mysterious Divine providence for human salvation.<\/span><\/p>\n This beautiful fraternal prayer, uniting hearts in love for Christ and His Most Holy Mother, found its foundation in the brotherly love of the four present hierarchs: our beloved guest and dear friend, His Eminence the Metropolitan of Imvros and Tenedos, Mr. Cyril from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, who presided over the vigil; His Eminence the Metropolitan of Didymoteichon, Mr. Damaskinos from the Church of Greece, who upon his arrival the previous day moved the present to tears with his greeting; His Grace Bishop Marko of Delchevo-Kamenica, who honorably responded to the invitation for joint worship; and our beloved Elder, His Grace Bishop Partenij of Antania.<\/span><\/p>\n And how could our good Mother not hear and rejoice in such a communal prayer that brought down from heaven the grace-filled visitation of Him Who said: \u201cFor where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them\u201d (Matthew 18:20)?! And again: \u201cBy this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another\u201d (John 13:35). Yes, it was love that gathered the entire assembly, and it was love that inspired the beloved Metropolitan Mr. Cyril to address the faithful, reminding them of the three great reasons for today’s celebration: the Good News to the Theotokos, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the midpoint of Great Lent, and the Lord’s Resurrection which we remember every Sunday. Then, with much affection, inspired by his strong filial love for the Theotokos, he built upon our Elder’s introductory words<\/a><\/strong><\/span> with imagery of two wide-open embraces: Christ’s on the Cross and that of God’s and our Mother. \u201cTherefore,\u201d he continued, \u201clet us strive tonight that these embraces do not remain empty. This is our honor and our calling and it is what Christ longs for.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n May the tireless Advocate for all humankind, Who motherly spreads her arms to gather in them all the ill, unhappy, sorrowful, and disenfranchised, beseech Her Son and our God to embrace us in His arms and to bestow upon us the eternal joy of the Resurrection.<\/p>\n Amen!<\/p>\n We express great gratitude to \u201c2S Studio<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u201d for the professional broadcast of the vigil on the social networks of Bigorski, enabling a large number of souls to partake in the prayers and praise of the Most Holy Theotokos. May Her blessing be with them.<\/span><\/p>\n
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