Orthodox believers are celebrating the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos today.
Orthodox believers are celebrating the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos today.
This is one of the twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, established in honour of the birth of the pure Virgin Mary.
The Most Holy Virgin Mary was born in the Galilean city of Nazareth. Her parents were the devout Joachim and Anna. The couple was childless. Having reached old age, Joachim and Anna did not lose hope for God's mercy, firmly believing that all things are possible for God, and that He could resolve Anna's barrenness even in her old age.
On one of the feasts, the elder Joachim brought his sacrifice to the Jerusalem Temple as a gift to God, but the high priest did not accept it, calling Joachim unworthy due to his childlessness, which was considered in the Jewish nation as God's punishment for sins. Saint Joachim, in deep sorrow, went into the desert and there prayed to the Lord with tears for the gift of a child. Anna, having learned what had happened in the Jerusalem Temple, wept, but did not murmur against the Lord, but prayed, calling upon God's mercy for her family. During this prayer, an Angel appeared to her and said: "Your prayer has been heard, the Lord will send you a daughter, whom you shall name Mary." At the same time, an Angel appeared to Joachim and announced the same joyful news.
For their patience, faith, and love for God and each other, the Lord gave them great joy – a daughter was born to them. And they named her Mary, which means "Lady, Hope". The birth of Mary brought joy not only to her parents but to all people, because she was destined by God to become the mother of Jesus Christ.
In gratitude to God for the child given to them, the parents gave Mary to be raised in God's temple at an early age.
With the Nativity of the Theotokos, the Nativity of the Saviour also became possible, which is why the birthday of the Virgin Mary is considered the dawn of Christianity. On this day, a solemn divine service is performed in the churches, preceded by an all-night vigil.