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Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2021-08-15
Bulletin Contents
Dormitio
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Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 7179193382
  • Street Address:

  • 801 Montecito Drive

  • San Angelo, TX 76903


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sundays
9 AM Orthros Prayer Service
10 AM Divine Liturgy Communion Service

Wednesdays except during Summer and Holiday Breaks
7 PM Bible Study or Discussion Group

 


Past Bulletins


Calendar & Announcements

Announcements 

Joyous Feast Day!

The Orthodox typically celebrate saints on the day that they died or fell asleep in the Lord. In the case of the ever-Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (Birthgiver/Mother of God), her falling asleep is celebrated today on August 15, every year. We mark the occasion by preparing with a two-week fast from meat and rich foods, punctuated with Paraklesis services, which are prayer services asking her help for the living.
 
We call this parish "Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church," but that reflects Roman Catholic Theology not Orthodox Theology and naming practice. If you look at the icon of the feast, you can see clearly that the Mother of God — or her soul in the form of a little baby — is being held by the risen Christ, demonstrating that she was taken directly to heaven.
 
However, this is not a main point of preaching of the church. It is not a "dogma" the way the Roman Catholics proclaimed it in 1950, less than 100 years ago. The Orthodox venerate the Virgin Mary very highly, first among the saints. Come listen to the Paraklesis services or look them up on line https://www.goarch.org/-/small-paraklesis, and you will see how we honor her. The Church also gives the Mother of God several feast days on the calendar.
 
But, as I said, we never made an official dogma out of her being taken directly to Heaven. It's not a required belief in order to be Orthodox.
 
Thinking about the names and wording, "falling asleep" is how we describe the dead because they are "sleeping," waiting for the general resurrection. To sleep in Latin, or at least Spanish, is "Dormir" which you might see as the root word for "Dormition" and "dormitory."
 
In Greek, the word Koimisis = falling asleep. If you look or listen closely you might see that word as the root word for "cemetery" (Koimeterion?) in English. And the actual, original name of the parish in Greek is Kimisis Theotokou. That name for the parish dates back to 1932. It's the name our parish founders chose, and it's the name on the incorporation papers with the state of Texas.
 
Consequently, a better translation of the name of the parish would be "The Falling Asleep of the Mother of God." That's too many words for general conversation, though! So, some parishes that are named after today's feast day are conversationally called, "St. Mary's." For example, the church where one of my boys was baptized in Massachusetts was known as St. Mary's and celebrates the patronal or parish feast on the Dormition of the Mother of God.
 
Update on Urgent Prayer Request
 
Thank you for your prayers for Fr. Methodios and Kh. Dannielle Ingalls who were hospitalized by COVID-19. We also need prayers for Irena Morgan, who is a member of their parish in Fredericksburg, Texas.

  • Kh. Dannielle is home but is on oxygen. The doctors are saying it is a miracle she survived, and she has a long recovery ahead of her. Pray for her.

  • Fr. Methodious is also home again, but gets tired very quickly. He is still trying to do at least the Sunday services. Pray for his strength.

  • For Irena Morgan, we have this update from Thursday:

    "Wonderful news and another miracle in our little church community. Irena is off of the ventilator. 
     "To lift her spirits we will be meeting at the hospital grounds here in town with signs and do the Paraklesis outside her window so she can see and participate. Please join us at 7:30pm if you are able to make it."
~
 
SPECIAL  OCCASIONS 
 
Nameday: Our parish!
Birthday and Name day: Marietta Garza
Birthday: Augustina Bartl
Anniversaries: None
Memorials: Carolyn (Mary) Large, 2 years today

Also, Next Sunday, we will have brief prayers for the start of the new school year.

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SUMMER  PICNIC

The parish council has started talking about an end-of-summer picnic. Please let a parish council member know as soon as possible what dates work for you. The next parish council meeting will be on August 22. That's next Sunday, so talk to a parish council member before them to put in your "vote" for which day.

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COFFEE HOUR

We have a extra-special Coffee Hour today, to celebrate the parish's nameday! Thank you to everyone for contributing to today's special coffee hour, particularly the parish council for arranging for Enoch to cater for us. There's no charge for lunch, but if you can donate something, we'd certainly appreciate it, so give generously.

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WAYS  YOU  CAN  HELP

  • We continue to need prosforo bakers. Thank you to those who provide this for the parish.

  • Thank you to all of you who have contributed altar wine, we can't do liturgy without this either.

  • Please consider sponsoring coffee hour, perhaps team up with someone. It is an important part of parish life.

  • You are welcome to help chant or read the Epistle. Please see Father or John Choate.

  • We need someone to help us troubleshoot what is wrong with our Livestream Broadcasts. It may be our internet connection, or it may be something with Facebook Live. If you are willing to help, please let us know.

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YOUR  ORTHODOX  EDUCATION

Reminder: When you travel, find an Orthodox parish and go to church! They are easy to find online.

When you visit other churches, please take photos of the icons and architecture. Print them and bring them here. We'll post them in the social hall, to share with our parish community.

Why should we visit other parishes when we go on vacation? Because God doesn't take a break from us, so we shouldn't take a break from Him!

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Saints for the Week: We have many saints with interesting write-ups in this week's bulletin. Scroll down in this bulletin to find out more.

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Other Announcements:

  • Send your prayer requests to Fr. Mark. Also your requests for visits to the sick and the hospitalized. These days, hospitals do not release patient information or call the priest, so you need to let Father know yourself.

  • Reminder: Whenever we cannot attend church services, we should still find a way to worship God. You can pray these Morning Prayers during that time. The morning prayers are also good way to start every day. Here are some Evening Prayers for you too. "A day hemmed in prayer rarely comes unravelled." 


** As always, see the parish website for any changes and updates. **

 

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary
The Reading is from Luke 1:39-49, 56

In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.


Epistle Reading

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 2:5-11

Brethren, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


Gospel Reading

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary
The Reading is from Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28

At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 7th Tone

By the cross, O Lord, you destroyed death; to the thief you opened paradise. The myrrhbearers' sorrow you transformed into joy, and you sent your apostles forth to proclaim that you had risen from the dead, Christ our God, bestowing on all the world your great mercy.

Apolytikion for Dormition of the Theotokos in the 1st Tone

In giving birth you remained a virgin, and in your dormition you did not forsake this world, O Theotokos. For as the Mother of Life, you have yourself passed into life, and by your prayers you deliver our souls from death.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 2nd Tone

She is our vigilant intercessor, the Theotokos, our sure hope and protection. Neither death nor tomb held any power over her, for as the Mother of Life, she was taken into life by that very one who deigned to dwell in her ever virgin womb.
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Saints and Feasts

Dormitio
August 15

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary

Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos, this is what the Church has received from ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers. When the time drew nigh that our Savior was well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He declared unto her through an Angel that three days hence, He would translate her from this temporal life to eternity and bliss. On hearing this, she went up with haste to the Mount of Olives, where she prayed continuously. Giving thanks to God, she returned to her house and prepared whatever was necessary for her burial. While these things were taking place, clouds caught up the Apostles from the ends of the earth, where each one happened to be preaching, and brought them at once to the house of the Mother of God, who informed them of the cause of their sudden gathering. As a mother, she consoled them in their affliction as was meet, and then raised her hands to Heaven and prayed for the peace of the world. She blessed the Apostles, and, reclining upon her bed with seemliness, gave up her all-holy spirit into the hands of her Son and God.

With reverence and many lights, and chanting burial hymns, the Apostles took up that God-receiving body and brought it to the sepulchre, while the Angels from Heaven chanted with them, and sent forth her who is higher than the Cherubim. But one Jew, moved by malice, audaciously stretched forth his hand upon the bed and immediately received from divine judgment the wages of his audacity. Those daring hands were severed by an invisible blow. But when he repented and asked forgiveness, his hands were restored. When they had reached the place called Gethsemane, they buried there with honor the all-immaculate body of the Theotokos, which was the source of Life. But on the third day after the burial, when they were eating together, and raised up the artos (bread) in Jesus' Name, as was their custom, the Theotokos appeared in the air, saying "Rejoice" to them. From this they learned concerning the bodily translation of the Theotokos into the Heavens.

These things has the Church received from the traditions of the Fathers, who have composed many hymns out of reverence, to the glory of the Mother of our God (see Oct. 3 and 4).


Dormition2
August 16

Afterfeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary


Napkin
August 16

Translation of the Image of Our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ

When the fame of our Lord Jesus Christ came to Abgar, the ruler of Edessa, who was suffering from leprosy, Abgar sent a messenger named Ananias, through him asking the Savior to heal him of his disease, while bidding Ananias bring back a depiction of Him. When Ananias came to Jerusalem, and was unable to capture the likeness of our Lord, He, the Knower of hearts, asked for water, and having washed His immaculate and divine face, wiped it dry with a certain cloth, which He gave to Ananias to take to Abgar; the form of the Lord's face had been wondrously printed upon the cloth. As soon as Abgar received the cloth, which is called the Holy Napkin (Mandylion), he reverenced it with joy, and was healed of his leprosy; only his forehead remained afflicted. After the Lord's Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, the Apostle Thaddaeus (see Aug. 21) came to Edessa, and when he had baptized Abgar and all his men, Abgar's remaining leprosy also was healed. Abgar had the holy image of our Savior fixed to a board and placed at the city gate, commanding that all who entered the city reverence it as they passed through. Abgar's grandson, however, returned to the worship of the idols, and the Bishop of Edessa learned of his intention to replace the Holy Napkin with an idol. Since the place where it stood above the city gate was a rounded hollow, he set a burning lamp before the Holy Napkin, put a tile facing it, then bricked up the place and smoothed it over, so that the holy icon made without hands was no longer to be seen, and the ungodly ruler gave no further thought to it.

With the passage of time, the hidden icon was forgotten, until the year 615, when Chosroes II, King of Persia, was assaulting the cities of Asia, and besieged Edessa. The Bishop of Edessa, Eulabius, instructed by a divine revelation, opened the sealed chamber above the city gate and found the Holy Napkin complete and incorrupt, the lamp burning, and the tile bearing upon itself an identical copy of the image that was on the Holy Napkin. The Persians had built a huge fire outside the city wall; when the Bishop approached with the Holy Napkin, a violent wind fell upon the fire, turning it back upon the Persians, who fled in defeat. The Holy Napkin remained in Edessa, even after the Arabs conquered it, until the year 944, when it was brought with honor and triumph to Constantinople in the reign of Romanus I, when Theophylact was Ecumenical Patriarch. The Holy Napkin was enshrined in the Church of the most holy Theotokos called the Pharos. This is the translation that is celebrated today.


Allsaint
August 16

Timothy of Euripus, founder of the Monastery of Pentele


Allsaint
August 16

Diomedes the Physician & Martyr of Tarsus

The holy Martyr Diomedes was from Tarsus in Cilicia, a physician who treated bodies with his healing art and souls with his piety. In the days of the Emperor Diocletian, about the year 288, Diomedes left Tarsus and came to Nicaea, where he benefited many both as a physician and as a preacher of the Faith. He was accused to Diocletian, who sent men to fetch him. When they arrived, although finding that he had already given up his soul to the Lord, they cut off his head to take it to the Emperor, and because of their inhumanity were stricken with blindness. When Diocletian saw the Saint's head, he commanded them to take it back and put it on the body in its place; when they had done so, they received their sight again. Saint Diomedes is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.


Allsaint
August 16

Nicodemus the New Martyr of Meteora


20_gerasimos
August 16

Gerasimus of Cephalonia

Saint Gerasimus was from the Peloponnesus, the son of Demetrius and Kale, of the family of Notaras. He was reared in piety by them and studied the Sacred writings. He left his country and went throughout various lands, and finally came to Cephalonia, where he restored a certain old church and built a convent around it, where it stands to this day at the place called Omala. He finished the course of his life there in asceticism in the year 1570. His sacred relics, which remain incorrupt, are kept there for the sanctification of the faithful.


Allsaint
August 16

Holy Monk Penteles


Allsaint
August 16

Manuel and John the New Martyrs


Allsaint
August 16

The Six Martyrs Dorotheos, Sarantis, Jacob, Seraphim, Demetrios and Basil who contested in Megara


Dormition1
August 17

Afterfeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary


Myron
August 17

Myron the Martyr of Cyzicus

Saint Myron was a priest during the reign of Decius, when Antipater was ruler of Achaia. On the day of our Lord's Nativity, Antipater entered the church to seize the Christians and punish them. Saint Myron, kindled with holy zeal, roundly insulted Antipater, for which he was hung up and scraped, then cast into a raging furnace, but was preserved unharmed. When Myron refused to worship the idols, Antipater commanded that strips be cut in the Saint's flesh from his shoulders to his feet; the Saint took one of the strips of his flesh and flung it in the tyrant's face. He was beaten, and scraped again upon his beaten flesh; then he was thrown to wild beasts, but when Antipater saw them leaving off their fierce nature and protecting the Saint from harm, he was overcome with unbearable shame and slew himself. The Saint was then sent to Cyzicus, where the proconsul had him beheaded, about the year 250.


Allsaint
August 17

Eutychios, Eutychianos and Kassiani the siblings


Allsaint
August 17

Paul, Juliana, and those martyred with them (the executioners)


Dormition
August 18

Afterfeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary


Allsaint
August 18

Floros & Lauros the Monk-martyrs of Illyria

These Martyrs were twin brothers, and stonemasons. After the martyrdom of their teachers Proclus and Maximus, they left Byzantium and came to the city of Ulpiana in Illyricum, where a certain Licinius hired them to build a temple for the idols. The wages he gave them, they distributed to the poor, and when the temple was built, Floros and Lauros gathered the paupers, and with their help put ropes about the necks of the idols, pulled them to the ground, and furnished the temple as a church. When Licinius learned of this, he had the paupers burned alive in a furnace. Floros and Lauros were tormented, then cast into a deep well, where they gave up their souls to the Lord. When their holy relics were recovered years later, they poured forth myrrh and worked many miracles; they were enshrined in Constantinople.


Allsaint
August 18

Relics of Arsenios the Righteous of Paros


15_dorm2
August 19

Afterfeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary


Allsaint
August 19

Andrew the General & Martyr & his 2,593 soldiers

During the reign of Maximian, about the year 289, Antiochus the Commander-in-Chief of the Roman forces sent Andrew with many other soldiers against the Persians, who had overrun the borders of the Roman dominion. Saint Andrew persuaded his men to call upon the Name of Christ, and when they had defeated the Persians with unexpected triumph, his soldiers believed in Christ with him. Antiochus, learning of this, had them brought before him. When they confessed Christ to be God, he had Andrew spread out upon a bed of iron heated fiery hot, and had the hands of his fellow soldiers nailed to blocks of wood. Antiochus then commanded some thousand soldiers to chase the Saints beyond the borders of the empire. Through the instructions of Saint Andrew, these soldiers also believed in Christ. At the command of Antiochus, they were all beheaded in the mountain passes of the Taurus mountains of Cilicia.


Allsaint
August 19

Theophanes the New Wonderworker of Macedonia


Dormition
August 20

Afterfeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary


Samuel
August 20

Samuel the Prophet

This most holy man, a Prophet of God from childhood, was the last judge of the Israelite people, and anointed the first two Kings of Israel. He was born in the twelfth century before Christ, in the city of Armathaim Sipha, from the tribe of Levi, the son of Elkanah and Hannah (Anna). He was the fruit of prayer, for his mother, being barren, conceived him only after she had supplicated the Lord with many tears; wherefore she called him Samuel, that is, "heard by God." As soon as Hannah had weaned him, she brought him to the city of Silom (Shiloh), where the Ark was kept, and she consecrated him, though yet a babe, to the service of God, giving thanks to Him with the hymn found in the Third Ode of the Psalter: "My heart hath been established in the Lord . . ." Samuel remained in Silom under the protection of Eli the priest. He served in the Tabernacle of God, and through his most venerable way of life became well-pleasing to God and man (I Kings 2: 26). While yet a child, sleeping in the tabernacle near the Ark of God, he heard the voice of God calling his name, and foretelling the downfall of Eli; for although Eli's two sons, Ophni and Phineas, were most lawless, and despisers of God, Eli did not correct them. Even after Samuel had told Eli of the divine warning, Eli did not properly chastise his sons, and afterwards, through various misfortunes, his whole house was blotted out in one day.

After these things came to pass, Samuel was chosen to be the protector of the people, and he judged them with holiness and righteousness. He became for them an example of all goodness, and their compassionate intercessor before God: "Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; yea, I will serve the Lord, and show you the good and the right way" (ibid. 12:23). When he asked them -- having God as witness -- if he ever wronged anyone, or took anyone's possessions, or any gift, even so much as a sandal, they answered with one voice: "Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, nor afflicted us, neither hast thou taken anything from anyone's hand" (ibid. 12:4). When Samuel was old, the people asked him for a king, but he was displeased with this, knowing that God Himself was their King. But when they persisted, the Lord commanded him to anoint them a king, saying, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me from reigning over them" (ibid. 8:7); so Samuel anointed Saul. But Saul transgressed the command of God repeatedly, so Samuel anointed David. Yet, since Samuel was a man of God, full of tender mercy, when the Lord told him that He had rejected Saul, Samuel wept for him the whole night long (ibid. 15:11); and later, since he continued to grieve, the Lord said to him, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?" (ibid. 16:1). Having lived blamelessly some ninety-eight years, and become an example to all of a God-pleasing life, he reposed in the eleventh century before Christ. Many ascribe to him the authorship of the Books of judges, and of Ruth, and of the first twenty-four chapters of the First Book of Kings (I Samuel).


Allsaint
August 20

Stephen, First King of Hungary


Allsaint
August 20

Hierotheos, Bishop of Hungary


Allsaint
August 20

Oswin the Martyr, King of Deira


Dormition3
August 21

Afterfeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary


Holy12ap
August 21

The Holy Apostle Thaddaeus

The Apostle Thaddaeus was from Edessa, a Jew by race. When he came to Jerusalem, he became a disciple of Christ, and after His Ascension he returned to Edessa. There he catechized and baptized Abgar (see Aug. 16). Having preached in Mesopotamia, he ended his life in martyrdom. Though some call him one of the Twelve, whom Matthew calls "Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus" (Matt. 10:3), Eusebius says that he is one of the Seventy: "After [Christ's] Resurrection from the dead, and His ascent into Heaven, Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles, inspired by God, sent Thaddaeus, one of the seventy disciples of Christ, to Edessa as a preacher and evangelist of Christ's teaching" (Eccl. Hist. 1: 13).


Allsaint
August 21

The Holy Martyr Bassa and Her Sons: Theognis, Agapius, and Pistus

The Martyrs were from Edessa of Macedonia. Bassa was the wife of a certain Valerian, a priest of the idols, to whom she bore three sons and raised them in piety. She was betrayed with her sons to the proconsul by her own husband; each of her sons was tormented before her and beheaded. For refusing to worship the idols, she was imprisoned, cast into water and then fire, was stoned, and remaining unharmed, was brought to the temple to worship the idols. Laying hold upon the idol of Zeus, she overturned it and broke it to pieces. After being preserved through further torments, she was beheaded, about the year 290, in the reign of Maximian.


Calmstorm
August 22

9th Sunday of Matthew


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Wisdom of the Fathers

What Mary might well have said to Martha, the Lord, anticipating her, replied that she had left everything to sit at the Lord's feet, and bless God all day long. You see, her sitting was for love's sake.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

But that God's word may be made clearer, listen to this. If any one loves Jesus, and attends to Him in earnest, and not in a casual way, but in love abides by Him, God is already devising to make some return to that soul for its love, although the man does not know what he is to receive or what portion God is about to give to the soul.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

The death of the Theotokos was also life-bearing, translating her into a celestial and immortal life ... Its commemoration not merely renews the memory of the wondrous deeds of the Mother of God, but also adds thereto the strange gathering at her all-sacred burial of all the sacred apostles conveyed from every nation ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

Thus the Word of God took up His dwelling in the Theotokos in an inexpressable manner and proceeded from her, bearing flesh ... This is the encomium which transcends nature and the surpassingly glorious glory of the Ever-Virgin ... she was also rightly glorified and exalted together with Him ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

In this manner she was in the beginning 'a little lower than the angels' (Ps. 8:6), as it is said, referring to her mortality, yet this only served to magnify her pre-eminence as regards all creatures ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

How indeed could that body suffer corruption and turn to earth? ... The 'ark of holiness' (Ps. 131:8) is resurrected, after the prophetic ode, together with Christ ... by her ascension ... uniting those on high with those below ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

Thus she exalted those under her through herself, and, showing while on earth obedience to things heavenly rather than things earthly, she partook of more excellent deserts and of superior power.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

There came to pass in the womb not a union only, but further, a formation, and that thing formed from the Power of the Most High and the all-holy virginal womb was the incarnate Word of God.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

For this reason the Lord, who knew what He gave her, said, Mary has chosen the good part. But after a time the things which Martha had done so eagerly in the way of service brought her to that gift of grace. She too received divine power in her soul.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

A most mystical economy of courtship came to pass as regards the Virgin, a strange greeting surpassing speech which the Archangel, descended from above, addressed to her, and disclosures and salutations from God which overturn the condemnation of Eve and Adam and remedy the curse laid on them, transforming it into a blessing ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

Receptacle of great graces ... she only is the frontier between created and uncreated nature, and there is no man that shall come to God except he be truly illumined through her ... It was through the Theotokos alone that the Lord came to us.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

She alone in her body, glorified by God, now enjoys the celestial realm together with her Son. For earth and grave and death did not hold forever her life-originating and God-receiving body - the dwelling more favored than Heaven and the Heaven of heavens ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

When Mary loved Him, and sat at His feet, the gift that was added to her was no casual gift; He gave her a certain hidden virtue from His own substance. The very words which God spoke in peace to Mary were so many spirits, and a power; ...
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

... and these words entering into her heart were made a soul to her soul and a spirit to her spirit, and a divine power was filled into her heart. Where that power shall lodge, it cannot but abide permanently, as a possession not to be taken away.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

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