On the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Feast of the annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary Annunciation church holiday

Among the considerable number of church holidays, the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is considered special. In terms of importance, it is second, perhaps, only to Christmas, which is celebrated by all Christians, regardless of denomination. Even before the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, the schedule of services in churches is posted on the sites and entrance doors, so that every believer can find time in his busy schedule for the joy of attending church. Moreover, it is impossible to miss a visit to the temple on this holiday. Such an act is considered an unforgivable mistake that will bring troubles and troubles into the house. The Annunciation has a number of rules and restrictions, but many believers are not familiar with them. Therefore, in preparation for the holiday, they admit annoying miscalculations, which in the old days in Russia even children could not make. We will tell readers in as much detail as possible about this joyful day for the heart of every Christian: when the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated, where did the tradition of celebrating the holiday come from, what is the history of its origin and many other interesting things. But let's talk about everything in order.

Brief historical background

The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos has a clearly defined celebration date. He and Christmas are nine months apart, despite the fact that the Annunciation took root in church traditions much later than Christmas. It is known that Catholics and Orthodox Christians use different types of calendars. It is not surprising that the dates of the holidays are different for them. The Catholic Church in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary begins services in the temple on the morning of March 25th. And the Orthodox holiday is celebrated on April 7th.

Among the twelve main holidays of the Christian church, many believers consider this literally the beginning of the formation of religion. After all, its essence lies in the good news that Mary received from the angels. Some theologians in ancient times argued that it was during this conversation that the immaculate conception of a young girl took place. Therefore, for a long time, the holiday bore a lot of names that characterize this particular side of it.

Interestingly, all events related to this topic were described by only one apostle. Luke, in his Gospel, spoke in great detail about what happened on that great day. To this day, all Christians refer precisely to this written source, telling the story of the Virgin Mary and the conception of Christ.

history of the holiday

The story about the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos must begin with a brief description of the life of the Virgin Mary.

Not everyone knows that from birth the girl who became the Mother of God was promised to the temple. Serving the Lord was to become her life, for which the baby was being prepared. She spent her childhood in the Jerusalem temple and was brought up by its abbots. But by the age of fourteen, young Mary, according to Jewish laws, had to get married. This greatly embarrassed the holy fathers, who prayed day and night for the best solution to determine the fate of the girl. After vain prayers, illumination descended on one of the elders, and he began to search for a husband for Mary who could protect her throughout her life, but nevertheless not lay claim to her, as a husband does to his wife. The search was short-lived, and soon Mary became the wife of Joseph, who by the time of the wedding was already eighty years old. The named husband was known as a real righteous man and spent his entire life in work and prayer. Before meeting with Mary, Joseph was never married.

One day the archangel Gabriel appeared in front of the embarrassed girl. According to the Gospel of Luke, he announced to Mary the good news that she was chosen as a mother to the Son of God. However, it was important not only to tell the girl about what awaited her, but also to get her consent. Without him, the Lord would not have been able to fulfill his will.

Hearing such news, Mary doubted the possibilities of an immaculate conception. However, Gabriel shamed her by recalling how her relative conceived, carried and gave birth to a baby, who considered herself barren to old age. By this, the angel wanted to prove the limitless possibilities of the Lord and to calm Mary. Obedient and righteous, the girl agreed with God's will and conceived a child.

Interestingly, upon learning about his wife's pregnancy, Joseph thought about her infidelity. He decided that the girl had broken her vow of innocence, and invited her to leave him secretly, under cover of night. However, in a dream, an angel appeared to him, telling the whole truth about the conception of the Son of God, and ordered the man to protect his wife and take care of her.

The importance of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos lies in the fact that until that moment mankind had not received good news from the Lord. Adam and Eve were the last to hear the will of the Creator, but subsequent generations were deprived of this goodness.

Becoming a holiday

Christians began to celebrate the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in churches in the fifth-sixth centuries, but even earlier there were references to this day in different sources.

Historians and archaeologists have found images of the events of the Annunciation in caves where the early Christians hid from their pursuers. Similar paintings were painted not only in individual caves, but also in the catacombs, in which the exiles were for weeks and months, conducting services and preaching. Such murals date back to the second or third centuries.

In the fourth century, Saint Helena made her invaluable contribution to the development of the holiday. She walked through the places of Christ's life and everywhere tried to leave a mark in the form of a basilica, temple, church or cathedral. She was also one of the first to speak about the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos as a significant event. The saint found the place where the apparition of the archangel to the Virgin took place, and erected a basilica there.

By the fifth century, icon painters began to pay great attention to this biblical subject. They began to depict the events of the Immaculate Conception of Jesus on icons and murals in temples. About a hundred years later, services for the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos were held in most churches. It is believed that St. Cyril of Jerusalem finally established its canons and traditions. Literally a century later, the holiday received the status of the main one in Byzantium and spread to the West.

By the way, the Mother of God was very revered in Russia. Therefore, the Annunciation was celebrated very solemnly and necessarily with the whole family. From this, according to our ancestors, the well-being of all its members and abundance in the house depended.

In the eighth century, festive canons were compiled, which are sung during the service in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in churches. Their authors are considered to be the Metropolitan of Nicea and two holy elders - Theophanes and John Damascene.

Let's talk about traditions

Each holiday has its own traditions, the more this statement is relevant when we are talking about church holidays. The rules for celebrating the Annunciation were formed in ancient times and today are strictly observed by all Christians.

The day before the holiday, women started baking prosvir. This word was used for unleavened bread in the form of small rolls. Its number has always been equal to the number of household members. On the morning of the feast of the prosvira, it was required to take it to the service and consecrate it. Only after this could the family members begin the festive meal, at which bread was eaten. This was done with great care so as not to drop a single crumb past the mouth. If this happened, then all the remnants of the bread was collected and given to the cattle. It was believed that this helps to maintain her health and fertility. However, it was necessary to eat the consecrated bread on an empty stomach. This was a prerequisite for a rich harvest and family well-being.

Since the Annunciation is a very important holiday, it is strictly forbidden to work on this day. Our ancestors would never have slaughtered livestock, sewed, cleaned the house, or engaged in any other business. However, it was also forbidden to start too noisy fun. People had to realize the sacredness of this day and be imbued with it.

I would like to note that in Russia this church holiday was considered at the same time the day when it was customary to call spring. It was believed that after the Annunciation, winter finally recedes and a new round of life begins in nature. In order to get rid of ailments, our ancestors made fires. Round dances were performed around them, songs and "barkers" sang. The most courageous even jumped over the fire, thereby clearing themselves of all diseases and impure thoughts.

A particularly beautiful tradition in the Annunciation was the release of birds. Before the holiday, feathered songwriters were caught in the streets and in the forests, and they were put in cages. After attending church services, young people gathered in the courtyards of temples and opened their cells. Birds soaring into the sky were a symbol of the good news, once brought to humanity.

During the Annunciation, cattle were often driven out into the streets. He had to go to the sound of beaters and bells. This, as our ancestors thought, protected the cattle from ailments and predators.

The tradition of the Annunciation does not limit the range of festive dishes. It all depends on what day this date falls on. For example, this year it was Good Friday. Therefore, believers could not afford to eat even fish. Although usually, if the holiday coincides with fasting, the Orthodox have some indulgences. These include seafood.

Holiday symbols

Few Christians are aware that the Annunciation has its own symbolism. It is a kind of graphic story about the essence of the holiday. The first symbol is depicted as a ray of light. It represents an ephemeral road along which the Holy Spirit descended on the Virgin Mary. This is how the story of the good news in the Gospel began.

The second symbol is the spinning wheel. According to written sources, the Virgin Mary spent a lot of time with this instrument. Archangel Gabriel, descending from heaven, found her spinning and at that moment announced the mission that the girl would need to complete.

The third symbol is the palm branch. Since the earliest times, it has meant spiritual elevation. Some theologians interpreted the symbol as the unity of the subordination of thoughts and feelings to divine providence.

Features of the church service: day and evening on the eve of the holiday

In addition to the general traditions of celebrating the Annunciation, which we have already talked about, there are certain nuances of conducting church services. Believers usually find out about them already at the service, but they can let something out of their attention. We will tell our readers about all the features of celebrating the holiday according to church canons.

On the day before the holiday, believers attend Vespers. During it, the clergy read stichera and excerpts from Holy Scripture dedicated to the sufferings of Christ, the good news brought to the Virgin Mary by the archangel, prophecies about the Son of God, as well as texts about accepting torment for the salvation of human souls. At the final stage of the service, the troparion of the Annunciation and the canon "On the Crucifixion of the Lord and the Lamentation of the Most Holy Theotokos" are sung. After that, the service ends and the believers disperse for a while.

Matins takes place in the evening of the same day. It must be attended by all Orthodox Christians who wish to fully immerse themselves in the holiness of the moment. The service begins with chants, which turn into six psalms and troparia:

• "Handsome Joseph";
• “When thou art descended to death”;
• "To the Myrrh-Bearing Wives."

Then the service continues with the reading of excerpts from the Gospel and the festive canons. It is impossible to imagine this service without the canons of the Annunciation and Great Saturday. They are considered special as they are read only on major holidays and have an unusual structure. The Canon of the Annunciation is written in the form of a conversation between the Virgin Mary and the archangel. But the second canon is actually philosophical reasoning on the topic of the processes occurring from the crucifixion to the resurrection of Christ.

Morning holiday service

From the very morning, the service is not much like a festive one. It is performed at regular hours, but after the end it immediately continues with the evening Liturgy. The priests sing the Sunday stichera and paremias. Usually, after that, a list of those who wish to be baptized on this holiday is announced.

Matins continues with the reading of the Gospel. Much attention is paid to texts about the deeds of Christ and his torment on the cross. The final stage of the service is the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

A few words about the meal and the vestments of priests

It is interesting that the services on the Annunciation presuppose a special vestment of the clergy. Usually the color of vestments on all holidays dedicated to the Mother of God is blue. However, in the Annunciation, it turns purple. By the way, this is the only day when the ministers of the church wear clothes of this color.

As for the meal, it is always accompanied by wine. Depending on the coincidence with other holidays, priests set a number of restrictions regarding the dishes on the table of believers. However, in any case, the Orthodox receive a blessing for red wine.

Temples in honor of the Virgin

In Russia, the Mother of God was especially venerated, and the number of churches in her honor is difficult to count. Many of them were forgotten and abandoned during Soviet times, but in recent years they have become operational again and have been fully restored. We will tell the readers about some of them.

The Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos on Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg has a long history associated with the names of many famous figures of Russian science and culture.

The temple was founded in the middle of the eighteenth century and was built over a period of thirteen years. As a result, the believers were able to see the most beautiful seven-throne temple complex. It was consecrated even before the builders left the territory of the church. The lighting procedure was carried out by Tikhon Zadonsky himself.

In the thirty-sixth year of the last century, the temple was closed and resumed services only twenty-six years ago. Today it is open to everyone in need from nine in the morning until seven in the evening. On weekends, the church awaits believers until eight in the evening.

On the main church holidays, which include the Annunciation, the Liturgy is held twice a day: at seven and ten in the morning. You can confess half an hour before the service.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fedosyne

This temple is located in Moscow and was founded at the beginning of the fifteenth century. In the future, it was rebuilt more than once. The final version dates from the first half of the nineteenth century.

The village of Fedosyevo belonged to the Ascension Monastery, which supported its inhabitants in difficult times. The temple built within the monastery amazes with its beauty and austere forms. It was active until the thirties of the last century, when there was a campaign for the mass closure of churches. It is noteworthy that the villagers did not allow the church to be closed. They tried to defend their faith with a united front, but nevertheless, for many decades, the temple was used by the Soviet government for other purposes.

Today believers can find out a lot of interesting and important information on the website dedicated to the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. The schedule of services, for example, is updated here once a month. Usually, in the temple, the doors for believers are open until five o'clock in the evening. Services begin at half past eight in the morning.

Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Petrovsky Park

There are at least five temple complexes in honor of the Mother of God in Moscow. All of them, even in the most difficult times for Christianity, were not empty. Believers have always come here hoping to find consolation. And the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky Park was very important for the Orthodox of this area.

Princess Naryshkina became the initiator and sponsor of the construction of the church. At her request, the architect Richter created a unique project that should not contradict the ensemble of the Petrovsky Palace. And he managed to realize it.

The foundation stone of the temple was laid in the forty-fourth year of the nineteenth century. It was originally supposed to have four thrones. The first was consecrated three years after the start of construction.

The rector of the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky publishes the schedule of services on the website. The resource is maintained by him and some members of the flock. In the temple complex of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Petrovsky Park, the schedule of services of which all believers are interested, morning services usually begin at eight o'clock. Evening services are held from five o'clock. Orthodox Christians have the opportunity to confess almost every day. This is done before the morning Liturgy.

The twelveth holiday. What are the features of the iconography of the holiday, why birds are released for the Annunciation, what this holiday and the Gospel have in common - read the answers to these questions in the material of the "Thomas" magazine.

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The Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth to announce to the Virgin Mary that she is to conceive of the Holy Spirit and give birth to a baby: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David, His father; and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and his kingdom will have no end. Mary replied to the angel: behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1: 26-38).

Icon of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos

Icon from the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai. End of the XII century.

The icon of the Annunciation depicts the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, whose visible surprise is shown in conjunction with the deepest humility before the omnipotence of God. Above the archangel and Mary is a special form of a halo - mandorla, which symbolizes the Divine appearance and the conception of Christ. The red thread in Mary's hands is the thread that, according to church tradition, she did on this great day for the whole Church.

The essence of the holiday of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Annunciation is celebrated exactly 9 months before the birth of Christ. According to the teachings of the Church, a person is born at the moment of conception in the womb, and not at the moment of his birth.

According to the teaching of the Church, God in His greatness condescended, reduced Himself to a man, and the Virgin Mary, having become the mother of God incarnate, surpassed the entire human and angelic world. To explain the mystery of the Incarnation, the Church Fathers used the Greek word "kenosis", meaning "humiliation" or "exhaustion."

The apparitions of the angels Divine messengers have been known for millennia and have produced not only admiration, but also inspired fear of their greatness. The man of the Old Testament understood his unworthiness in front of the light beings of the other world. But Christ, having become one of the people, made man the most worthy of created beings.

"Virgin Mary, rejoice, blessed Mary, the Lord is with you, blessed are you in women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, as if you gave birth to our souls",

The words of this one of the most famous and beloved prayers of the Church, addressed to the Most Holy Theotokos, almost literally repeat the promise to the Virgin Mary uttered by the Archangel Gabriel.

The Annunciation was the beginning of the fulfillment of the Divine promise to fallen humanity in the person of Adam and Eve that their descendant, literally, “the seed of the woman” (Gen. 3:15) will destroy the serpent (devil) that deceived them. The "seed of the woman" is an image of the unmarried conception of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary.

Behold, the Virgin will receive and bear a Son in her womb, and they will call his name Immanuel,- lines of the most important Old Testament prophecy about the birth of the Savior from the virgin virgin (Isa 7:14). The name Emmanuel literally means "God with us", therefore it is sometimes found on icons above the image of the infant Christ.

Archangel Gabriel on icons, he is often depicted with a cane as a traveler and messenger, with a candle or a mirror - as a messenger of secrets, or with a lily - a symbol of blessing; he is repeatedly mentioned in the Old Testament, revered in Judaism and Islam.

Annunciation in Greek is the Gospel, the Good News. This is what the first four books of the New Testament, the most important books of the Bible, are called. The prophecy of the birth of the Savior of the world, the fulfillment of which was so intensely awaited in Judea, came true as a light breath of the wind, imperceptible to the whole world. Admiring the power of the faith of the Mother of God and her complete trust in God, the Orthodox Church gives the Virgin Mary the primacy of honor among all people ever born.

The Annunciation is the central event of all Sacred history, it is exactly in the middle between the Old and New Testaments. The covenant with Abraham began with the doubt of his elderly wife Sarah about her ability to become a mother, the ancestor of God's Chosen People. The New Testament became possible thanks to the pure faith of the Virgin Mary in the revelation of the supernatural birth of her future Son - the Messiah, the Savior of all mankind (Luke 1: 26–38).

Traditions of the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The tradition of releasing white doves for the Annunciation goes back to the folk tradition of welcoming spring. Like many others, this tradition has become "churched". We learn from the Gospel that the Holy Spirit descended on the Lord during his baptism in the Jordan River in the form of a dove. The Archangel Gabriel also explains the Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary by the invasion of her by the Holy Spirit : The Holy Spirit will come upon You and the power of the Most High will overshadow You(Luke 1:35)... From this fusion of popular custom, the baptismal image of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel words, the modern tradition arose.

The doves that the Patriarch releases for the Annunciation, is grown by the Sports Pigeon Federation. Soaring into the sky and circling over the temple, the birds gather in a flock and return to their nursery.

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The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the twelve major holidays in Orthodoxy. The celebration is dedicated to the good news of the imminent birth of the Savior, which the Archangel Gabriel brought to the Virgin Mary. Read on to learn how this day is celebrated and what traditions are honored.

History of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos

The first mention of the Annunciation, as this holiday is also called, was found by historians on ancient frescoes of the late 2nd century. However, the celebration was officially recognized only two centuries later, when Helena Equal to the Apostles discovered the places of the earthly life of Christ and erected temples on them. In the second half of the VII Art. the festival became the main one in the Byzantine church. At the same time, its popularization began to spread throughout Western Europe.

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the 12 main holidays in Orthodoxy

Holiday name

The word "annunciation" in the Orthodox world means good or good news. According to Holy Scripture, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who told her about the Immaculate Conception and the future appearance of the Son of God.

When the young novice of the temple turned 14, she was faced with a choice: to return to her family or to find a husband. Despite persuasion to marry, she firmly decided to devote her life to serving God, taking a vow to remain pristine for the rest of her days. Then the confessors combined her by marriage with the ancient elder Joseph, bequeathed to him to protect the virginity of the Most Holy.

After moving to her husband in Nazareth, Mary continued to observe a strict fast and pray a lot, giving all of herself to the Lord. Four months after the betrothal, when the girl was reading the Gospel, the Archangel appeared to her with the words: “Rejoice, Gracious One!”, And then explained that she was chosen by the Almighty to become the mother of His Son. The Blessed Virgin was amazed at how this was possible, but she unquestioningly obeyed the Will of God.

Determining the date

Since early Christian times, the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos has not been a rolling holiday and was celebrated every year on March 25 (April 7 in a new style). This date appeared for a reason. In history, it was first mentioned by Pope Hippolytus (3rd century), who calls it the day of the crucifixion of Christ. For this reason, the Annunciation is still sometimes identified with the Great Easter.

Also, the celebration is closely related to Christmas, which is exactly 9 months away from April 7th. In Byzantium, the Annunciation was considered the day of the creation of the whole world and was taken as a starting point before the rest of the church holidays.

Celebrating the celebration on April 7

The meaning and significance of the festival

Among theologians, the interpretation of the celebration has a deep meaning. The good news that came to earth informs the whole world that the Lord has found that only Virgin who believed in Him so strongly that she can become the mother of the Son of God. With the birth of Christ, the Almighty endowed Mary with His love and strength, but at the same time gave her to make this choice voluntarily.

Celebrating the day of the Annunciation, Orthodox Christians glorify the Most Holy Theotokos, who with all her mind, heart and soul trusted the Lord God, thereby giving the world a Savior.

Video "Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary"

This video tells the story of the holiday and features of its celebration.

Features of worship

The Annunciation festive service begins with a liturgy, depending on the day of the week. Further, the priests celebrate Vespers, which turns into All-night Vigil. Often the date of the Annunciation coincides with the Great Easter, then the canons of both festivities are combined. Such a celebration is called Kriopasha.

Immediately after the end of the liturgy, the confessors, dressed in blue robes, release the pigeons. According to the tradition, which was revived only in the second half of the 90s of the twentieth century, the birds must deliver to the guardian angels news of all the good deeds performed in the previous year.

Traditions and rituals of the holiday

Since early Christian times, people at the Annunciation visit the church, offer prayers to the Mother of God, give alms, provide all kinds of help to those in need. Christians believe that heaven opens on this day, and therefore it is good to make a pilgrimage, make wishes, communicate with God.

On April 7, it is customary to store salt for a talisman. All family members take a pinch and ignite it on the stove. It is believed to help heal any disease, as well as protect against adversity. If last year's salt remains on the next holiday, it is thrown into the fire. No less miraculous are the Annunciation prosphora brought from the temple, as well as the consecrated water.

Another interesting ceremony is the burning of old things. The tradition takes its roots from paganism, when the ancient Slavs made a large fire, into which they threw out all unnecessary household utensils. They believed that in this way everything bad is burned out: sorrow, sorrow, illness, failure.

The Annunciation service begins with a liturgy

What can you eat

The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in 2020 coincides with the Great Easter Lent. In the name of the holiday, the Church makes allowance for fasting Christians, allowing them to eat fish dishes. An exception is Holy Week, when fish is strictly prohibited. Also, dairy and meat products are removed from the diet.

What not to do

The proclamation is the twelveth Orthodox holiday, and therefore on the day of the celebration, it is forbidden to engage in everyday affairs. So, you can not take up a needle or knitting needles, cut hair, comb, dye, braid. You also need to leave all the physical work for later.

It is customary to prepare festive meals the day before, so that the hostess will be freed from household work for the Annunciation.

Useful information

A festive day should not be overshadowed by bad mood, anger, vanity, irritation. It is not good to lend money for the Annunciation, put on new clothes, get married.

Signs and beliefs

Even the ancient Slavs believed the signs associated with the great festival. Here is some of them:

• frosts for the holiday promise a good harvest;
• if the swallows did not have time to return before April 7, the second half of spring will be cold;
• so that love and prosperity reign in the family for the whole next year, the wife needs to name her spouse “beloved” 40 times;
• for fertility, a piece of a consecrated prosphora should be buried in the garden;
• a wish made on a holiday will surely come true.

For fertility, a piece of the consecrated prosphora should be buried in the garden

Icons of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos

The first frescoes depicting the Annunciation date back to the 2nd century and were found in ancient Christian tombs. Iconography appeared a little later - in the second half of the 4th century. The icons traditionally depict the Archangel Gabriel descending to the Virgin Mary. Images are of two types:

• with yarn - where the Mother of God holds the red thread, spinning the curtain for the Jerusalem temple;
• with a Baby in the womb - expresses the idea of ​​the immaculate conception.

Annunciation churches and monasteries

Starting with the official recognition of the celebration, shrines began to be erected throughout Russia in the name of the celebration:

• Annunciation Church (Kiev);
• the temple of the Moscow Kremlin;
• cathedral in Vitebsk;
• Murom monastery;
• the monastery of the city of Kirzhach, as well as the village of Timoshkino (Vladimir region);
• Nikandrov Lavra (Pskov region);
• home church of the Suzdal Kremlin, etc.

Holy Annunciation Cathedral (Kharkiv) Annunciation Cathedral (Moscow Kremlin) Annunciation Church (Vitebsk)

The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary - this is how the Christian Church calls the great twelveth feast dedicated to the remembrance of the proclamation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary of the mystery of the incarnation of God the Word from Her (Luke 1, 26-38). The general meaning of the word "Annunciation" is good, joyful, good news - the same as the Gospel; a special meaning indicates the feast of the Annunciation, celebrated on March 25th. This sacred event took place, according to church tradition, in the sixth month after the conception of the holy righteous Elizabeth of the holy prophet John the Baptist.

"Advice of the Eternal, revealing to You, Otrokovitsa, Gabriel appears ..."- the Holy Church sings at the beginning of the festive service of the great feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The eternal Council of the Holy Trinity on the Incarnation of the Only Begotten Son of God for the redemption of the human race dying in sins and its salvation was an incomprehensible secret, hidden until the time appointed by God not only from people, but also from Angels. When the time of the incarnation of the Word of God approached, there appeared from among mankind that, the only one in the world in her purity and holiness, the Virgin - the Most Blessed Lady Mary - worthy to serve the cause of the salvation of the human race and become the Mother of the Son of God.

The Blessed Virgin Mary was gifted to elderly parents, righteous Joachim and Anna (September 9/22) for their unceasing and tearful prayers. Upon reaching the age of 14, when, according to the Jewish law, Her stay in the temple was to end, the Most Holy Mary was betrothed to the righteous eighty-year old Joseph, a poor carpenter from the clan of David, who was entrusted with keeping Her virginity. Having moved to Nazareth, to the house of Her Betrothed Elder Joseph, the Most Holy Mary continued the same life that she spent in the temple. The Holy Fathers of the Church - Athanasius the Great, Basil the Great, John of Damascus - indicate that under the guise of marriage, the Lord protected the Blessed Virgin Mary from the anger of the enemy of the human race, the devil, thus hiding from him that She is the very Blessed Virgin about whom the prophet Isaiah said : "Behold, the Virgin in her womb will receive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which means God is with us."(Matt. 1:23; Is. 7:14).

While staying in the house of Her Betrothed Elder Joseph, the Most Holy Virgin Mary once read the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and reflected on the greatness of the One who will deserve to be the Mother of God. With all her heart, Saint Mary wanted to see the Chosen One of God and in deep humility she wanted to be Her last servant. On that blessed day of the beginning of human salvation, which became the day of the incarnation of God the Word, the Archangel Gabriel, sent by God, appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary from heaven and greeted Her with the words: “Rejoice, Blessed One, the Lord is with You; blessed are you between wives "... She, seeing him, was embarrassed by his words and wondered what this greeting meant.

And the Angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb, and you will bear a Son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and his kingdom will have no end. "... Mary said to the Angel: "How will it be when I don't know my husband?" The Angel answered Her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the Power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore, the Holy One being born will be called the Son of God ... " Then Mary said: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the Angel departed from Her "(Luke 1, 28-38).

The unshakable, deep faith of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Her equally deep humility, combined with ardent love for God and devotion to His Holy will, appeared that blessed Niva, in the depths of which the Blessed Fruit arose - the God-man Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who took upon Himself the sins of everything the world. Since the beginning of the salvation of the human race is laid from the time of the seedless conception of the Son of God, the Church on the day of the Annunciation repeatedly proclaims: "The day of our salvation is the main thing and the hedgehog from the age of the sacrament is the manifestation ..."(troparion).

The Day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is also the day of the Savior's incarnation: from March 25 to December 25, when the Nativity of Christ is celebrated, exactly nine months. On the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Holy Church recalls this wondrous and incomprehensible Mystery of Mortals. Almighty God with the great Mystery of His incarnation from the Blessed Virgin Mary comes into the world to take upon Himself the burden of the sins of the entire human race; The Son of God becomes the Son of Man, perceives human nature in order to renew and deify it by His incarnation, redemptive sufferings and Resurrection.

The Lord's infinite love for His creation appeared in His Divine exhaustion, without which the sin of the parents and the innumerable sins of subsequent generations would inevitably lead to the death of all people in eternity. Thanks to the Incarnation, every Christian who believes in the Lord and strives to live according to His commandments is granted the opportunity of eternal bliss in the Kingdom of Heaven. In the person of the Most Holy Theotokos, Christians found a merciful Mother, Intercessor, Helper and Intercessor for them before Her Divine Son.

The Annunciation is the day of the good news that a Virgin was found throughout the human world, so believing in God, so deeply capable of obedience and trust, that the Son of God can be born from Her. The incarnation of the Son of God, on the one hand, is the work of God's love and God's power; but at the same time, the incarnation of the Son of God is a matter of human freedom. St. Gregory Palamas says that the Incarnation would be just as impossible without the free human consent of the Mother of God, as it would be impossible without the creative will of God.

In the Mother of God we find an amazing ability to trust God to the end; but this ability is not natural, not natural: such a belief can be forged in oneself by the deed of purity of heart, by the deed of love for God.

The solemn church veneration of the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos began no later than the 4th century, as evidenced in the works of Saints Athanasius the Great and John Chrysostom. But icons depicting this event appeared in the Christian Church already in the II century, even in the Roman catacombs, for example, on the wall of the tomb of St. Priscilla.

The icons of the Annunciation, symbolizing the beginning of the redemption of the human race, from ancient times, according to church law, are arranged at the royal gates. The Royal Doors represent the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven, and the icon of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos reminds us of the opening of paradise for us, since this sacred event was the “main principle” of our salvation.