† THE NATIVITY OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS ~ SUNDAY 8/21 ns 2025 ~ Gospel at Matins: St. Luke 1:39-49, 56 (Feast) Gal. 6:11-18 (22nd Sunday of Epistles); St. John 3:13-17~ Excerpt from the Sermon on the Nativity of the Ever-Virgin Mary by Saint Andrew of Crete ~ IN THE PRESENCE OF THE IMMACULATE HOLY EVER-VIRGIN MOTHER OF GOD Saint Dionysios the Areopagite

SUNDAY

September 8/21 ns 2025

Our Lord was betrayed and sold

on a Wednesday, so we fast

Crucified on a Friday, so we fast 

and Resurrected on a SUNDAY

QUOTES FROM THE SAINTS (scroll down):

EXCERPT FROM THE SERMON ON THE
NATIVITY OF THE EVER-VIRGIN MARY

by Saint Andrew of Crete

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE IMMACULATE

HOLY EVER-VIRGIN MOTHER OF GOD

Saint Dionysios the Areopagite

HOW THE TRUE FAITH

HAS COME DOWN TO US

and also

KNOWING GOD

St. Silouan of the

Holy Mountain Athos

Today we celebrate in love

The Great Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos 

The Holy Virgin Mary was born of aged parents, Joachim and Anna. Her father was of the lineage of David, and her mother of the lineage of Aaron. Thus, she was of royal birth by her father, and of priestly birth by her mother. In this, she foreshadowed Him Who would be born of her as King and High Priest. Her parents were quite old and had no children. Because of this they were ashamed before men and humble before God. In their humility they prayed to God with tears, to bring them joy in their old age by giving them a child, as He had once given joy to the aged Abraham and his wife Sarah by giving them Isaac. The Almighty and All-seeing God rewarded them with a joy that surpassed all their expectations and all their most beautiful dreams. For He gave them not just a daughter, but the Mother of God. He illumined them not only with temporal joy, but with eternal joy as well. God gave them just one daughter, and she would later give them just one grandson-but what a daughter and what a Grandson!

Mary, Full of grace, Blessed among women, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Altar of the Living God, the Table of the Heavenly Bread, the Ark of God's Holiness, the Tree of the Sweetest Fruit, the Glory of the race of man, the Praise of womanhood, the Fount of virginity and purity-this was the daughter given by God to Joachim and Anna.

She was born in Nazareth, and at the age of three, was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem. In her young womanhood she returned again to Nazareth, and shortly thereafter heard the Annunciation of the Holy Archangel Gabriel concerning the birth of the Son of God, the Savior of the world, from her most-pure virgin body.

God took flesh of thy pure blood; wherefore, every generation doth hymn thee, O Lady, and the multitudes of the noetic beings glorify thee; for through thee we have clearly seen the Master of all, Who assumed the nature of man.

ORTHROS 

Saint Luke 1:39-49, 56 KJV

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit:

42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

Galatians 6:11-18 KJV

11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Saint John 3:13-17 KJV

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

EXCERPT FROM THE SERMON

ON THE NATIVITY

OF THE

EVER-VIRGIN MARY

BY SAINT ANDREW OF CRETE

Who indeed was this Virgin and from what sort of parents did she come? Mary, the glory of all, was born of the tribe of David, and from the seed of Joachim. She was descended from Eve, and was the child of Anna. Joachim was a gentle man, pious, raised in God’s law. Living prudently and walking before God he grew old without child: the years of his prime provided no continuation of his lineage. Anna was likewise God-loving, prudent, but barren; she lived in harmony with her husband, but was childless. As much concerned about this, as about the observance of the law of the Lord, she indeed was daily stung by the grief of childlessness and suffered that which is the usual lot of the childless — she grieved, she sorrowed, she was distressed, and impatient at being childless.

Thus, Joachim and his spouse lamented that they had no successor to continue their line; yet the spark of hope was not extinguished in them completely: both intensified their prayer about the granting to them of a child to continue their line. In imitation of the prayer heard of Hannah (1 Kings 1: 10), both without leaving the temple fervently beseeched God that He would undo her sterility and make fruitful her childlessness. And they did not give up on their efforts, until their wish be fulfilled. The Bestower of gifts did not disregard the gift of their hope. The unceasing power came quickly in help to those praying and beseeching God, and it made capable both the one and the other to produce and bear a child. In such manner, from sterile and barren parents, as it were from irrigated trees, was borne for us a most glorious fruition — the all-pure Virgin.

The constraints of infertility were destroyed. Prayer, upright manner of life, rendered them fruitful; the childless begat a child, and the childless woman was made an happy mother.

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE IMMACULATE

HOLY EVER-VIRGIN MOTHER OF GOD

Saint Dionysios the Areopagite

"I witness by God, that besides the very most God Himself,

there is nothing else filled with Divine power and grace.

No one among mankind can fully grasp in mind what I beheld.

I confess before God: when I was with John,

who shone among the Apostles, like the sun in the sky

-- when I was brought before the countenance of the Most Holy Virgin,

I experienced an inexpressible sensation.

Before me gleamed a sort of Divine radiance which transfixed my spirit.

I perceived the fragrance of indescribable aromas and was filled with such delight,

that my very body became faint, and my spirit could barely endure

these signs and marks of eternal majesty and heavenly power.

The grace from her overwhelmed my heart, and shook my very spirit.

If I did not have in mind your instruction,

I should have mistaken Her for the very God.

It is impossible to stand before greater blessedness than this, which I beheld."

HOW THE TRUE FAITH HAS

COME DOWN TO US

and

KNOWING GOD

St. Silouan of the

Holy Mountain Athos

The soul of all peoples always felt

that God exists, even though they

didn't know enough to worship the

true God. The Holy Spirit, however,

taught the Prophets first, then the

Apostles, after them the Holy Fathers

and our bishops and so the true faith

has come down to us. We knew the Lord

through the Holy Spirit. And once

we knew him, our soul became fixed in him.

Know, you peoples, that we were made

in order to glorify God in heaven, and

don't attach yourselves to the earth.

Because God is our Father and He loves

us, His greatly desired children. People

who don't know grace, don't seek it.

People have become attached to the earth

and this is why most of them don't know

that there's nothing earthly which can

compare with the sweetness of the

Holy Spirit.

TO BELIEVE OR TO KNOW

St. Silouan of the

Holy Mountain Athos

To believe that God exists is one thing;

To know God is another. 

The soul that

comes to know God fully, not longer

desires anything else. Nor does it

attach itself to anything on the earth;

and if you put before it a Kingdom,

it would not desire it. For the love

of God gives such sweetness and joy

to the soul that even the life of a king

can no longer give it any sweetness.

​