The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

Life

The Holy Virgin Mary was born of her aged parents, Joachim and Anna. Her father was of the tribe of David, and her mother of the lineage of Aaron. And thus she was of royal descent through her father and of priestly descent through her mother, thereby prefiguring the One who would be born of her, as both King and High Priest. Her parents had already grown old and had no children. And because of this they were put to shame before people and contrite before God. And in their contrition they prayed to God with weeping, that He would gladden their old age with the gift of a child, just as He had once gladdened the elder Abraham and the aged Sarah by granting them their son Isaac. And God Almighty and All-seeing gladdened them with a joy that far surpassed all their expectations and all their most beautiful dreams. For He gave them not only a daughter but the Mother of God; He illumined them not only with temporal joy but with eternal joy. God gave them but one daughter, who later bore them but 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 heavenly bread, the ark of God's holiness, the tree of the sweetest fruit, the glory of the human race, the praise of womankind, the fountain of virginity and purity — such was the God-given daughter of Joachim and Anna. Born in Nazareth, and after three years brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, from where she returned again to Nazareth, there soon to hear the glad tidings of the holy Archangel Gabriel concerning the birth of the Son of God, the Savior of the world, from her most pure and virginal body.

From the Hymn of Praise

O long-desired and long-awaited,By tears from the Lord, O Virgin, obtained!A bodily temple thou shalt be of the Most Holy Spirit.Mother thou shalt be called of the Pre-eternal Word.