Page 3 - Revista Paisiana Nr 13 Martie 2025

„The beginning of the incarnation of the Son
of God is the beginning of the deification of man”, His
Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said during his homily de-
livered on the Feast of the Annunciation On 25 March
2017. „The Feast of the Annunciation is the beginning
of our salvation”, His Beatitude said quoting the fes-
tive troparion.
„Through the union of the divine and human
natures of our Saviour Jesus Christ, man is united with
God, the Patriarch explained saying that thus the
human nature becomes sanctified and deified. The
Mystery of the conception of the Son of God is great
and it is impossible for the human mind to grasp it”,
the Patriarch noted. „The mind can only marvel at its
greatness. Neither the angels in heaven can under-
stand how the eternal God becomes Human within
time, nor how the limitless God becomes limited by the
humanity assumed.”
Quoting the Gospel according to St Luke
(1:35), Patriarch Daniel explained that Archangel Ga-
briel sheds light upon this Mystery saying: „The Holy
Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born
will be called the Son of God. The entire Holy Trinity
participates in the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ
from Virgin Mary”, the Patriarch noted.
„The Holy Spirit opens the creation for the
Creator; God the Father participates through good-
will and initiative; the Holy One to be born from the
Virgin becomes the Saviour of the world. Thus, Virgin
Mary becomes the closest created being to the Holy
Trinity, being more honourable than all the angelic the Protectress of priests because her Son is the eter-
heavenly powers. The Church offers her duly venera- nal Archpriest; She is the Protectress of monks and
tion by dedicating to her nine feasts during the litur- nuns. The protection and the help of the Mother of God
gical year. Therefore, our salvation in Jesus Christ is encompass the whole world. She is joy and love espe-
performed through the cooperation of the Most Holy cially for those who are no longer loved by anyone,
Trinity and the free consent of the Mother of God to for the forgotten, for the lonely, for the abandoned.
fulfil God’s will.” The Theotokos is a loving and prayerful Protectress
The Patriarch pointed out that the Mother of of the entire world”, His Beatitude said ending his fes-
God did not ask further questions, she did not doubt, tive homily.
but with humble obedience and full of certainty and This feast is one of the 12 Great Feasts of the
faith uttered „I am the Lord’s servant. May your word Orthodox Church and is also called as the „Feast of
to me be fulfilled.” the Annunciation of the Lord” or the „Annunciation to
The Patriarch went on to reflect on the vene- the Theotokos”. March 25 was selected as the date for
ration of the Mother of God as a living icon of the the Annunciation since it is exactly 9 months before
Church, obedient to God and helper of Christians. He the birth of Jesus Christ.
stressed that the honour and glory of the Mother of The Annunciation falls during Lent, but it is al-
God result from her capacity as Mother of God. ways celebrated with great joy and the Liturgy is ser-
„The Theotokos is the Protectress of family and ved. It is one of the two days of Great Lent on which
of parents who give birth to children; She is the Pro- the fast is relaxed and fish is permitted (Palm Sunday
tectress of children, of mothers and of virgins. She is is the other).

PAISIANA nr. 3 / martie / 2025 3