25 March 2009

The Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos

Troparion Tone 4
Today is the beginning of our salvation
and the manifestation of the mystery which is from eternity.
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin,
and Gabriel announces grace.
So with him let us also cry to the Mother of God:
Rejoice, thou who art full of grace!
The Lord is with thee.

Kontakion Tone 8
Queen of the Heavenly Host,
Defender of our souls,
we thy servants offer to thee songs of victory and thanksgiving,
for thou, O Mother of God,
hast delivered us from dangers.
But as thou hast invincible power,
free us from conflicts of all kinds
that we may cry to thee:
Rejoice, unwedded Bride!

Luke 1:24-49
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and secluded herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days in which he looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men. And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name [was] Mary. And the angel came to her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favored, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women. And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. Then said Mary to the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon thee, and the power of the Highest will overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren: For with God nothing will be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Judas, And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 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. And she spoke with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed [is] she that believed that there will be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy [is] his name.

Glory to Thee, O God, Glory to Thee!

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