Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, March 25

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America ^

[Kolokotronis]

Apolytikion:

Fourth Tone

Today marks the crowning of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery before all ages. For the Son of God becomes the son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the grace. Wherefore, we also cry out with him, "Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with you."

Kontakion:

Plagal of the Fourth Tone

To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"

Synaxsis:

Six months after John the Forerunner's conception, the Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a town of Galilee, unto Mary the Virgin, who had come forth from the Temple a mature maiden (see Nov. 21). According to the tradition handed down by the Fathers, she had been betrothed to Joseph four months. On coming to Joseph's house, the Archangel declared: "Rejoice, thou Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." After some consideration, and turmoil of soul, and fear because of this greeting, the Virgin, when she had finally obtained full assurance concerning God's unsearchable condescension and the ineffable dispensation that was to take place through her, and believing that all things are possible to the Most High, answered in humility: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And at this, the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the power of the Most high overshadowed her all-blameless womb, and the Son and Word of God, Who existed before the ages, was conceived past speech and understanding, and became flesh in her immaculate body (Luke 1:26-38).

Bearing in her womb the Uncontainable One, the blessed Virgin went with haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, where Zacharias had his dwelling; for she desired to find Elizabeth her kinswoman and rejoice together with her, because, as she had learned from the Archangel, Elizabeth had conceived in her old age. Furthermore, she wished to tell her of the great things that the Mighty One had been well-pleased to bring to pass in her, and she greeted Elizabeth and drew nigh to her. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, she felt her six-month-old babe, Saint John the Baptist, prophesied of the dawning of the spiritual Sun. Immediately, the aged Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and recognized her as the Mother of her Lord, and with a great voice blessed her and the Fruit that she held within herself. The Virgin also, moved by a supernatural rejoicing in the spirit, glorified her God and Savior, saying: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour," and the rest, as the divine Luke hath recorded (1:39-55)

[Kolokotronis]

Ping. This icon of the Annunciation is on a wall at St. Seraphim Orthodox Cathedral in Dallas.

[pharmamom]

Hey K! Thanks, as usual. This is an auspicious day. I wwould love to hear the Magnificat sung right now!

[Kolokotronis]

"I would love to hear the Magnificat sung right now!"

Not from the Magnificat, but here's a chant from the Akathist you might like!

http://www.goarch.org/en/multimedia/audio.asp?videoTitle=The%20Akathist%20Hymn:%20Awed%20By%20Your%20Beauty&location=/en/services/akathist/eikona/Awed_by_the_Beauty_MSTR.mov

[NYer]

Latin Calendar: April 4, 2005 - Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Old Calendar: Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (March 25)

Collect:
God our Father, your Word became man and was born of the Virgin Mary. May we become more like Jesus Christ, whom we acknowledge as our redeemer, God and man. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

What is unusual in the Maronite Calendar this Lent 2005, is the converging of two important events on March 25: The first is joyful (The Annunciation) & the second is sorrowful (Good Friday).  The first tells about the beginning of Jesus’ human life on Earth (conception).  The second tells about the end of Jesus’ human life on Earth (death). 

Another freeper suggested that this convergence augurs an important event. Hoping someone can add to this.

[Kolokotronis]

" Another freeper suggested that this convergence augurs an important event. Hoping someone can add to this."

Its Greek Independence Day! :)

[Agrarian]

I am unaware of any specific traditions about such a convergence in the Orthodox Church, but I'm sure they exist. There are many traditions surrounding March 25.

March 25th is of course immediately after the spring equinox, and the time when there begins to be more light than darkness. It is also said to be the first month of the year according to Jewish reckoning. There is a tradition that God created the world in the month of March, and that Adam and Eve fell on March 25th. Thus, on this same date, the new Eve through her perfect obedience and union with the will of God undid what the first Eve did through disobedience. There is also a tradition that it was in this month that the Jews left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea dry-shod, and that Christ raised the dead on March 25. Finally, there is a tradition that the General Resurrection and Last Judgment will take place on March 25th.

All of this, I get from the Greek Synaxarion, so if this momentous significance of March 25th was common knowledge amongst the Greeks, it is no wonder that this date was chosen (whether by the leaders, or by God, in creating the circumstances) for the liberation of the Greeks from the Turkish Yoke.

The Orthodox Church has glorious rubrics for how to combine the service of Annunciation falls with and of the days of Holy Week, Pascha, or Bright Week. Unfortunately, those churches following the New (Gregorian) Calendar (like mine) will never experience this, since it is now impossible for Annunciation to fall on or after Lazarus Saturday (the day before Palm Sunday.) Last year, Annunciation fell on Holy Wednesday for those following the Julian Calendar. It fell on Pascha last at some point during the late 1980's, and that won't happen again for many decades, as I recall. On the other hand, Holy Week and Pascha have long enough services as it is, so not all would see the fact that Annunciation doesn't fall during these times as a bad thing!

[Agrarian]

In the Slavic (and Greek Athonite tradition), the Liturgy for Annunciation when it falls on a weekday is a Vesperal Liturgy. That is to say, although the Liturgy falls on a normal time, or is perhaps served more toward mid-day, the service is comprised of the first half of the Vespers service and the second half of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. This format is a feature of Feasts that are associated with strict fasts or fasting days (Annunciation, Nativity, and Theophany).

Here are the festal stichera that were chanted at "Lord, I have cried..." at the Vespers portion of this morning's Vesperal Liturgy for Annunciation. There are also Lenten stichera that are chanted first, and I won't include those. The last three stichera are dedicated to the Archangel Gabriel, since the Vesperal portion of this Liturgy doubles as the Vespers for his commemoration, which falls on the following day, March 26:

Tone IV -- During the sixth month the archangel was sent to the pure Virgin, and having pronounced a salutation to her, he announced that the Deliverer would come forth from her. Wherefore, having accepted the salutation, she conceived Thee, the pre-eternal God, Who wast well-pleased to become ineffably incarnate for the salvation of our souls.

The Theotokos heard a tongue which she did not know, for the archangel spake to her words of annunciation. And accepting his salutation with faith, she conceived Thee, the pre-eternal God. Wherefore, rejoicing, we cry out to Thee: O God Who wast immutably incarnate of her, grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls!

Behold, our restoration hath now been revealed to us! God uniteth Himself to men in manner past recounting! Falsehood is dispelled by the voice of the archangel! For the Virgin receiveth joy, an earthly woman hath become heaven! The world is released from the primal curse! Let creation rejoice and chant aloud: O Lord, our Creator and Deliverer, glory be to Thee! .

Tone I: ‘O most lauded martyrs…’ -- The great Gabriel, the most godly, radiant and salvific intelligence, who with the ranks on high beholdeth the light of the threefold Sun and chanteth divine and awesome hymns, prayeth that He grant unto our souls peace and great mercy.

The great mystery unknown before to the angels and kept secret from before time began was entrusted to thee alone, O Gabriel; having arrived in Nazareth, thou didst declare it to her who alone is pure. With her do thou pray, that God grant unto our souls peace and great mercy.

Ever full of light, doing the will of the Almighty and carrying out His commands, O chief among the angels, most excellent Gabriel, save those who honor thee with love, ever asking that God grant unto our souls peace and great mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Tone VI -- The Archangel Gabriel was sent from heaven to announce the conception to the Virgin. And, arriving in Nazareth, he pondered within himself, marvelling at the wonder: "How is it that He is born of the Virgin Who in the highest is unapproachable; that He Who hath heaven for His throne and the earth for His footstool is contained within the Virgin's womb; that He upon Whom the six-winged and many-eyed beings cannot gaze hath been well pleased to become incarnate of her by His word alone? This is God's word. Why, therefore, do I stand and not say to the Virgin: 'Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace! The Lord is with thee! Rejoice, O pure Virgin! Rejoice, O unwedded Bride! Rejoice, O Mother of Life! Blessed is the Fruit of thy womb!'?"

A blessed feast to all Orthodox commemorating Annunciation today.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Interesting posts as always! Thanks for the pings.

[dangus]

The Annunciation is celebrated on March 25th in the Orthodox Church? Odd... Since we Catholics believe that is the date Mary conceived Jesus in her womb. Hence, nine months later, December 25th, she gave birth. But you celebrate Christmas on January 6th.

Do the Orthodox believe she did not conceive on that date? I'll admit that scripture only says Gabriel said that the Blessed Virgin "shall" conceive. Or do you hold that her pregnancy was longer than nine months?

In any case, this is an oddly sad year for Roman Catholics: Because the Feast of the Annunciation would fall on the same day as good Friday (a rare, but historically correct coincidence), there is no Feast of the Annunciation this year; Celebrating the mass is forbidden on Good Friday.

[Kolokotronis]

"The Annunciation is celebrated on March 25th in the Orthodox Church? Odd... Since we Catholics believe that is the date Mary conceived Jesus in her womb. Hence, nine months later, December 25th, she gave birth. But you celebrate Christmas on January 6th."

In the Greek Orthodox Church, and in most of Orthodoxy, we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity on December 25th. January 6th is the Feast of the Epiphany. I think the Old Calendar/New Calendar issue might be what gave you that idea.

Given how we calculate the date of Pascha, as Agrarian pointed out, Orthodox Churches on the New Calendar, like the Greek Orthodox Church, won't run into a Good Friday/Annunciation convergence.

[Agrarian]

As Kolokotronis pointed out, January 6th is Theophany. I believe that the Armenians (who are Eastern, but not Orthodox) may observe the Nativity on January 6th rather than Theophany, but this is a bit fuzzy in my memory.

All Orthodox Churches observe the Nativity on December 25th. The question is "when is December 25th?" As Kolokotronis mentions, there are two Calendars in use in the Orthodox Church. The Old (Julian) calendar is currently 13 days behind the New (Western) calendar, so when it is the 25th of December to a church on the Old Calendar, the civil calendar reads January 7.

Worldwide, the vast majority of Orthodox Christians follow the Old Calendar, because of the large populations of Russia, Serbia, the Ukraine, Georgia, and other Slavic countries. The Jerusalem Patriarchate also follows the Old Calendar, as do many Greek monasteries -- all of the monasteries on Mt. Athos, the monastery at Mt. Sinai, the monastery on Patmos, etc... all remain on the Old Calendar. There are sizable Old Calendar populations in Romania, and to a lesser extent, in Greece.

Here in America, most are on the New, because the majority of Orthodox Christians here are Greek. The OCA changed to the New Calendar in the 1980's except for the Diocese of Alaska, which changed only a few years ago. The Serbs, the ROCOR, the Moscow Patriarchate parishes, most Ukrainian Orthodox, most non-OCA Carpatho Russians, and scattered OCA parishes are all on the Old.

Regarding the matter of Liturgy if Annunciation falls on Holy Friday, the rubrics in the Orthodox Church are as follows:

On the eve of the feast, (Holy Thursday), Great Vespers are sung, followed by the Liturgy of St. Basil (this would usually be done in the late morning or mid-day. Great Compline is not said. Matins of the feast are combined with the service of the 12 Gospels (the usual Holy Friday service that is served on the eve). On the day of the feast (i.e. Holy Friday itself), Great Vespers followed by the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.

So, the rule of "no liturgy on Holy Friday" (which we Orthodox also have) has been specifically given one exception in the Orthodox Church from time immemorial -- Annunciation. The serving of Divine Liturgy on the feast of Annunciation is never displaced, not even by Holy Friday.

This should not be surprising, since in the Orthodox Church, the greatest emphasis has always been on Christ's life and Resurrection. If you attend our lengthy daily Holy Week services, you would see that we certainly do not at all give short shrift to the significance of Christ's suffering and death, but even there, if you listen to the hymns, they are laced with life and foreshadowings of the Resurrection.

This moment at which God became man, this moment in which the Creator entered his creation and in his human nature became subject to time and space (which is what happened at the Annunciation -- he was conceived in the womb of the Theotokos) changed the entire universe. The particular way in which official human thuggery killed Jesus Christ can in no way be seen as being more important than the divine condescension of His becoming man in the first place. Thus, we celebrate the Liturgy on Holy Friday if Annunciation falls on it. In a sense, it almost supercedes Holy Friday liturgically -- at the very least, it stands beside it as being of equal importance. Even when it falls on Pascha itself, it is not displaced, and the services are combined.

[Kolokotronis]

"I believe that the Armenians (who are Eastern, but not Orthodox) may observe the Nativity on January 6th rather than Theophany, but this is a bit fuzzy in my memory."

Your memory isn't as fuzzy as you thought. The Armenians are the only ones, and it is an ancient, ancient tradition.

Your comments on the possible convergence of the Feast of the Annunciation and Great Friday point up a major mindset difference between the Church in the West and the Church in the East. While the Passion surely is important in Orthodoxy, nevertheless, the Incarnation which allows Man to become divinized as God took on human form, and the descent into Hell and Resurrection whereby the power of death and the Evil One were overthrown as so magnificently expressed by St. John Chrysostomos speak to a rather different concept of salvation in the East from that in the West.

[k omalley]

Thanks, Kolokotronis! I'm just now catching up on my pings. I was OOT for a couple of days and then DH has been working on taxes and I haven't been able to get near the computer. Sometimes I don't have time to respond but I always read your posts.

[Agrarian]

"Your memory isn't as fuzzy as you thought."

Well, that's always nice to know. I needed that today! :-)

[Kolokotronis]

"Well, that's always nice to know. I needed that today! :-)"

I always endeavor to say a kind word to the elderly..! :)

[dangus]

Pardon my confusion... Since the article about "March 25th" was posted on the Western March 25th, I was discounting the calendar shift.

Also, the Eastern religionists I presently work with are Armenian, furthering my confusion. (I should know better... My confirmation sponsor was Byzantine!)

[dangus]

Pardon my confusion... Since the article about "March 25th" was posted on the Western March 25th, I was discounting the calendar shift.

Also, the Eastern religionists I presently work with are Armenian, furthering my confusion. (I should know better... My confirmation sponsor was Byzantine!)

[Agrarian]

I looked it up out of curiosity.

The last time that Annunciation and Pascha coincided (for those following the Julian calendar) was 1991. The next time it will coincide will be 2075 -- I don't think I'll be around for that one!

The last time that Great Friday and Annunciation coincided was in 1961, and the next time will be 2045. I'll be an old man, but that one will be worth a trip to an Old Calendar parish -- assuming that we aren't all on the same calendar by then, which we won't be, given the speed at which the Orthodox Church changes.

Great and Holy Saturday coincides with Annunciation in 2018.

[Agrarian]

Sorry, I read the table wrong.

Great and Holy Saturday will coincide with Annunciation on the Julian Calendar in 2007, 2018, and 2029.

It will coincide with Great and Holy Friday in 2034, 2045, and 2056.

I may have to make a trip out of town for Holy Week in 2007!