Replies

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.

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!