The main female figure for Orthodox believers is the Virgin Mary, who was given the honor of becoming the Mother of the Lord. She led a righteous life and helped people cope with various troubles. After ascending to heaven, believers began to pray to the Mother of God, asking for help in various situations.
Virgin Mary in Orthodoxy
For believers, the Mother of God is the main intercessor before her Son and Lord. She is the woman who gave birth and raised the Savior. It is believed that nothing is impossible for the Mother of God, and people ask her for salvation for their souls. In Orthodoxy, the Virgin Mary is called the patroness of every person, since she, like a loving mother, worries about her children. More than once the appearance of the Virgin Mary occurred, which was accompanied by miracles. There are many icons, temples and monasteries created in honor of the Mother of God.
Who is the Virgin Mary?
A lot of information is known about the life of the Mother of God, which can be found in the apocrypha and in the memoirs of people who knew her during her earthly life. The following main facts can be highlighted:
- The Holy Virgin Mary was in a specialized school at the Jerusalem Temple until she was 12 years old. Her parents sent her there, who made a vow that their daughter would devote her life to the Lord.
- The appearance of the Mother of God was described by the church historian Nicephorus Callistus. She was of medium height, golden hair, and olive-colored eyes. The Virgin Mary's nose is oblong and her face is round.
- To feed her family, the Mother of God had to constantly work. It is known that she was a good weaver and independently created the red tunic that Jesus wore before the crucifixion.
- The Virgin Mary constantly followed Jesus until the end of his earthly life. After the crucifixion and ascension of Christ, the Mother of God remained to live with John the Theologian. Further life is known to a greater extent from the apocryphal “Proto-Gospel of Jacob”.
- The death of the Virgin Mary was recorded in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, where the Catholic Church is now located. According to the apocrypha, apostles from different parts of the world arrived at his deathbed, but only Thomas stayed behind, so at his request the tomb was not closed. On the same day, the body of the Virgin Mary disappeared, so it is believed that the Ascension of the Virgin Mary took place.
Symbols of the Virgin Mary
There are many symbols that relate to the Virgin Mary:
- A monogram made up of two letters “MR”, which means Maria Regina - Mary, Queen of Heaven.
- A common sign of the Virgin Mary is a winged heart, sometimes pierced by a saber and depicted on a shield. This picture is the coat of arms of the Virgin Mary.
- The name of the Mother of God is associated with a crescent moon, a cypress tree and an olive tree. The flower symbolizing the purity of the Virgin Mary is the lily. Since the Virgin Mary is considered the queen of all saints, one of her symbols is the white rose. She is represented with five petals, which is associated with the name Maria.
Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
The sinlessness of the Mother of God did not immediately become a dogma, since the authors of the first Christian texts did not pay attention to this issue. Many do not know how the Virgin Mary became pregnant, but according to legend, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven to her, and an immaculate conception occurred, thanks to which original sin was not transferred to Jesus Christ. In Orthodoxy, the Immaculate Conception is not accepted as a dogma and it is believed that the Mother of God was freed from sin thanks to contact with Divine grace.
How did the Virgin Mary give birth to Jesus?
It is not possible to find details regarding how the Virgin’s birth took place, but there is information that it was absolutely painless. This is explained by the fact that Christ emerged from his mother’s womb without opening it or expanding the paths, that is, the Mother of God Virgin Mary remained a virgin. It is believed that Jesus was born when his mother was 14-15 years old. There were no midwives near the Mother of God; she herself took the child in her arms.
Prophecies of the Virgin Mary at Fatima
The most famous apparition of Our Lady is the Miracle of Fatima. She came to three shepherd children, and each of her appearances was accompanied by a number of inexplicable incidents, for example, the random movement of the sun across the sky was observed. During the communication, the Mother of God revealed three secrets. The predictions of the Virgin Mary of Fatima have been revealed at different times:
- At her first appearance, the Mother of God showed the children terrible visions of Hell. She said that the First World War would soon end, but if people did not stop sinning and offending God, he would punish them with various disasters. The sign will be the appearance of bright light at night, when it will be visible as during the day. According to some data, before the outbreak of World War II, the northern lights were observed in Europe.
- The second appearance of the Virgin Mary brought another prophecy and it says that when everything is illuminated by an unknown light at night, it will be a sign that God is going to punish the world. To prevent this from happening, the Mother of God will come to ask for the consecration of Russia, and also for the holding of expiatory sacraments on every first Saturday of the month. If people listen to her requests, then there will be peace, but if not, then wars and new cataclysms cannot be avoided. Many believe that this prophecy speaks of the spread of communism, which was accompanied by various clashes.
- The third prophecy was received in 1917, but the Virgin Mary did not allow its discovery until 1960. The Pope, having read the prophecy, refused to reveal it, citing the fact that it did not concern his time. The text indicates that an assassination attempt will be made on the Pope and this happened in May 1981. The Pope himself admitted that it is believed that the Mother of God protected him from death.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary
There are a huge number of prayer texts addressed to the Mother of God. She helps believers cope with various problems, this is how women who want to get pregnant and get married turn to her, ask her for healing and material benefits, pray to her for children, and so on. There are several rules regarding the pronunciation of prayer texts:
- You can turn to the Mother of God in church and at home, the main thing is to have an icon before your eyes. It is recommended to light a candle nearby to make it easier to concentrate.
- The prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary must be said from a pure heart and with faith in her power. Any doubts are a block to assistance.
- You can turn to the Mother of God at any time when your soul desires.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary of Lourdes
In 1992, the Pope established a holiday in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes. People turn to her for help to receive healing from illnesses. During her lifetime, the Holy Virgin healed the suffering and after that became the savior of the sick. When she was a child, the Virgin Mary, the Most Holy Theotokos, began to appear to her and taught her the rules of prayer, called her to repentance for sinful people and asked her to build a church. She showed the girl where the healing source was. Bernadette was canonized only 10 years after her death.
Strong prayer to the Virgin Mary for help
In Christianity, prayer to the Mother of God is considered the most powerful and effective. They ask her for help in various situations, the main thing is that the request is serious, since it is better not to disturb the Higher Powers over trifles. The prayer to the Virgin Mary for help should be repeated daily and even up to several times a day. You can say it out loud or to yourself. The sacred text, when read regularly, instills hope and gives strength not to give up in a difficult situation.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary for well-being
A person's life is filled with different situations that are not always positive. Women are the guardians of the family hearth, so representatives of the fair sex should pray for the well-being of their relatives. The Blessed Virgin Mary will help reconcile people, and another one will protect from quarrels and family destruction. With the help of the presented prayer, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from various negativity from the outside.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary for health
There is a huge amount of evidence from believers who confirm that sincere prayerful appeals to the Mother of God helped to be healed of various ailments. The prayer to the Holy Virgin Mary can be said in church, but it is also recommended to place an image at home near the patient’s bed, light a candle and pray. You can say the text on, and then give the person with the disease a drink and wash it.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary for marriage
Many girls who are in search of a soul mate turn to the Most Holy Theotokos so that she can bring petitions to the Lord and help them improve their personal lives. She is considered the main intercessor of all women, helping them in love affairs. To find happiness and love, you need to read a prayer to the Virgin Mary every day until what you want becomes real. Prayer requests will not only increase the chances of meeting a worthy life partner, but will also protect the relationship from various problems and help build a happy family.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary for children
The Mother of God is the main mother for all believers, since she gave the world the Savior. A huge number of people turn to her for help, asking for their children. The blessed Virgin Mary will help guide the child on the righteous path, discourage him from bad company and give him inspiration to find himself in this world. Regular prayer to the mother will be a strong protection against illnesses and various problems.
On August 28, the Dormition Fast ends, because on this day Orthodox Christians celebrate the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is not for nothing that this holiday is called the Dormition, and not death. The Mother of God seemed to have fallen asleep, and Jesus Christ took to heaven not only Her spirit, but also her body. For more information about the history of the formation of the holiday, the last years of the earthly life of the Virgin Mary and why the Mother of God is considered the intercessor of the human race, read on.
How Mary became the Mother of all humanity
While still preparing for death on the cross, Christ took care of His Mother. Therefore, while on the cross, Jesus said to John the Theologian: “Behold Thy Mother.” He also addressed the Virgin: “Behold Your son.”
Thus, the Mother of God not only adopted the Apostle John, but also all of humanity. Therefore, she is considered the intercessor of the entire human race, a reliable prayer book for each of us. Just as it is difficult for mothers when their children are sick, so the Mother of God suffers when people sin.
You can read more about the veneration of the Virgin Mary and Her prayerful intercession in the article “Is there a basis in the Bible for venerating the Mother of God?” .
The last days of life and the news of righteous death
Before Her Dormition, the Mother of God lived in Ephesus in Asia Minor, on the territory of modern Turkey. In this city there was the house of John the Evangelist.
According to legend, the Virgin Mary was very upset by the separation from her Son, so she asked to take Her to Her. It is not known exactly how many years the Mother of God lived on earth after the Savior ascended to heaven. Some historians point to 10, others - to 22. But be that as it may, the Son fulfilled the Mother’s request.
Three days before the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, a heavenly messenger appeared to Her. It was Archangel Gabriel, who once brought her a branch of paradise and the good news of the birth of the Savior; this time the angel also held a flowering branch, but, according to legend, it shone with an unearthly light. This was a clear symbol of the fact that the Mother of God conquered earthly life, death and decay. In three days She will shine in the Kingdom of Heaven.
During this time, the Mother of God prepared for her dormition, wanting only to see the apostles before her death.
Veneration of the Virgin among the Apostles and early Christians
There is no indication in the Holy Scriptures of how the Mother of God communicated with the apostles, but tradition has preserved many stories for us. There is no doubt that the apostles loved the Virgin Mary very much and considered Her their Mother. John the Theologian really cared about Her as about her own Mother. And thanks to the Gospel of Luke, it is easy to see what kind of spiritual authority the Virgin became for this apostle.
Also, the first Christians secretly came to Mary. This gives reason to say that the veneration of the Mother of God began in the first centuries of Christianity. This is confirmed by the first icons of the Mother of God in the Roman catacombs (2nd century).
Before the Dormition, the Most Holy Theotokos had the opportunity to meet with the apostles, who at that time were preaching the Gospel in different parts of the world. Christ took care of this. By the Holy Spirit He gathered his disciples before the bed of the Virgin.
According to legend, only the Apostle Thomas was missing. By God's providence, this apostle was to be the first to learn about the ascension of the Mother of God into heaven. But more on that later.
According to legend, before his earthly death, Christ appeared to the Mother of God, to whom the Virgin prayed. She, having reached the heights of holiness, humbly asked the Son to bless all those present and take Her to heaven.
After this phenomenon, Maria fell asleep. The Virgin’s coffin was carried to Gethsemane, where She bequeathed to bury Herself near the graves of her parents and Joseph the Betrothed.
According to legend, along this path people received healing from faith and touching the Body of the Virgin Mary.
The high priests tried to prevent the procession: the Jewish priest Athos even dared to turn over the coffin. But he managed to do this only mentally, since at that moment an invisible force cut off his hands. This story found a response in the iconography of the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. The shocked Athos repented of his intentions, and the Apostle Peter healed Him.
How did the Church learn about the spiritual-physical ascension of Mary?
For three days the apostles did not leave the coffin of the Mother of God, glorifying God and His Mother.
On the third day, the late Apostle Thomas appeared. So that he could say goodbye to the Virgin, the disciples decided to open the coffin. But the bodies were no longer found there. This really was the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos and Her ascension into heaven. Catholics call this holiday that way Taking the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heavenly Glory .
Christ took Her to heaven in spiritual and bodily fullness (first the spirit, and then the body). But this does not mean at all that the Mother of God is simply in heaven, enjoying heavenly life. Of course, the Kingdom of Heaven is the Christian's ultimate goal. But the Mother of God did not abandon Her promise. According to legend, before her death she said to the apostles and the assembled Christians: Rejoice! I am with you all the days.
That is why for every Christian the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is not a gloomy funeral holiday, but a bright day of the meeting of the Mother of God with Christ. And also the day when humanity no longer found a great prayer book on earth, but in heaven.
The meaning of the holiday is well conveyed by the troparion of the Assumption:
At Christmas you preserved your virginity, at the Dormition you did not abandon the world, O Theotokos, you reposed before the belly, Mother of the Being of the Belly. (presented herself to life, being the Mother of Life, i.e. Christ): and through Your prayers You deliver our souls from death.
The names of the monasteries and laurels testify to the extent to which Orthodox Christians revere the Dormition of the Mother of God. In Ukraine, for example, all three laurels - Pochaev, Kiev-Pechersk and Svyatogorsk - are called Assumption.
In addition, we invite you to watch a film by Metropolitan Hilarion about the history of this holiday:
Take it for yourself and tell your friends!
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ANNA
IN 80 BC was born Joachim, Maria's father.Anna born in 74 BC in a large family, becoming the fourteenth child. Anna's mother was then 45 years old. Anna's parents were middle-income people at that time. They lived in the city of Nazareth, were engaged in cattle breeding and had a small herd. In addition, Anna's father kept a small inn. There were three rooms in the courtyard where visiting merchants stayed.
Nazareth was located very well, just on the way from Egypt to India, and caravans constantly visited this town.
Very often Simeon, a famous fortuneteller, stayed at their house. This is the same 113-year-old elder Simeon who waited for the newborn Jesus to appear in the temple. It was he who said then: “Praise the Lord that I waited for this!” At that time, Simeon was still young. He practiced medicine, treated with herbs and could predict the future. He did this with the help of thirteen stones and a lamb shoulder. Simeon threw them up, and then carefully studied what kind of layout was obtained from the stones that fell to the ground. At that moment, the unknown future of man was revealed to him. Previously, people treated fortune tellers with great respect and faith. Simeon's prophecies always came true, and people often turned to him for help.
Little Anna was then 12 years old. Anna amazed everyone with her hard work and did her best to help her mother with the housework. At such a young age, she already knew how to work like an adult: milking a cow and running a household. At the same time, she was distinguished by her enormous love of life, irrepressible gaiety and, most importantly, a childish sense of pity for all living things. She felt sorry for everyone - the old people, the weak and sick wanderers and neighbors, animals, she could not calmly look at anyone’s suffering. Anna had a big and kind heart. Anna simply fell in love with the fortuneteller Simeon. He was so unusual and mysterious. He was doing something incomprehensible and mysterious - a real magician...
The room in which Simeon stayed was divided into two parts by a curtain. Anna, a terribly curious girl, hid in the second half of the room and from there carefully watched Simeon from the side, fascinated by his actions. She really wanted to understand what their mysterious guest was doing, and she wanted to learn it herself. Simeon also paid attention to the curious child. He liked Anna for her spontaneity, kindness and obvious, undisguised thirst for new knowledge. He slowly began to teach the girl the art of healing and revealed to her some of the secrets of medicine.
Simeon was not mistaken - Anna turned out to be a capable student and grasped everything right on the fly. Soon she herself could speak out a toothache, remove a purulent abscess from a patient’s body, or soothe a pain in the stomach.
Previously, home healing was practiced everywhere. Each family had a person who could provide assistance to sick household members or pets. Magic, healing and predictions of the future did not surprise or frighten anyone; they treated this calmly, with faith and understanding. No one divided medicine into official and folk.
One day Anna begged Simeon to tell him what would happen to her when she grew up, what future awaited her. Simeon, agreeing, spread out the stones and silently looked at the resulting layout for a long time. He sighed, looked at Anna and did not say anything.
The intrigued girl began to persistently tease him, persuading him to tell her the truth. Simeon refused for a long time, but then finally, succumbing to her persuasion, he said: “You will live a difficult and short life. And you will die when you give birth to a child, at the age of 54. You will have a girl, whom you will have to name Maria. This will be an extraordinary girl. Time will pass and she will have a son named Jesus. This man will be the Messiah, he will bring people a new faith that will save the world.”
After this prediction, Simeon began to look at the little girl with completely different eyes. From ancient prophecies, Simeon knew that someday a man would be born on the land of Judea, who in the future would turn the whole world upside down, cleanse it of filth and vice, and give people a new life. And now - wow - this prophecy comes true right before his eyes!
Simeon now prayed for only one thing - if only he could live to see this bright day and see the Savior of the world with his own eyes, if only he had enough strength to wait for this miracle!
After all, it turned out according to the prophecy that the Mother of God Mary would be born when Simeon would be almost a hundred years old! If only I could live to see this day!
At the age of 13, Anna was married to 19-year-old Joachim. In those days, children grew up very quickly; at the age of 13, a girl was considered already of age and ready for marriage. They lived in the Holy Land, were well-born and rich, but they had no children. In the society around them, the absence of children in the family was tantamount to a curse, disfavour from Above, and therefore the priest stopped allowing Joachim into the temple. He left home into the desert and decided never to return. Anna was left alone in the house, grieving over her misfortune. On her wedding anniversary with Joachim, she wept bitterly in the garden: “Woe to me, to whom I have become like; I have not become like the birds of the air, because the birds of the air are fruitful before you, Lord! Woe to me, I have not become like the beasts of the earth, because they too have children! Even the waves will give birth to waves that play and splash, praising God. And I cannot compare with the earth, because the earth bears its fruits...” Anna’s cry was heard, the heavenly messenger - an Angel - assured Anna that she would soon have a girl, who would be called Mary.
Icon "Meeting of Joachim and Anna"
Images of Joachim and Anna are not uncommon in icon painting; they were always represented in the same way: Joachim - as an old man with a long beard, Anna - in a long himation with a covered head. Sometimes they were among the selected saints of the icon. There was also a special composition “Meeting of Joachim and Anna.” Joachim and Anna hugged each other when they met after the gospel and Joachim's return from the desert to his home.
Nativity of the Virgin Mary
Years passed. Anna had long forgotten about Simeon’s prophecy. Business, housekeeping, everyday life - life went on as usual. Joachim and Anna were considered a prosperous, middle-income married couple in Nazareth. They kept livestock - goats, cows, horses, bulls. And a large flock of sheep. In addition, Joachim owned a small creamery, which produced sour cream, cottage cheese, and butter. Despite his advanced age of 60, Joachim still worked hard, trying to keep up with the housework everywhere.
Suddenly the unexpected happened - his wife Anna became pregnant again. At 54 years old! Just some kind of miracle! And only now Anna remembered about Simeon! She told all her loved ones - her husband, relatives - about the prophecy made to her in childhood: that she would become pregnant at 54 years old and die in childbirth, and the resulting child should be named Mary, and this girl would then become the mother of Jesus - the Messiah, who would suffer a lot and will bring new faith to this world.
Anna's loved ones were simply confused. What kind of prophecy, where does it come from, what kind of Messiah, will Anna really die, how can this be, and who will then raise the child?
Joachim was already 60 years old, and he was unlikely to be able to raise the girl alone.
In those days, having many children was common. And none of the relatives could take little Maria into their home. And then Anna remembered her distant relative Elizabeth. Elizabeth's mother was a second cousin of Anna's mother. Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah had no children of their own, so they agreed to take Mary in with them.
Early in the morning, at 6:15 a.m., July 21, 20 BC. e. In the house of Joachim, a girl was born who was named Maria. Anna, unable to endure a difficult birth, died, as predicted by Simeon.
Saints Joachim and Anna
The icon painter was usually commissioned to depict the parents of the Mother of God by families who had no children or were expecting their first child.
The child was very sick, and it was not certain that the girl would survive without mother's milk. Therefore, Joachim entered his daughter into the family genealogical lists only when the danger of early death had passed, i.e. exactly two months later - September 21.
This date began to be considered Mary’s birthday. Nowadays, on this day, September 21, one of the twelve great church holidays is celebrated - the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
All babies born three days before July 21 and September 21 are often gifted children, and all of them are under the protection of the Virgin Mary.
July 21 is a special day. Nature itself rejoices and celebrates the birth of the Virgin Mary - the air is filled with the heady smells of summer and sun, an extraordinary lightness settles in the soul of all people, in the morning everyone wakes up in a good mood, anticipating that something extraordinary is about to happen today.
Dormition of Righteous Anna
July 25/August 7 - Dormition of Righteous Anna, mother of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Icon of the Dormition is right. Anna, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary
According to legend, Saint Anna acquired two estates in Jerusalem: the first at the Gethsemane Gate, and the second in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. In the second estate, she built a crypt for deceased family members, where she was buried along with Joachim. The most pure body of the Mother of God was buried in this family cemetery. A temple was erected at the burial site. There is a legend that St. Equal to the Apostles Helena built a basilica here. In 614, the temple was destroyed, but the tomb of the Mother of God was preserved. Much of the modern building dates back to Crusader times. This is an underground temple, with 50 steps leading to it, with chapels of Sts. Godfathers Joachim and Anna and Joseph the Betrothed, located on the sides of the stairs.
Funeral crypt of Joachim and Anna in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary 
Tombs of St. Joachim and Anna in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
In con. X century On Mount Athos, the monastery of St. Anna was built - the most ancient of all Athonite monasteries. Devastated for many years by sea robbers, it was in the 17th century. was restored by the Patriarch of Constantinople Dionysius, who acquired the foot of the holy righteous Anna from the Christians of Asia Minor. In 1680, a cathedral church was erected there in memory of the Dormition of St. Anna. From that time on, the monastery began to bear the name “St. Anna”. It is famous on Mount Athos for the high ascetic deeds of its monks.
Not far from the skete of St. Anna there is the so-called New Skete of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary or “Little Anna”. The proximity of these blessed places emphasizes the connection between the sacred events of the conception and birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Under the holy blessed king Justinian (527-565), a temple was built in her honor in Deutera, and Emperor Justinian II (685-695; 705-711) renovated her temple, because righteous Anna appeared to his pregnant wife ; at the same time, her body and maforium (veil) were transferred to Constantinople. The Dormition of St. Righteous Anna is celebrated on August 7 (July 25).
Currently, particles of the relics of St. Anne are located:
- in Athonite monasteries (left foot in the Great Skete of Righteous Anna, right foot in the Kutlumush monastery, left hand in the Stavronikita monastery);
- in various monasteries and churches in Greece (including the Monastery of St. John the Evangelist on Patmos, the Church of Panagia Gorgoepikoos in Thessaloniki);
- to the church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi, Moscow;
- October 26, 2008, a particle of the relics of St. Anna was brought from Athos to the temple complex of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in Dnepropetrovsk, where she was placed in an ark in the lower aisle of the cathedral church in the name of Joachim and Anna;
- July 10, 2011, a particle of the relics of St. Anna was transferred to the Valaam Monastery.
Troparion of Righteous Anna
Voice 4
You, the Pure Mother of God, God-wise Anno, bore the life that you gave birth to in your womb. Moreover, you have now reposed in heavenly acceptance, where those who rejoice are the dwelling place, rejoicing in glory, honoring you with the love of sins, asking for cleansing, ever-blessed.
Kontakion of Righteous Anna
Voice 2
We celebrate the memory of the ancestors of Christ, who faithfully ask for help, to free everyone from all sorrow, calling: Our God is with us, glorify these, as you have been pleased.
Glorification of the Dormition of Righteous Anna:
We magnify you, holy and righteous Anno the Pramate of Christ our God, and we all honorably glorify your dormition.
The miraculous icon and part of the relics of St. Righteous Anna in the monastery of St. Anna on Mount Athos.
On June 17, 2006, Valaam met the icon of the holy righteous Anna, the foremother of Christ, who has great grace from the Lord to heal from the disease of infertility. This is a list from the miraculous icon, which is located in the Skete of St. Anne on Mount Athos. There are now three such lists in the monastery, all are exact copies of the miraculous image of St. Anna, and were written directly to the monastery of St. Righteous Anna. Countless letters of gratitude have come and are coming to Mount Athos from parents who have gained the opportunity to have children thanks to the intercession of the holy righteous Anna.
Prayers for marital infertility
For help with marital infertility, turn with prayers to the righteous Godfathers Joachim and Anna, the prophet Zechariah and Elizabeth, the Monk Roman, the martyr Paraskeva, named Friday.
Meeting of St. Righteous Joachim and Anna. Fragment of an icon from the 17th century.
About the ever-glorifying righteous women of Christ, the holy godfathers Joachim and Anno, standing before the heavenly throne of the Great King and having great boldness towards Him, as from your most blessed Daughter, the Most Pure Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, who deigned to be incarnate!
To you, as a powerful intercessor and zealous prayer books for us, we, sinners and unworthy (names), resort to you. Pray for His goodness, that He may turn away His anger from us, righteously moved against us by our deeds, and may, despising our countless sins, turn us to the path of repentance, and may He establish us on the path of His commandments. Also, through your prayers, preserve our life in the world, and in all good things ask for good haste, all that we need from God for life and piety, freeing us from all misfortunes and troubles and sudden death through your intercession, and protecting us from all enemies, visible and invisible, for let us live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity, and so in the world this temporary life has passed, we will achieve eternal peace, where, through your holy prayer, may we be made worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ our God, to Him, together with the Father and the Most Holy Spirit, belongs all glory , honor and worship forever and ever. Amen.
Personal petition of Righteous Anna for the gift of a child(from the Chetyi-Menya of St. Demetrius of Rostov):
Woe is me, Lord! Who will I be like? Neither to the birds of the air, nor to the beasts of the earth: for they too bring You, O Lord God, their fruit, but I alone am barren. Woe is me, Lord! I am alone, sinful, without offspring. You, who once gave Sarah the son Isaac in her old age. You, Who opened the womb of Anna, the mother of Your prophet Samuel, look now upon me and hear my prayers. Stop the sadness of my heart and open my womb, and make me, barren, fruitful, so that we bring what I have born to You as a gift, blessing, singing and glorifying Your mercy.
Kissing Zechariah and Elizabeth. End of XV - began. XVI century
From the biblical story we learn nothing about the circumstances of Her Nativity, nor about the Entry into the Temple, nor about the life of the Virgin Mary after Pentecost. Such details of the life of the Mother of God are conveyed to us by Church Tradition: ancient legends, church-historical works, homiletic-biblical information about the life of the Mother of God, early Christian apocrypha appeared: “The Story of Jacob about the Birth of Mary” (otherwise - “The Proto-Gospel of James”; 2nd half - end of the 2nd century, Egypt), "The Gospel of Childhood" (otherwise - the "Gospel of Thomas"; 2nd century), "The Book of Joseph the Carpenter" (c. 400, Egypt), "The Legend of St. John the Theologian about the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God" (IV–V centuries).
Not recognizing the apocrypha as a source of doctrine, at the same time she borrowed from them a number of subjects related to the earthly life of the Mother of God. At the same time, the apocryphal stories themselves in the new edited version were cleared of the Gnostic element and agreed with the canonical story about the Mother of God contained in the Four Gospels. The popularity of stories borrowed from the apocrypha related to the personality of the Mother of God was also facilitated by numerous translations of the ancient apocrypha into various languages: the “Gospel of Childhood,” for example, was translated into Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, and Georgian; there are also its Latin (known as the “Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew”), Ethiopic, Arabic and Slavic (“History of Thomas the Israelite”, “Infancy of Christ”) versions.
The long, centuries-long work of purifying apocryphal materials related to the image of the Mother of God from the non-Orthodox ideas and themes unacceptable to the Church contained here led to the formation of a single and internally consistent Tradition about the earthly life of the Mother of God, to the establishment of a relationship between the circumstances of Her life and the liturgical annual cycle (apocryphal tales about The Mother of God was actively used by such famous hymn writers as St., St., and St.). Since ancient times, stories about the life of the Mother of God have found a lively response among Orthodox Christians and were their favorite reading. They were part of various hagiographic literary traditions of local Churches. The legends were also reflected in the sermons of the holy fathers (St. John of Damascus, St., etc.) on church holidays.
Tradition testifies that at the turn of two eras of world history, separated by the birth of Christ, middle-aged and childless spouses, the holy righteous Joachim and Anna, lived in the city of Nazareth. All their lives, dedicated to fulfilling God's will and serving their neighbors, they dreamed and fervently prayed that the Lord would give them a child. Joachim and Anna made a vow: if they do have a son or daughter, then his or her life will be devoted to serving God. Finally, after 50 years of their marriage, the prayer of the elderly righteous was heard: they named their daughter Mary (translated from Hebrew as “lady” or “hope”). The girl, who brought consolation and spiritual relief to the elderly and God-fearing spouses, was destined to become the Mother of the future Savior of the world, the Son of God. According to her father, She came from the tribe of Judah, from the family of David; on the mother's side - from the tribe of Aaron; among Her ancestors were the Old Testament patriarchs, high priests, rulers and kings of the Jews.
Church Tradition brings to us a number of significant circumstances of the event of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Joachim and Anna suffered greatly because of their infertility, in which Old Testament morality saw God's punishment. Joachim was even prevented from making sacrifices in the temple, believing that he was displeasing to God because he did not create offspring for the Israeli people. Joachim knew that many Old Testament righteous people, for example. Abraham, like him, did not have children until his very old age, but then God, through their faith and prayers, still sent them offspring. Joachim withdrew into the desert, set up a tent there, where he prayed and fasted for 40 days and nights. Anna, like her husband, bitterly mourned her childlessness. And she, like her husband, was humiliated by those around her for her infertility. But one day, when Anna was walking in the garden and praying to God that He would give her a child, as He had once given offspring to the elderly Sarah, an angel of the Lord appeared before Anna and promised her that she would soon give birth and that her offspring would be talked about all over the world ( Proto-Gospel 4). Anna made a vow to dedicate her child to God. At the same time, an angel appeared to Joachim, announcing that God had heeded his prayers. Joachim returned home to Anna, where the conception and Nativity of the Virgin Mary soon took place.
The elderly parents made thanksgiving sacrifices to God for the gift given to them. After the birth of her daughter, Anna made a vow that the baby would not walk on earth until the parents brought Mary into the temple of the Lord. “...They are from Him,” says St. ,—received the promise of Your birth and, acting well, You, promised to them, were in turn promised to Him...” (Greg. Pal. In Praesent. 8).
When the future Mother of God reached the age of 3, Joachim and Anna, who had put off Her dedication to God until that moment, decided that the time had come to bring Mary to the temple. According to legend (Protoevangelium 7), Mary’s entry into the temple was accompanied by a solemn procession; along the road to the temple stood young virgins with lighted lamps. “...Let Joachim and Anna rejoice, for holy fruit has come forth from them, luminous Mary, divine light, and rejoice as they enter the temple...” (sedalen on polyeleos). Her parents placed Her on the first of the 15 high steps of the temple. And here, according to the legend passed on by the blessed one. , a miracle happened: Mary, on her own, without anyone’s support, climbed the steep steps and entered the temple (Hieron. De nativit. S. Mariae). At that same moment, the high priest came out to meet Her: according to legend, Zechariah is the future father of John the Baptist (the Baptist). He, by a special revelation of God, led Mary into the Holy of Holies, where the high priest had the right to enter only once a year.
After this, Joachim and Anna left Mary at the temple. Her whole life in the temple was a matter of special Providence of God. She was raised and studied together with other virgins, worked on yarn and sewed priestly vestments. I'm eating. An angel brought it to the Mother of God. “The Holy of Holies of existence, the Pure One, you loved to dwell in the holy temple, and with the angels, the Virgin, you abided in conversation, most gloriously receiving bread from heaven, Nourisher of Life” (troparion of the 4th song of the 2nd canon for the Introduction).
Tradition tells that the Mother of God lived at the temple for up to 12 years. The time had come when She had to leave the temple and get married. But She announced to the high priest and priests that she had taken a vow of virginity before God. Then, out of respect for her vow and to preserve Her virginity, so that the young virgin would not be left without protection and care (Her parents had died by that time), Mary was betrothed to the elderly carpenter Joseph, who came from the family of King David. According to legend, the Lord Himself pointed to him as a future. betrothed and protector of the Mother of God. The temple priests gathered 12 men from the line of David, placed their staffs on the altar and prayed that God would show him who was pleasing to Him. Then the high priest gave each one his staff. When he gave the staff to Joseph, a dove flew out of it and sat on Joseph’s head. Then the high priest said to the elder: “You have been chosen to receive and guard the Virgin of the Lord.” (Proto-Gospel. 9). The Mother of God settled in Joseph's house in Nazareth. Here She remained in labor, contemplation and prayer. At this time, the need arose to make a new curtain for the Jerusalem temple. The Virgin Mary performed part of the work on behalf of the high priest.
The moment of the Annunciation has arrived. This event is described in the New Testament by the Evangelist Luke (1. 26–38). God sent arch. Gabriel, so that he would announce to Her the imminent Nativity of the Lord from Her. According to legend, at the moment when the archangel appeared before Her, She read an excerpt from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah “Behold, the Virgin will receive with child...” (). The Mother of God began to pray that the Lord would reveal to Her the mysterious meaning of these words and would quickly fulfill His promise. Just at that moment She saw the arch. Gabriel, who announced to Her about the imminent birth of the Son. The baby will be the Son of the Most High, will be called Jesus, will inherit the throne of David, and His Kingdom will have no end. Mary is perplexed: how can all this be fulfilled if She remains a virgin? The angel answers: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore, the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (). Mary, in response to the words of the archangel, gives Her voluntary consent to the Incarnation: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word" (). Arch. Gabriel departs from the Mother of God. The unmarried conception of the Lord Jesus Christ takes place.
After the event of the Annunciation, the Mother of God went to visit Her relative. Elizabeth, future mother of St. John the Baptist (Forerunner). The righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth lived in the Levitical city of Juta. According to legend, on the way to Iuta, the Mother of God visited Jerusalem and handed over ready-made needlework to the temple - part of the new veil. There, over the Mother of God, the high priest pronounced a sublime blessing, saying that the Lord would glorify Mary in all generations of the earth (Proto-Gospel. 12). The event of the meeting of the Mother of God and Elizabeth is described by the Evangelist Luke (). At the moment of the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, the baby leaped in Elizabeth’s womb. She was filled with the Holy Spirit and uttered prophetic words about the Mother of the Lord, who visited her home. The Mother of God answered her with a solemn poetic hymn: “My soul magnifies the Lord...” (), glorifying the mercy of God shown to Israel in fulfillment of ancient prophecies about the Messiah. She testifies that from now on all generations living on earth will please Her. The Mother of God was in the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth ca. 3 months, then returned to Nazareth.
Soon Joseph noticed that Mary was carrying a fetus in her womb and was embarrassed by this. He wanted to secretly release Her from his home, thereby freeing her from persecution under the harsh Old Testament law. However, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and testified that the Child born from the Mother of God was conceived by the influx of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, who should be called Jesus, since He will save humanity from sins. Joseph was obedient to the will of God and accepted Mary, again, as before, protecting Her purity and virginity ().
The New Testament story about the event of the Nativity of Christ is contained in two complementary Gospels - Matthew (1:18–2:23) and Luke (2:1–20). Here it is told that during the reign of Emperor. Augustus in Rome (under whose rule Palestine was at that time) and King Herod in Judea, by decision of the emperor, a population census was organized. At the same time, for their participation in the census, Jews had to come to the cities where their family came from. Joseph and Mary, who by that time was already expecting the imminent birth of a Child, came to Bethlehem, since they came from the family of King David (Euseb. Hist. eccl. I 7. 17). Bethlehem was the city of David. Not finding free places in the hotel, they were forced (although it was the cold season) to settle in a cattle pen - according to Church Tradition, dating back to early Christ. apocrypha and in the testimonies of the ancient Church Fathers (Iust. Martyr. Dial. 78; Orig. Contra Cels. I 51), it was a cave. In this cave at night, the Infant Jesus Christ was born to the Blessed Virgin. Christmas took place without the usual physical suffering for women in labor. The Mother of God Herself swaddled the Lord after His Nativity and placed him in a manger, where they put feed for livestock. Here, in the cave, She witnessed the worship of the Lord by the shepherds and composed in Her heart the words of their story about the miraculous appearance in the field of angelic powers ().
On the 8th day after Christmas, the rite of circumcision and naming was performed on the Infant of God (), and after 40 days they brought Him to the Jerusalem temple. This event is remembered by the Church under the name of the Presentation of the Lord. His circumstances are described by the Evangelist Luke (2.22–38). The baby was brought to the temple in fulfillment of the ancient customs of the Old Testament Law of Moses (). In accordance with this law, women, after 40 days if a boy was born, and 80 days if a girl was born, had to come to the temple to make a cleansing sacrifice.
The Mother of God also visits the temple to make such a sacrifice. She brings 2 turtle doves and 2 pigeon chicks - a sacrifice that is legally permissible only for the poor. According to custom, after making a sacrifice for the firstborn son, the priest took the baby from the mother’s arms and, turning to the altar, raised the child high, as if handing him over to God. At the same time, he performed 2 prayers over him: one - for the law of ransom (the firstborn sons of the Israelites were intended, as belonging to God (), to serve in the tabernacle and temple - later these duties were assigned to the Levites (), but the law provided for the possibility of exemption from this service through a ransom), others - for the gift of the firstborn.
The Infant Christ was met at the entrance to the temple by the pious and righteous elder Simeon. The elder said thanks to God and his famous “Now you let go...”. He turned to the Mother of God, prophesying about Her fate: “... and a weapon will pierce your very soul...”. The words about the “weapon,” that is, about the sword with which the heart of the Mother of God will be pierced, are a prophecy about the suffering that She will experience when She witnesses the torment and death on the Cross of Her Divine Son.
According to the ancient Tradition of the East. Church, it was after the event of the Presentation (Ephraem Syri. In Deatess.; and not on the night of Christmas - Ioan. Chrysost. In Matt. 1. 1; cf.: Theoph. Bulg. In Matth. 1. 1) that the veneration of the Infant God took place for those who came with East of the Magi (). Herod, deceived by them, sought the death of Christ, and the Holy Family soon - at the direction of the angel who appeared to Joseph - was forced to leave Palestine and flee to Egypt (). From there, Joseph and the Virgin and Child returned to their homeland only after they learned that Herod had died. Joseph learned about the death of the king from an angel who appeared to him in a dream ().
A number of pious traditions related to the stay of the Holy Family in Egypt have been preserved. So, according to one legend, on the way to Egypt they came across robbers, two of whom were on patrol, the rest were sleeping. One robber, who vaguely sensed the Divine greatness of the Child, prevented his comrades from harming the Holy Family. Then the Mother of God said to him: “The Lord God will support you with His right hand and grant you remission of sins” (Arabic Gospel of the Savior’s Childhood. 23). According to legend, it was this merciful thief who later turned out to be the prudent thief whose sins were forgiven by the Lord on the cross, and who was honored to enter heaven with Christ ().
Upon returning to Palestine, the Holy Family again settled in Nazareth (). According to legend, the Mother of God was engaged in handicrafts and taught literacy to local children. She continued to be in prayer and contemplation of God. Every year the whole Family went - according to existing religious custom - to Jerusalem for the Easter holiday. During one of these journeys, Joseph and the Mother of God, who had already left the temple, did not notice that the youth Jesus, who was then 12 years old, remained in Jerusalem. They thought that Jesus was going to Galilee with K.-L. from their relatives or friends; Not finding Him among them and being concerned about this, Joseph and the Mother of God returned to the Jerusalem temple. They found Jesus here talking with Jewish teachers, who were amazed at His wisdom beyond his years. The Mother of God told Him about the sorrow that gripped Her and Joseph when they did not find Him among their fellow tribesmen. The Lord answered Her: “Why did you look for Me? or did you not know that I must be concerned with the things that belong to My Father?” (). Then they did not understand the meaning of the words spoken by the Lord. And yet, the Mother of God kept all His words in Her heart, vaguely foreseeing the future that awaited Her Son and the Mother of God Herself ().
In accordance with Church Tradition, through several. years after this event Joseph died. Now about Christ and His brothers (in accordance with the Eastern exegetical tradition, the children of Joseph from his first marriage - Euseb. Hist. eccl. II 1. 2; Theoph. Bulg. In Matth. 13. 56; see: Merzlyukin. S. 25–26) was cared for by the Mother of God.
After the Baptism of the Lord and a 40-day fast in the desert, the Son of God found himself together with His Mother at a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. Here the Mother of God asked Him to console those feasting who lacked wine and to show His Divine power for this. The Lord first answered that His hour had not yet come, and then, seeing the complete trust of the Mother of God in the omnipotence of the Divine Son and out of respect for Her (Ioan. Chrysost. In Ioan. 2.4), miraculously transformed water into wine (). According to legend, soon after being married in Cana, the Mother of God, by the will of her Son, moved to Capernaum (Ioan. Chrysost. In Ioan. 2.4).
Fulfilling the will of the Heavenly Father was incomparably more important to Jesus than family kinship. This is evidenced by a well-known episode described in the Synoptic Gospels (; ; ): having come to the house where Christ preached, the Mother of God and the brothers of the Lord, who wished to see Him, sent to Him to ask for a meeting; Jesus Christ answered that everyone who does the will of His Heavenly Father is His brother, sister and mother.
During the Passion of the Lord on the Cross, the Mother of God was not far from Her Divine Son. She did not leave the Lord at the Cross, sharing His suffering with Him. Here She stood before the Crucified One along with the apostle. John the Theologian. Christ said to the Mother of God, pointing to John: “Woman! Behold, Thy Son,” and then to the Apostle: “Behold, Thy Mother” (). From this day forward. John took upon himself the care of the Mother of God.
After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Mother of God became famous among Christians for her many miracles and received great veneration. According to legend, She witnessed the martyrdom of the archdeacon. Stephen and prayed that the Lord would grant him the strength to face his death with firmness and patience. After the persecution of Christians that began under Herod Agrippa and the execution of James, the Mother of God and the apostles left Jerusalem. They cast lots to find out who and where should preach the Gospel Truth. Iveria (Georgia) was given to the Mother of God for Her preaching. She was going to go there, but an angel who appeared to Her prevented her from doing so. He announced to the Mother of God that Iberia should be enlightened by the Light of Christ much later, but for now She should remain in Jerusalem in order to go from here to another land that also requires enlightenment. The name of this country was to be revealed to the Mother of God later. In Jerusalem, the Mother of God constantly visited the Tomb of Christ, empty after the Resurrection, and prayed. The Jews wanted to overtake Her here and kill Her and even posted guards near the Tomb. However, the power of God miraculously hid the Mother of God from the eyes of the Jews, and She visited the cave of the Burial without hindrance (The Tale of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God. 2).
Church Tradition tells of the sea journey of the Mother of God to Lazarus, who was once resurrected by the Lord and became the Bishop of Cyprus. On the way, Her ship was caught by a storm and carried to Mount Athos. Realizing that this was the same land that the angel preached to Her in Jerusalem, the Mother of God set foot on the Athos Peninsula. In those days, a wide variety of pagan cults flourished on Athos, but with the advent of the Mother of God, paganism was defeated on Athos. By the power of Her preaching and numerous miracles, the Mother of God converted the local residents to Christianity. Before setting sail from Athos, the Mother of God blessed the people and said: “Behold, My Son and My God have become my lot! God's grace to this place and to those who abide in it with faith and fear and with the commandments of My Son; with a little care, everything on earth will be abundant for them, and they will receive heavenly life, and the mercy of My Son will not fail from this place until the end of the age, and I will be a warm intercessor to My Son for this place and for those who dwell in it” (Bishop History Athos. St. Petersburg, 1892. Part 2. pp. 129–131). The Mother of God sailed with Her companions to Cyprus, where she visited Lazarus. During her journey, the Mother of God visited Ephesus. Returning to Jerusalem, She continued to pray often and for a long time in places that were associated with the events of the earthly life of Her Son. As the “Tale of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God” narrates, the Mother of God learned from Arch. Gabriel. The Mother of God received this news with great joy: She was about to meet Her Son soon. As an omen of the glory awaiting the Mother of God upon Her Dormition, the archangel handed Her a heavenly branch from a date tree, shining with an unearthly light. This branch was to be carried before the tomb of the Mother of God on the day of Her burial.
When the Mother of God was lying on her deathbed, a miraculous event occurred: by the power of God, the apostles who were then in various countries were gathered into Her house, and thanks to this miracle they were able to be present at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. This miraculous event is evidenced by the service of the Matins of the Dormition of the Theotokos: “The all-honorable face of the wise apostles gathered to miraculously bury Thy most pure body, all-sung to the Mother of God: with them hastened and a multitude of angels, honestly praising Thy Repose, which we celebrate by faith” (sedalen according to the 1st kathisma on the Assumption). According to Church Tradition, the radiant purity of the soul of the Mother of God was received by the Lord, who appeared with a host of heavenly powers: “I marveled at the angelic powers, in Zion looking at their Master, carrying a woman’s soul in his hands: Most pure, who gave birth, sonically proclaiming: Come, Pure, be glorified with the Son and God.” (troparion of the 9th canon of the 1st canon of the Assumption). Only the apostle was not at the bed of the Mother of God. Thomas (episode and description of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary according to the Latin version of the apocrypha about the Dormition of the Holy Virgin). According to Church tradition, after the death of the Mother of God, the apostles placed Her body in a tomb-cave, blocking the entrance with a large stone. On the 3rd day, they were joined by Thomas, who was absent on the day of the Assumption, who suffered greatly from the fact that he never had time to say goodbye to the Mother of God. At his tearful prayer, the apostles rolled away the stone from the entrance to the cave so that he too could say goodbye to the body of the deceased Mother of God. But to their surprise, they did not find Her body inside the cave. Only Her clothes lay here, from which a wonderful fragrance emanated. The Orthodox Church preserves the Tradition that the Mother of God was resurrected by the power of God on the 3rd day after Her Dormition and ascended to Heaven. “Thou hast taken victorious honors upon the Pure nature, having given birth to God: and above all, being worthy of Thy Creator and Son, and obeying the natural law more than nature. Having died, you rise eternally with the Son” (troparion of the 1st canon of the 1st canon of the Assumption).
Some ancient writers suggested the idea of the martyrdom of the Mother of God (for example, in the Word attributed to Timothy, Most Holy of Jerusalem, 5th century), but this assumption is rejected by the holy fathers (Ambros. Mediol. In Luc. 2.61), Church Tradition.
The year of the Dormition of the Mother of God is called differently by ancient spiritual writers and church historians. indicates 48 A.D., - 43 A.D., - 25th year after the Ascension of Christ, Nikephoros Callistus - 44 A.D.
Source: Smirnov I., prot. Apocryphal tales about the Mother of God and the acts of the apostles // PO. 1873. Apr. pp. 569–614; Amann E. Le Protoevangelie de Jacques et ses remaniemant latenes. P., 1910; Apocryphal tales about Christ. St. Petersburg, 1914. Issue. 3: Book of Joseph the Carpenter; Michel C. Evangelies apocryphique. P., 1924; Krebs E. Gottesgebaererin. K?ln, 1931; Gordillo M. Mariologia orientalis. R., 1954; A Theological Encyclopedia of the Blessed Virgin Mary // Ed. by M. O'Carroll. Wilmington, 1983; The Gospel of Childhood (Gospel of Thomas) // Apocrypha of ancient Christians. M., 1989. pp. 142–150; The story of Jacob about the birth of Mary // Ibid. pp. 117–129; Apocryphal tales about Jesus, the Holy Family and the witnesses of Christ / Comp. I. S. Sventsitskaya, A. P. Skogorev. M., 1999; Logoi Qeomhtopikoi MonacOj Maximos. Hsuxastherion tes koimhseos tes theotokou. Katounakia; Agion Oros, 1999.
Lit.: Tales of the earthly life of St. Mother of God: From 14 fig. and 26 polytypes. St. Petersburg, 1870; The Four Gospels: Interpretations and Guide to Study. St. Petersburg, 1893. Serg. P., 2002: Interpretation of the Four Gospels: Sat. Art. for edifying reading; Snessoreva S. Earthly life Pres. Mother of God. St. Petersburg, 1892. M., 1997. Yaroslavl, 1994, 1998; The Mother of God: A complete illustrated description of Her earthly life and the miraculous icons dedicated to Her name. / Ed. Poselyanina E. St. Petersburg, 1909. K., 1994. M., ; him. Our Lady on Earth. St. Petersburg; M., 2002; Christian holidays: Nativity of St. Mother of God. Introduction to the Temple of St. Mother of God. Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. K., 1915-1916. Serg. P., 1995; Merzlyukin A. Genealogy of Rev. Virgin Mary and the origin of the “brothers of the Lord.” P., 1955, St. Petersburg, 1995/
