My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
On the 25th of July, the Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates the Dormition
of Saint ANNA , the Mother of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and
Ever-Virgin Mary.
Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone
O GODLY-MINDED Anna, thou didst give birth unto God’s pure
Mother who conceived Him Who is our Life. Wherefore, thou
hast now passed with joy to thy heavenly rest, wherein is the
abode of them that rejoice in glory; and thou askest forgiveness
of sins for them that honor thee with love, O ever-blessed one.
Kontakion Hymn. Second Tone
WE celebrate now the memory of Christ’s ancestors, while asking
their help with faith, that we may all be saved from all manner of
tribulation as we fervently cry aloud: Be Thou with us, O Lord our
God, Whose pleasure it was to glorify them both.
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Saint Anna, the progenitress of Christ, adorned with the virtues, was translated from this transient life to the blessed life that is without end. This is the feast that we celebrate today of a Venerable daughter of the Tribe of Levi. Anna was the youngest of three daughters of Matthan the priest and Miriam, both of the Tribe of Levi. The other two daughters of Matthan and Miriam were Zoia (Sovee) and Miriam. Ecclesiastical chronicles record that Matthan served as priest during the reign of Queen Cleopatra (69 B.C. – 30 B.C.). The eldest daughter, Miriam, was married in Bethlehem, and bore Salome, a midwife. The second daughter, Zoia, was married in Bethlehem, and bore Elisabeth. The third daughter, Anna, was married to Joachim in Nazareth. Then, after fifty years of a childless marriage, when it was the Feast of the Dedication and Feast of Lights, Joachim was rebuffed at the Temple. The priest would not accept his offering, since he was childless.
Joachim, publicly humiliated, left for the wilderness to offer up prayer; and Anna retreated to her garden, not only to bear her reproach but also to entreat God. Both Joachim and Anna prayed that God would grant them a fruit of the womb. God sent His Angel, Gabriel, tho those from whom He wished His mother to be born. By this Angel, God declared that the elderly and barren Anna would conceive. Thus, by the barren one’s conceiving, Christ would confirm His own SEEDLESS CONCEPTION and INCORRUPT BIRTH FROM A VIRGIN. From the seed of Joachim did Anna conceive and bear the Virgin Mary, WHO SEEDLESS CONCEIVED CHRIST.
Saint Anna is the mother of the Living Ark, Mary, that contained the Logos (Word) of God, Jesus Christ. The Righteous Joachim and Anna, after bringing forth their much-desired offspring in their old age, kept their promise TO DEDICATE AND TO CONSECRATE THEIR OFFSPRING, WHETHER MALE OR FEMALE, TO THE TEMPLE AND SERVICE OF GOD. When the little maiden reached her third birthday, Joachim and Anna, as well as the virgin daughters of the Hebrews, escorted Mary into the Temple. It was there that Mary was met by Anna’s brother-in-law, the Priest Zacharias. It also began her education in the Temple. This occasion of parting with their only child did not leave the parents grief-stricken. Joachim was bright with joy and kept festival with Anna. Now Anna, truly blessed by God’s grace, led with gladness, into the Temple of the Lord, the pure and Ever-virgin who had been shown grace. Anna called the young maidens to go before Mary, lamps in hand. Anna in spirit then said to Mary, "Go, child, to Him Who gave thee unto me; and unto Him an offering and a sweet smelling incense. Go into the place that none may enter: Learn its mysteries and prepare thyself to become the pleasing and beautiful Dwelling place of the Lord."
The parents then, after offering up their sacrifice (according to the custom of the Mosaic Law), left the Virgin with other maidens in the apartments of the Temple to be brought up therein. Mary’s parents then went down marvelling and praising the Lord God, because the child did not turn back. They then returned to their home. Mary, consequently, was in the Temple of the Lord. For the next seven years, the parents of the little Virgin visited her often until they reposed, leaving her an orphan at the age of eleven. It is more than likely that her kin visited her. Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic records that the righteous Joachim was eighty years old upon his repose. The Venerable Anna, some two years later, at seventy-nine years of age, reposed in peace, awaiting the coming of the Messiah.
On this day, the 25th of July, which is the august FALLING ASLEEP OF RIGHTEOUS ANNA, we are not saddened but we rejoice as she now intercedes for joy and mercy to those who call upon her in faith. Anna, who pleased God in this fleeting life, observing the Law’s precepts, is now conveyed to the divine bridal chamber where she exults in joy. Christ Himself threw open the gates on high for her. He received her joyously with the righteous and the Hosts on High. The former barren pair, Joachim and Anna, now dwell in the heavenly tabernacles with their daughter, the very maiden whom they offered to God when only three years of age. The divinely honored pair are accounted worthy to dwell with Christ’s Mother and to rejoice with her. Now that Anna has stripped off the garment of mortality, even as she once idd that of barrenness, with an immaterial mind she now forms a choir with the immaterial heavenly orders, for she, too, awaits the full recompense AT THE COMMON RESURRECTION OF THE BODIES AND THE FINAL JUDGMENT WHILE EXPERIENCING A FORETASTE OF THE BLESSEDNESS OF PARADISE WHICH WILL BE GIVEN TO THE SAINTS AND MARTYRS WHEN THE END OF THE PRESENT AGE COMES. Then they will receive together with all of their pious fellow servants the FULL GLORY AND RECOMPENSE, DELIGHTING IN THE LORD. May Saint Anna intercede for us that we be vouchsafed to be remembered among those with her!
But for now, she continues to intercede for the Church as she is the ancestress, Foremother, and indeed GRANDMOTHER OF JESUS. Anna stands before our Lord, asking Him to forgive us. She has boldness before the Lord; for Anna’s holy birth pangs brought forth His Mother, the Mother of our Life and God, Whom she dedicated to Him from her earliest childhood. Although Anna rejoices in glory with her daughter, still she remembers to ask for the forgiveness of sins of those who honor her on earth. She has proved time and again to be a mighty intercessor with gifts of healing, expelling both diseases and demons. For those wallowing in the gloom of passions, the Venerable mother of the Mother of God is able to assist us. For those women SEEKING TO CONCEIVE, OR THOSE WHO ARE IN THE THROES OF HARD TRAVAIL, INVOKING THE VENERABLE ANNA ASSURES A SWIFT ANSWER OR DELIVERANCE.
Let us honor Saint Anna, beseeching her mighty intercession, not doubting in her care for us. Saint Gregory the Theologian wrote: "I am convinced that the holy souls of the departed follow, understand, and are concerned about our souls." Elsewhere, the Theologian also wrote about his father, Saint Gregory Nazianzos: "I am certain that the descessed consoles us now more with his intercession that he did before. For he is ‘near God’ much more, since he has shaken off the bodily bonds and has been relieved of the mire that clouds the mind, and can meet face to face the first and purest mind, God Himself…" Saint Gregory of Nyssa assures us, too, that the saints and martyrs observe our efforts and struggles, our victories and our defeats. They INTERCEDE IN OUR BEHALF BEFORE GOD, FOR THEY ARE OUR TRUSTWORTHY COMFORTERS AND STRONG GUARDIANS AGAINST OUR ENEMIES, AS WE CONTINUE TO BE MEMBERS OF THE MILITANT CHURCH ON EARTH."
O godly-minded ancestress of Christ, ask thou for the forgiveness of our sins and that we be delivered from all manner of tribulation! Amen. [Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church]
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 