Theotokos, O Virgin, you are the fortress for virgins and all who to you run for refuge. For the Maker of heaven and earth, O immaculate Maiden, thus constructed you. He inhabited your womb and instructed all how to address you:

Rejoice, O pillar of the virgin station.
Rejoice, O portal of man’s salvation.
Rejoice, initiator of interior renaissance.
Rejoice, administrator of God’s beneficence.
Rejoice, for you regenerated those who were shamefully conceived.
Rejoice, for you reeducated those whose intellects had been seized.
Rejoice, incapacitator of the deflowerer of sanity.
Rejoice, procreator of the Sower of chastity.
Rejoice, of ungamic union the bridal room.
Rejoice, who unite believers to the Lord as Groom.
Rejoice, O beautiful nursemaid of virgins.
Rejoice, O bridesmaid of souls that are holy.
Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

- Excerpt from today’s Forth Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos

(This is the Orthodox icon of Our Lady Keharitomeni)

Lydda Icon “Not Made by Hands”

When the Holy Apostles Peter and John the Theologian were preaching Our Lord Jesus Christ in the city of Lydda, not far from Jerusalem, there was erected for the newly converted a church dedicated to the Most-holy Theotokos. Coming to Jerusalem, the apostles asked the Mother of God to visit, and by her presence to consecrate and bless the church. The Most-holy Virgin declared: “Go in peace, and I will be there with you as well.” Returning to the church, they saw on one of the support columns a marvelously beautiful image of the Most-holy Theotokos, “Not Made by Hands.” Later, the Mother of God visited the Lydda church and bestowed upon Her image special grace and power.

During the reign of the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363), a new miracle occurred in Lydda. Stone masons were sent to obliterate the miraculous image. However, no matter how they tried to erase the sacred image, it did not disappear, but instead penetrated deeper into the column. The glory of the grace-filled image spread throughout the world. A copy which was taken to Rome and which also received miraculous power is celebrated on 26 June, N.S.

Another Lydda Icon of the Mother of God “Not Made by Hands” exists. It is in a church erected in Lydda by Aeneas, who was healed by the Holy Apostle Peter (Acts 9:32-35). At the direction of the ruler, at a time when the Jews and pagans were bent on wresting the church from the Christians, the church was locked up for three days in anticipation of a sign by which to settle the dispute. When, three days later, the church was re-opened, everyone saw in it an image of the Mother of God “Not Made by Hands.”

In an epistle addressed to the iconoclast Emperor Theophilus (829-842), the Patriarchs of Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria wrote about both of the Lydda “Not Made by Hands” icons. The Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (912-959) mentions this epistle in his historic sermon about the Edessa Image of the Savior “Not Made by Hands.”

The wonder-working Lydda Icon is mentioned in the service for the Kazan Icon (July 8 & October 22) in the third Ode of the Canon. The It is also commemorated on March 12.

Gloriously extolling the incarnate appearance of Christ did the shepherds hear the Angels. And running as though to a shepherd, they perceived Him to be as it were a blameless lamb that had been pastured in the womb of Mary whom they lauded saying:

Rejoice, O Mother of the Lamb and Shepherd.
Rejoice, O sheepfold of sheep with reason.

Rejoice, who ward off invisible enemies.
Rejoice, who open the portals of Paradise.

Rejoice, for the things of heaven are now exulting with the earth.
Rejoice, for the things of earth along with heaven dance for joy.

Rejoice, indefatigable voice of the Apostles.
Rejoice, undefeatable valiance of the Martyrs.

Rejoice, the mighty foundation of faith.
Rejoice, the bright indication of grace.

Rejoice, through whom is Hades divested.
Rejoice, through whom we are vested in glory.

Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

- An excerpt from today’s Second Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos

My Sweetest Mother, Most Holy Theotokos, Panayia mou, please continue praying for me to your Son! Please continue helping me with everything, because I don’t have the strength to do it alone. I strongly need your intercessions..! May His Will be done, not mine.

All my hope I place in you, O Mother of God: keep me under your protection!

When the bodiless one learned the secret command, in haste he came and stood before Joseph’s dwelling, and spoke unto the Maiden who knew not wedlock: The One who hath bowed the Heavens by His decent is held and contained unchanging wholly in thee. Seeing Him receiving the form of a servant in thy womb, I stand in awe and cry to thee: Rejoice thou Bride unwedded.

To thee, the Champion Leader, we thy flock dedicate a feast of victory and of thanksgiving, as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos. But as thou art one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be do thou deliver us, that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, thou bride unwedded.

An Angel, and the chiefest among them, was sent from heaven to cry: Rejoice! To the Mother of God. And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he stood in awe, and with his bodiless voice he cried aloud to her such things as these:

Rejoice, thou through whom joy shall shine forth. Rejoice, thou through whom the curse shall be blotted out.

Rejoice, thou the Restoration of fallen Adam. Rejoice, thou the redemption of the tears of Eve.

Rejoice, Height hard to climb for human thought. Rejoice, Depth hard to explore, even for the eyes of Angels.

Rejoice, for thou art the Throne of the King. Rejoice, for thou sustainest the Sustainer of all.

Rejoice, Star that causest the Sun to appear. Rejoice, womb of the divine Incarnation.

Rejoice, thou through whom creation is renewed. Rejoice, thou through whom the Creator becometh a babe.

Rejoice, thou Bride unwedded.

- An excerpt from the First Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos

Today are the First Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos!

Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos is an Akathist service of the Eastern Orthodox Church, celebrated during the Great Lent. Akathist in greek means “not sitting”, so we stand for the whole service. 

The Akathist is often split into four parts and sung at the “Salutations to the Theotokos” service on the first four Friday evenings in Great Lent; the entire Akathist is then sung on the fifth Friday evening.

Rejoice, unwedded bride!

Theotokos Kardiotissa

“Kardiotissa” is one of the hundreds of names we use for the Most Holy Theotokos to describe her. This word comes from the Greek word “kardia” that means heart, because she’s holding Jesus next to her heart.

Today we commemorate St. Seraphim of Sarov!

Saint Seraphim (Prochoros Moshnin in the world) was born to a merchant family living in Kursk. At the age of 10 he fell seriously ill. In a dream during his illness he saw the Mother of God, who promised to heal him. Several days later a procession with the miracle-working Kursk icon of Theotokos changed its usual route due to bad weather and was passing by the house of the Moshnins. After Seraphim’s mother took him to kiss the icon, he started to get better very quickly. While young, Seraphim had to help his parents in their store, but he was not interested in trade. Young Seraphim liked to read the Lives of Saints, to go to church and to pray in seclusion.

At the age of 18 Seraphim decided resolutely to become a monk. He was accepted as a novice to the Sarov monastery. From the very first day of his life at the monastery Seraphim was noted for his abstention from food and sleep. Soon he fell ill again and had to stay in bed from time to time. Again he was healed by the Mother of God, who appeared in his dream accompanied by several saints.

Soon he was ordained a deacon. He spent all of his time in the temple, resting very rarely. Amongst such prayers, services and work in the name of God, Seraphim was blessed by the vision of angels participating in sermons and singing. During the Liturgy on Great Thursday he had a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ incarnate in human flesh as He was entering the temple together with Angelic Hosts and blessing those in prayer. Venerable Seraphim was so impressed by the vision that he could not speak for a long time.

In 1793 Venerable Seraphim was elevated to hieromonk. Then Saint Seraphim began to go to a “far wilderness,” which was a desolate place in a forest 5 miles away from the Sarov monastery. He reached great perfection during that time. Bears, hares, wolves, foxes and other wild animals would come to the hut of the ascetic.

While living in the wilderness Venerable Seraphim once was attacked and almost killed by a band of robbers. He was physically very strong and had an axe in his hands at the moment, but he did not defend himself. In response to their demanding money and threatening him, he put the axe to the ground, crossed his arms on his chest and gave himself up to the bandits. They stopped torturing him only when they thought he was dead.

The only treasure the robbers could find in his hermitage was the Icon of the Mother of God (Pertinence), in front of which he always prayed. When after some time the robbers were caught and indicted, the venerable Seraphim spoke in their defense. After this assault he remained hunched over for the rest of his life.

After a particular vision of the Mother of God closer to the end of his life, the Venerable Seraphim assumed the task of being an elder. He accepted everyone who came seeking his counsel and guidance. Many thousands of people from various walks of life came to see the venerable old man, who enriched them by sharing his spiritual treasures acquired during the many years of serving God. Seraphim met the visitors with humbleness, joy and thoughtful caring. He greeted them saying, “You are my joy!”.

(You can read the full text here)