ENCYCLICAL FOR THE FEAST OF THE DORMITION 2013 Beloved in the Lord, For the next fifteen days, Orthodox Christians will prepare to celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos. Being one of the most significant Feasts of the Virgin Mary in our liturgical calendar, it is the only one that begins with a fasting period. For these two weeks we will engage in the spiritual discipline of fasting from certain foods, under the direction of our parish priests. A fast is a discipline of avoidance, removing what is extraneous in our lives, to remind us of what is really important and necessary. This fast like all fast periods should focus our attention on the need for God in our lives. Our parishes will offer the Service of Supplication, the Paraklesis to the Virgin Mary. This is the spiritual discipline of engagement involving us more intentionally in prayer and worship. In the Paraklesis, we call out to the Mother of God as our protector and guardian. These services are continual reminders of our belief that the intercessory prayers of the Theotokos to her Son are beneficial to our lives. We honor the Virgin Mary and supplicate to her for intercession because she is the loving Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She always points to her Son. Look at her in the various icons of the Church, holding her Son, but always directing our attention toward Him and away from herself – an example of the sacrifices that all mothers make for their children. Look at how this scene is reversed in the icon of the Dormition, when the Son holds the soul of His Mother. While our attention is drawn to Mary in her bier, we cannot avoid seeing the presence of her Son. A tradition of this Feast from long ago says that Christ Himself entered the room where she lay to receive her soul from the angels that carried it to Him. Tradition tells us that when the Apostles returned to her tomb a few days later, the tomb was empty, her body was gone, and only a sweet fragrance remained. Over the next two weeks, I invite you to consider the significant role of the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, in our Orthodox Church. Search her out in Scriptures. Listen for her name in our worship, noticing how our prayers end with a supplication to her. See her and venerate her in the holy icons. In each of these, consider how the Church continually turns to this extraordinary woman, this beautiful mother, and this role model for humanity. The Virgin Mary shows all people that a life dedicated entirely to God leads to union with God. Extending my personal wishes to all those who celebrate their Feast Day, I pray that through the intercessions of Theotokos may we enjoy this fasting period and joyfully celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. With Love in Christ,
Posted on: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 23:09:21 +0000
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