The Virgin Mary Mother of God
The Virgin Mary is the daughter of Joachim and Anne of Nazareth, from the tribe of Judah.
We find the story of her childhood in the “The First Gospel of James”, an apocryphal book cited by many saints of the Church.
Mary entered the temple at the age of three, because her parents dedicated her to the Lord, and there she was fed by angels. At the age of twelve, the priests deliberated and decided to hand her to someone who would preserve her, for it was forbidden to keep her in the temple after this age.
The High-Priest prayed to God for guidance. Then an angel appeared to him and asked him to gather the righteous widowers so that she would be handed to one of them. The Lord indicated Joseph the Carpenter as the guardian of Mary.
- Veneration to the Mother of God
She is the Most-Holy (Panaghia) and the Mother of God (Theotokos), a title established by the Third Ecumenical Council. This is evident in the Gospel of Luke, as Elizabeth calls her "the Mother of my Lord" (Mitir to Kiriou).
The Gospel of Luke relates the Annunciation and how God called Mary through the angel “full of grace” and “blessed among women”, saying that the Spirit of God has come upon her.
However, this does not mean that we worship her at all; we rather honor her. Worship is for the Lord Jesus Christ, son of God.
In addition to the Annunciation, there are biblical events that highlight the importance of the Virgin Mary.
Events about the Nativity of Christ.
- Her visit to Elizabeth, who said: " But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43)
- The Presentation of the Lord to the Temple.
- When Joseph and Mary lost Jesus during their trip back from Jerusalem when they found him sitting among the scribes.
- The wedding in Cana of Galilee, when she informed to Lord that there was no wine and said to the servants: Do all that He tells you.
- Standing at the Cross.
- With the Myrrhbearing Women.
- In the icon of the Ascension and in some icons of the Pentecost from the 6th century.