NEBAB #11: Fast of the Virgin Mary (ጾመ ፍልሰታ)
NEBAB #11
The Orthodox Tewahedo Magazine
FAST OF THE VIRGIN MARY (ጾመ ፍልሰታ)
The Spiritual Education Unit
Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Archdiocese of the Caribbean and Latin America
Short message on behalf the Spiritual Education Unit:
His Grace Abune Thaddaeus, Head Administrator Archimandrite Abba Gebreyesus, and all clergy and faithful- thank you for the opportunity to share this labour of love with you. Thanks also to the team of the Spiritual Education Unit for their hard work.
-Liqe Teghuan Tekle Mariam Greene
The Fast of The Holy Virgin Mary
In this issue:
1. The Angels Venerated Her
2. Titles and Symbols of Saint Mary
3. Faith and works
4. “Ask Abba/Kes”
5. A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Maryam
6. Children’s corner
7.ይበል ግዕዝ
8. Orthodox Q&A
But first...
The Fast of the Virgin Mary is a period of daily liturgy and study in our church. Traditionally, during this fast people practise suba’e (retreat) from the world and live in or around churches and monasteries. In the Archdiocese of the Caribbean and Latin America, this season has been known for the Clergy Retreat, a suba’e for clergy and candidates for ordination to gather and receive clergy training in the absence of a seminary.
If you can’t be in Trinidad to attend the services and sessions in person, they will be streamed as possible on facebook.com/kesgebreamlak.matas/ and instagram.com/theethiopianorthodoxchurch/.
The sessions will also be live on Zoom (meeting ID- 251 938 6031) and look out for reminders of the sessions in your various WhatsApp group chats.
The Angels Venerated Her
“From now on you will be in paradise where angels and archangels will minister to you and the powers will magnify you. Your soul will illuminate in heaven, the habitation of everlasting peace”
All across Ethiopia and within Oriental Orthodox parishes, thousands of Christians make pilgrimages, journeying to the Holy Church to experience and partake in one of her Holy events of blessed memory: The Fast of Saint Mary.
This fast was first instituted by the apostles themselves who fasted and prayed for 15 days to receive her body which was taken up by the angels without them witnessing and in eagerness of experiencing her ascension, an event that they had not all seen at the same time.
After the Apostles would have fasted for 15 days, Our Lady Saint Mary appeared with her Son Jesus Christ, who performed the Divine Liturgy with Peter and Deacon Stephen. He then commissioned the Apostles to go out into the world witnessing to the resurrection and ascension of Saint Mary. During this fast, the Church performs the Divine Liturgy everyday from August 7-22 remembering two things (i) Her falling asleep or dormition and (ii) her ascension into heaven (filseta). In like manner, the faithful gather like the Apostles to witness the appearances of Saint Mary and her intercession. Some seeking commitment from spiritual lethargy and forgetfulness while for others, a deep dive into the full liturgical celebration of the angels, where they are truly venerating her
Titles and Symbols of Saint Mary
Because of her ascension, Saint Mary is seen not only as the Virgin Mother of God but she is also venerated as the Queen of Heaven fulfilling the prophecy of Saint David: “Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir” (Psalm 45:9). Many symbols and prophecies can be witnessed in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible that prefigure her remarkable and intimate role in the salvation of mankind. Some of these symbols include: the Burning Bush, Jacob’s Ladder, The City of God (Ps 87:1-3) and the Golden Lampstand that bear the brilliant light at all times (Ps 87:1-3). Within the Oriental Orthodox Churches, many titles are also given to Saint Mary including: The Mother of God (Luke 1:43), The Holy of Holies, the Undefiled Bride (Eph 5:25-27)
The Pride of Our Race and the Ark of Testimony (2 Sam 6; Chr 15:29). Mezmurs and liturgical chants are also sung so that the whole life of the church are infused with these symbols and biblical prophecies.
Although Saint Mary was a diligent and obedient follower of Jesus Christ who God uses to bring Salvation to the world, not much is mentioned of Saint Mary in the New Testament. However, many other church books fill this gap including: The Life of the Saints (Synaxarium), The Divine Liturgy Book, the Praises of Mary (Widassie Maryam) and the Miracles of the Virgin Mary (Te’amire Maryam), an Ethiopian Manuscript comprising of hundreds of her miracles, read before the Divine Liturgy.
May Her Prayers and Intercessions be with us all, Amen
Faith and Works:
Lessons from our fathers
As Orthodox Christians, how can we let the community around us see how we honour the Blessed Virgin Mary- since they don’t come to church with us and they’re not in our homes?
Send them to her for help: People around us will always have problems they want help with, whether ours or God’s. While “pray about it” is a common response, we can also encourage people to ask the Virgin Mary for help, or if they don’t understand how the saints help us, at least encourage them to ask her to pray to her beloved Son for them.
Proudly display her iconography: Maybe on a t-shirt, maybe in your car, maybe on your desk at work, displaying the iconography of the Theotokos can itself be educational for others, as icons are ‘theology in colour’.
BONUS CHALLENGE: Mention the mother of God in conversation with a friend or colleague who is outside the church at least once.
Ask Abba/Kes
"Why does the New Testament mention the Father and the Son so much more than the Holy Spirit?"
The Holy Spirit is not One to be written about, or known by reading, but truly the Holy Spirit is to be lived, acquired, tasted. Being baptised and confirmed the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and so once we don't reject the protection and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can do as St David said: “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
— Psalm 34:8
BIBLE QUIZ!
“Mother Zion, the Most High himself has founded her”- where in the Bible can this be found?
A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Maryam
There was a certain woman who had made a vow that she would fast [in honor] of Our Lady Mary. When her husband learned about her vow, he made her to stop fasting and forced her to eat. One day she opened her box and found it full of gold. Since she knew and was very sure that neither this gold nor anything else could be hers in the world to come, and that Our Lady Mary had given it to her instead of the reward for her vow, she was sad and wept very bitterly.
When her husband saw that she was sorrowful, he was very sorry for her in his heart, and he asked her about the matter of her sadness. She said, “I am very sad because you have made me give up fasting to Our Lady Mary.” He said, “Fast as you please!” So, the woman fasted instead of eating. Afterward, when she went to her box and opened it, she found no gold whatsoever inside. She rejoiced greatly, for she knew that Our Lady Mary was well pleased with her, and that she had put her [treasure] [in the place] where there is no decay. The woman told her husband all that she had seen, and he repented of what he had done and joined the fast. He served Our Lady Mary with all his might and obtained [everlasting] life through fasting.
O Holy Virgin Maryam, pray for us!
LIJOCH! The Children's Corner
follow the dots then colour the picture.
ይበል:ግዕዝ (yibel Ge’ez)
Let's reclaim our forefathers’ language
Today, let’s break down a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ge’ez:
ቅድስት ድንግል ማርያም ወላዲተ አምላክ
kidist dingil maryam weladite amlak
Word-by-word this means:
ቅድስት (kidist)- holy (a different form of the common word ቅዱስ/kidus- also ‘holy’)
ድንግል (dingil)- virgin (plural ደናግል/denagil)
ማርያም (maryam)- Mary
ወላዲተ (weladite)- Bearer/Parent of (from the root verb ወለደ/welede- to give birth. The word by itself is ወላዲት/weladit- parent, but in order to say parent of, we must add the first form “eh” vowel to the end, making it ወላዲተ)
አምላክ (amlak)- God
ORTHODOX Q&A
Are we supposed to reverence Saint Mary?
The Church doesn’t worship anyone other than Christ, but we do give St. Mary her due reverence. We acknowledge that she is the mother of God and that she has this special relationship with Him. St. Mary herself prophesied about this when she said in Luke 1:48: “Henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” She is therefore blessed and we need to acknowledge it, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Why is Saint Mary an important figure in Christianity?
Unfortunately, many non Orthodox Christians misunderstand the Church’s dedication to Saint Mary and more often than not, this misunderstanding is extended to the choir of the saints as a whole. Some think that Orthodox Christians worship Saint Mary and the Saints as if they are some sort of deity but this is no way our belief or intention. Orthodox Christians worship the One Triune God and no other! However, the Orthodox Church does hold St Mary in great esteem because God himself holds her in high esteem in comparison to the remainder of humanity. Although God’s love is equal to all, God’s relationship with humanity still varies from one person to another. This is due to the human component of this relationship. In other words, how much I love God in return for His love for me dictates the strength of our relationship.
Send us your questions at: seu.eotccarla@gmail.com
References
The Life of the Saint of Saints The Virgin Mary: The Life of the Saint of Saints the Virgin Mary- Mary & Amani Bassilli
Miracle of the Holy Virgin Mary: pemm.princeton.edu/stories/167
Titles and Symbols: Holy Virgin Mary and Her Titles | St-Takla.org
Filseta: The Fast of the Assumption of St. Mary: eotcmk.org
CONTACT US:
Archdiocese headquarters: Medhane Alem (Saviour of the World), Old Golden Grove Rd. Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago.
Tel. 868-642-4230.
e-mail: eotc.arch.carla@gmail.com
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