Embedded Files
This feast is a commemoration of the accounciation about the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ by Arch Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. In Mayalayam this feast is known as vachanippu perunal (വചനിപ്പു പെരുനാള്). This feast is celeberated on March 25th, exactly 9 months prior to December 25th when the Nativity of our Lord is celeberated. Actually we celebrate the Feast of Annunciation to St. Mary twice a year. On the 3rd Sunday after Koodhosh Eetho and on March 25th.
Annunciation to the Virgin is one of the most important feasts in the Syriac Orthodox Church, so important that the Holy Liturgy (Qurbono) must be held on this day even if March 25th also happens to be Good Friday! (The Holy Liturgy is otherwise prohibited on Good Friday since the Church celebrates the death of Christ; in fact, the altar is stripped of all altar vessels and covered in black on Good Friday.)
The Holy Church can only consider the Quran only as a secular work of literature from the 7th century. However it is worth mentioning that annunciation is even mentioned in the Quran in Sura 3: verses 45-51 and in Sura 19: verses 16-26.
Readings
Evening
Morning
Before Holy Qurbana
Holy Qurbana
Listen to Homily : by Fr. Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary
Hymn sung after the reading of the Holy Gospel in the tune Ququoyo
Homily on the Annunciation
Dialogue between The Angel and Mary
During the early centuries of their existence the Syriac Churches developed a characteristic type of hymn containing a dialogue between two biblical characters.
In all probability these mostly date from the fifth and sixth centuries AD.
The conflict between reason and faith is also to be found in the dialogue between the angel and Mary* The dialogue brings out very effectively the initial hesitation which Mary must have felt when confronted by this stranger and his astounding words- •Significantly it is only when he mentions the coming .of the Holy Spirit (verse 35) that Mary finally accepts that the message is indeed from God: it is at this point that faith finally overcome the claims ;of reason.
Power of the Father who came down and dwelt,
compelled by his love, in a virgin’s womb,
grant me utterance that may speak
of this great deed of yours which cannot be grasped.
O Son of the Bounteous One, whose love so willed
that he should reside in a poor girl’s womb,
grant me utterance and words
that in due wonder of you I may speak.
To tell of you the mouth is too small,
to describe you the tongue quite inadequate,
voice and words are too weak
to relate your beauty, so please did me tell of you.
Grant that I may approach, 0 Lord of All,
in awe to that exalted place
of the chief of the angels when he announced
to the young mother your coming
O you who are discerning, come, listen and give ear
to this action so entirely filled with wonder;
sing glory to him who has bent down
to give life to Adam who had sinned and died.
The Father in his. mercy backoned to his Child
to descend and deliver what he had once fashioned,
and to Gabriel the angel did he instruct
to prepare the path before his descent.
With David’s daughter did mercy shine out,
for she was to be mother of him
who had given birth to Adam and to the whole world,
and whose name is older than the sun.
That will which cannot be grasped Hew down
to summon the angel, sending him out
from the angelic hosts on his mission here
to bring the glad news to a virgin pure.
A letter did he bring that had been sealed
with the mystery which from all ages had been hidden;
he filled it with greeting to the young girl
and fair hope for all the worlds.
Down flew the fiery one till he reached
the destitute girl, to fill her with wealth;
a greating did he give her, announcing to her too
concerning her conception, the cause of wonder to all.
11.
To the virgin did the angel thus say
‘Peace be with you, O mother of my Lord;
blessed are you, child,
and blessed the fruit within you’.
12.
Says Mary ‘who are you, sir,
and what is this that you utter ?
What you are saying is remote from me,
and what it means I have no idea’.
13.
O blessed of women, in you it has pleased
the Most Hight dwell; have no fear,
for in you has Grace bent down
to pour mercy upon the world.
14.
I beg you, sir, do not upset me:
you are clothed with coals of fire, mind you don’t burn me.
What you have said is alien to me,
I am quite enable to grasp what it means.
15.
The Father has revealed to me, as I do so now to you,
this mystery which is shared
between him and his Son, when he sent me to say
that from you will he shine out over the worlds.
Mary 16.
You are ilame, don’t frighten me,
you are wrapped in coals of fire, don’t terrify me.
O fiery one, how should I believe you
when all that you have spoken to me is totally new ?
Angel 17.
it would be amazing if you were to answer back,
annulling the message which I have brought to you
concerning the conception of the Most High
whose will it is to dwell in your womb.
Mary 18.
I am afraid, sir, to accept you,
for when Eve, my mother, accepted
the serpent who spoke as a friend
from her former glory was she snatched away.
Angel 19.
My daughter, he certainly did use deception
on your mother Eve when he gave her the message,
but, just as certainly, am not deceiving you,
seeing that it is the True One by whom I have been sent.
Mary 20.
All this that you say
is most difficult, so do not find fault with me,
for it isn’t from a virgin that a son will appear
- nor from that fruit a being who is divine.
Angel 21.
The Father gave me this meeting here
to bring you the salutation and to announce to you
that from your womb his Son will shine forth,
so do not answer back in contrariness.
Mary 22.
This meeting with you and your presence here is all very fine,
if only the natural order did not stir me
to have doubts at your arrival
about how in a virgin there can be fruit.
23.
The angelic hosts quake at his word:
the moment he has commanded they do not answer back;
how is it then that you are not afraid
to query the thing that the Father lias willed ?
24.
I too quake, sir, and am terrified,
yet though I fear I find it hard to believe
since nature ilself can well convince me
that virgins do not ever give birth.
25.
It is the Father’s love that has so willed
that in vour virginity you should give birth to the Son;
it is appropriate that you should keep silent,
and have faith too, for the will of the Father cannot be gainsaid.
26.
Your appearance is venerable, your message full of awe,
your flames are leaping up;
into the person of your Lord one cannot inquire,
but that I should believe this is still difficult.
Angel 27.
It is good news that I have brought you,
you shall give birth to your Lord, as 1 have explained;
o child, give thanks to him who has held you worthy
to be his mother having him as your son.
Mary 28.
I am but a girl and cannot receive a man of fire;
the matter you speak of is hidden from me,
yet you proclaim that 1 should accept it.
Angel 29.
To-day for Adam hope has arrived,
for in you is the Lord of all pleased
to come down and release him, granting him liberty.
Accept my words, at the same time give thanks.
Mary 30.
To-day I wonder and am truly amazed
at all these things of which you have spoken to me
yet I am afraid, sir, to accept you,
in case there be some deceit in what you say
Angel 31.
When I was sent to announce to you
I heard his greeting and I brought it to you.
My Lord is true, for he has so willed
to shine forth from you over the worlds.
Mary 32.
All your words quite astonish me,
I beg you sir, do not blame me,
for a son in a virgin is not to be seen,
and no one has ever slept with me.
Angel 33.
He will come to you, have no fear,
he will reside in your womb, ask not how.
O woman full of blessings, sing praise
to him who was pleased to be seen in you.
Mary 34.
Sir, no man has ever known me
nor any ever slept with me;
how can this be, what you have said
for without such union there will be no sone?
Angel 35.
From the Father was I sent
to bring you this message, that his love has compelled him
that in your womb his Son should reside,
and over you shall the Holy Spirit reside.
Mary 36.
In that case, o angel, 1 will not answer back:
if the Holy Spirit shall come to me,
I am his maidservant, and he has authority;
let it be to me, Lord, in accordance with your word.
Angel 37.
Let your head be raised up, o maiden,
let your heart rejoice, o virgin;
o second heaven, let the earth
rejoice in you, for in your Son does it gain peace.
38.
Let my head be raised up, sir, as you have said.
As I rejoice I shall confess his name,
for if you-his servant - are so fair,
what might he be like? Tell, if you can.
39.
This is something the angel hosts are unable to do
-to gaze on him, for he is most fearful;
hidden is he in his Father’s flame,
and the heavenly bands all hold him in awe.
40.
You greatly disturb me now,
for if, as you say, he is all flame
how will my womb not be harmed
by the fire residing there?
41
Your womb will be filled with sanctity
sealed with the hidden divinity:
a place that is holy is greatly beloved
by God as a place where to appear.
42
O angel, reveal to me why it has pleased
your Lord to dwell in a mere poor girl:
the w r orld is full of king’s daughters,
so why does he want me, who am totally destitute ?
43
It would have been easy for him to dwell in a rich girl,
but it is with your poverty that he has fallen in love,
so that he may become one with the poor
and enrich them when he has been revealed.
44
Explain to me, sir, if you know this,
w'hen does he wish to come to me ?
And will he appear to me like fire
when he resides in me as you have said ?
45
Already he has so willed it, he is come and is dwelling within you:
lest you be frightened you remained unaware.
I dare not look upon you now
that you are filled with the Fire that does not consume.
46
I should like, sir, to put this question to you: -
explain to me the ways of my son
who resides within me without my being aware,
what should I do for him so that he is not held in contempt?
47
Cry out ‘Holy, holy, holy’.
just as our heavenly legions do. adding nothing else,
for we have nothing besides this ‘Holy',
this is all we utter concerning your Son.
48
Holy and glorious and blessed is his name,
for he has looked upon his handmaid’s low estate;
henceforth all generations in the world
shall proclaim me blessed.
49
Height and depth shall sing out to him,
angels and men shall give him praise,
for he, Lord of all, has come down
and dwelt in a virgin, to make all things new.
50
Great is his mercy and not to be measured,
far beyond what lips can describe.
On high the heavens cannot contain him,
yet down below for him a womb suffices.
51
Let heaven and earth call him blessed,
let angel and virgin,
and all mankind too, call him holy,
for in his love he has descended and become man.
52
Let heaven and angels give thanks on high,
let earth rejoice in the virgin,
let both sides, as they exult,
give praise to the Son of their Lord.
53
Let both sides be mingled in praise,
angels together with men,
to the Son who has restored to them peace
when between them there had been disruption and anger.
54
Thanks be to you. Lord,
from all the fiery invisible worlds,
from every mouth in this world too
let the earth sing its praises to you.
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