Proverbs of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Liturgics

This proverb tells of Jacob's vision of the Ladder.

. Jacob left the oath store and went to Haran.

"Treasury of Oaths"[Bathsheba], where Jacob's journey described here began, was in the south of the Philistine land. Abraham settled here after the Sodom pogrom, and Isaac lived here. Name "oath well" came from the fact that under him Abraham entered into an alliance with the Philistine king Abimelech to protect his safety from his subjects, and this alliance was confirmed by the oath of the allies (). Harran, where Jacob gathered, was a Mesopotamian city, from where Abraham, after the death of his father Terah, went out at the command of God to the Canaanite country. His brother Nahor lived in this city after him, and there a bride was found for Isaac, Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor. Jacob's journey from Beersheba to Haran, to his relatives, soon followed the blessing he received from his father. This journey was undertaken by Jacob on the advice of his mother due to the anger of his brother Esau, who threatened to kill him for the blessing he had anticipated. Another purpose of Jacob's journey was to marry in the tribe from which his mother Rebekah was taken. Rebekah, who suffered great grief from the wives of Esau, taken from the Canaanite tribe, revealed to Isaac that she would be extremely sad if her other son, Jacob, married a Canaanite woman. Isaac himself was dissatisfied with Esau's wives and therefore sent Jacob to Harran with the order to take a wife here from the daughters of Laban, Rebekah's brother, and with the blessing with which he confirmed what had been given to him before (). Jacob's parents, as rich people, could, sending him to a distant place, equip a caravan for him, as Abraham did, sending his servant Eliezer to Harran to pick up a bride for Isaac (). But partly out of hope that God, who had chosen Jacob as the heir of his promises, would not abandon him with his help on the long journey, partly out of a desire to hide Jacob’s journey from Esau, they let him go - alone, without servants, on foot, with a rod in his hand () and with a travel bag (in which, by the way, the oil was stored. ()) on his shoulders.

. And you found a place, and succeeded there, for the sun went down, and took from the stone of the place [that], and put it at the head, and slept in the place dumbly.

The place where Jacob spent the night was near the Canaanite city of Luza () and he called it Bethel, i.e. the house of God, in memory of the Epiphany, which, as we will now see, he was honored with in this place. Subsequently, when Luza was conquered by the Jews, it, next to the place of this Epiphany, was renamed by them to Bethel (). Bethel lies north of Jerusalem, 15 versts from it, and 60 versts from Bathsheba. Jacob could make such a significant day's journey only by getting up early in the morning, which was probably done so as not to be noticed by Esau. Jacob, caught in the field at night, did not go to seek lodging for the night in the neighboring city, either because, out of distrust of the Canaanites, he did not deign to commit himself to their hospitality, or, rather, because he wanted to remain under the protection of God alone, his Protector and Patron. Spending the night in the middle of the field, he could be afraid of attacks from robbers and wild animals; but his hope for this Almighty Protector did not leave him. Tired of the long march and the heat of the day, he calmly fell asleep on a stone, which he placed at his head. The night dew, abundant in a hot country, wetted his outer clothing and members, but did not bother him, but only refreshed him.

. And I saw a dream: and behold, a Ladder was established on the earth, its head reaching to heaven, and the angels of God ascended and descended along it. The Lord established himself on it and said: I am your father Abraham and the God of Isaac, do not be afraid: the land where you write on it, I will give it to you and to your seed.

Jacob himself, upon awakening from sleep, recognized the vision he had in a dream as a Divine revelation (). The revelation in a dream strengthened him in the hope in God that he had in the waking state. The ladder that connected heaven with earth, with its upper end reaching the vault of heaven, and its lower end resting on the ground near Jacob’s overnight stay, signified the uninterrupted communication of the spiritual world with God’s chosen ones on earth. The appearance of God, the Lord of heaven and earth, angels and men, at the top of the Ladder, showed that God Himself from His holy height looks down on the earth and with His omnipotent cover overshadows people, like Jacob, who trust in Him and are devoted to Him. The ascent and descent of the angels along the Ladder revealed in them the servants of God, sent to earth to serve those who will inherit salvation (): some of the angels descend to people to fulfill God’s commandments regarding them, others ascend from earth to God with a report on the fulfillment of these commandments and for accepting new ones. Thus, the vision of the Ladder, at the top of which stood God and along which angels ascended and descended, was supposed to strengthen in Jacob the conviction that he was under the special protection of God and under the protection of the Heavenly Powers. In addition, in the Ladder seen by Jacob, the mystery of redemption is foreshadowed. Sin dissolved the close union of man with God and with His faithful servants - the angels. Through the incarnation of the Son of God and all His redemptive actions, as if through the Ladder, heaven was again united with earth, God with people, peace with God was again established on earth and the way to heaven was opened for wanderers on earth. It is in this sense that the Lord taught us to understand Jacob’s vision when, in a conversation with Nathanael, he promised him that with the eyes of faith “he will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending[On sky] and those who descend to the Son of Man" and in His face to all redeemed people (). – “I am your father Abraham and the God of Isaac, do not be afraid.”. With these words, explaining the vision of the Ladder, the Lord strengthens Jacob to courageously endure the further difficulties of travel and long-term stay away from his homeland, instilling in him that he will be as close and merciful to him as he was close and merciful to his grandfather Abraham, and as hitherto close and merciful to his father Isaac. – “The land you write on it, I will give it to you and to your seed.”. This promise, given to Abraham and Isaac, and now repeated to Jacob, was very gratifying to him in his situation. He was now only a stranger in the land of Canaan, did not have any property in it, and even when he returned to it after 20 years, he would live in it as a stranger; but the Lord promises him that all this land will be in the possession of his descendants, that his descendants will be the sovereign masters of that country in which there is now no safe haven for him. The hope of the fulfillment of this promise in the offspring is no less pleasant for the ancestor than if he himself had lived to see the time of this fulfillment.

. And your seed will be like the sand of the earth, and will spread over the sea.[n][to the west], and [n][to the south], and the north, and to the east, and all the tribes of the earth will be blessed because of you and because of your seed.

The words of this promise, as well as the promise in the previous verse about the inheritance of the land of Canaan, constitute a repetition of the same promises to Abraham (). The fleshly descendants of Jacob will be numerous, but his spiritual descendants will be even more numerous, that is, those who believe in Christ, one of his descendants according to the flesh. The Israelis will occupy a considerable space during the flourishing time of their civil life - under David and Solomon; but the boundaries of the Church of Christ will be incomparably wider, having to spread to all ends of the universe, to extreme points north and south, east and west. For, says the Lord to Jacob, "about you and about your seed", that is, through you, and through your great descendant, Christ himself, the Son of God, “all the tribes of the earth will be blessed”, - an abundance of spiritual benefits will be brought down to all nations.

. And behold, I am with you, they preserved you on every path, and even if you go, I will return you to this land: for the imam will not leave you until I can create all that is great in your words.

The Lord promises Jacob to continually stay with him and protect him not only during his entire journey to Haran and back, but until other promises are fulfilled that relate not to him personally, but to his descendants and the Church. This means that the Lord will remain with Jacob forever in the person of his descendants, fleshly and spiritual. Christ gave a similar promise to the apostles: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age”(). The apostles lived and died, but the apostolic will exist forever and the grace of Christ will never depart from it.

. And Jacob arose from his sleep and said: For the Lord is in this place, but I did not know.

“I didn’t know.” Jacob, without a doubt, believed in the omnipresence of God, and believed that the Lord could reveal His presence in a special way in every place; but in his sleepy state it did not occur to Jacob that the vision that he had in his dream was given to him in an open field, during the journey, far from his native home: he was then convinced that he continued to live at home. Only upon awakening did he become convinced that he was not at home, that the Lord appeared to him on the way to a foreign direction, in the very place where he had spent the night.

. And he was afraid and said: How terrible is this place: this is not, but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

"And I was afraid." I felt fear due to the conviction that the vision in the dream was not dreamy, but sent from God. “And he said: this place is terrible”, - that is, here is another place that the Lord sanctified with His appearance, where He showed special closeness to me, and which therefore, like all other places marked by the Lord’s appearances to Abraham and Isaac, is worthy of special reverence. “This is not [this is not something else], but the house of God”: from now on this is not a simple place, but the house of God, like a palace, where the Lord, the King of heaven and earth, deigned to temporarily establish His throne. "This is the gate of heaven": here the Lord Himself appeared among the host of His servants, heavenly powers, and spoke His merciful word to me, as earthly rulers appear among the people’s assembly, which usually happens at the city gates, and here they announce their commands and sentences. Why is the paremia about Jacob’s vision of the Ladder supposed to be read on the feasts of the Mother of God? Because the content of the proverb has something to do with the Mother of God. Thus, the Ladder, seen by Jacob, formed, as we noted, the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, through which heaven, the entrance to which was closed by human sin, was united with the earth. But the Most Holy Virgin served this incomprehensible mystery in that from Her most pure blood the Son of God was incarnate, and therefore the Ladder represented not only the incarnate Son of God, through Whom we have access to the Father (), but also His earthly Mother, who has maternal boldness towards Him and By intercession with Him, making this access easier for us. That is why in church hymns the Mother of God is called “the ladder that raised everyone from the earth with grace, the bridge that leads from death to life, from earth to heaven” (acath. can. p. 4. ikos 2), or is directly called Jacob’s ladder: “Rejoice The ladder is high, to the south of Jacob's appearance." - “The ladder of ancient times Jacob formed in form and speech: this is the degree of God” (acath. Bogorod. stichera 1 and March 25 canon. Bogorod., paragraph 9).

Troparion, tone 4:
Thy Nativity, O Virgin Mother of God, is a joy to proclaim to the whole universe: from Thee has arisen the Sun of Truth - Christ our God, and having destroyed the oath, He has given a blessing, and, having abolished death, He has given us eternal life.

Kontakion, tone 4:
Joachim and Anna are the reproach of childlessness, and Adam and Eve are freed from mortal aphids, O Most Pure One, in Thy holy Nativity. Then Thy people also celebrate, having been freed from the guilt of sins, always calling upon Thy: barrenness gives birth to the Mother of God and the Nourisher of our life.

Magnification:
We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, and honor Your holy parents and glorify Your Nativity with all glory.

ORIGIN OF THE HOLIDAY, ITS MEANING AND IMPORTANCE.

The holiday in memory of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was established by the Church in ancient times. There is an indication of it already in the 4th century. According to ancient legend, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helen at the beginning of the 4th century built a temple in Palestine in honor and memory of the Birth of the Mother of God. Saints John Chrysostom and Epiphanius of Cyprus, as well as blessed Augustine and Jerome, narrate this event. In honor of the holiday by the holy songwriters (in the 5th century - Anthony, Archbishop of Constantinople, in the 6th century - Stephen of Svyatograd; in the 7th century - Saint Andrew of Crete; in the 8th century - Saints John of Damascus and Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople; in 9th century - Joseph the Studite) composed many hymns, which are still sung during services on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thus, since ancient times, “every Orthodox language praises and blesses and glorifies the Most Pure Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the Bride of God.”

For His incarnation “in fulfillment of the Divine providence (economy),” the Son of God chooses the Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who, through His father Joachim, descended from the royal family of David, and through his mother Anna, from the high priestly family of Aaron. “Named from the ancient generations” and “pre-chosen from all generations into the dwelling of all the King and Creator of Christ God,” the Most Holy Virgin Mary was the daughter of chaste and righteous parents, the fruit of ardent faith and prayer asked of God by the elderly and childless Joachim and Anna.

Christmas Holy Virgin The Mother of God, in the words of the church song, was a joy for the whole world, for the entire universe - "Angels and men", for from Her the "Sun of Truth - Christ our God" shone for everyone. “This is the Day of the Lord,” “The beginning of our salvation,” the beginning of the appearance on earth of the incarnate economy of God, for already with the Birth of the Mother of God the Incarnation of God begins. "The predetermined tabernacle of our reconciliation with God now begins to be, having to give birth to us the Word, who appeared in the hardness ("appearing in rankness") of the flesh. The Most Holy Virgin, "named", pre-chosen from all generations, "much for the sake of Her purity and humility", served as a great the mystery of the salvation of people through the Incarnation, for She was the Mother of the Creator of all - Christ God, "the ever-essential Being, the Divine abode - God's abode", the temple of God and the animate heaven, "The Holy Throne prepared on earth", "The Nourisher of our life."

The “All-Singing Virgin” appeared “One is truly the Mother of God, the holy temple, the companion of the Divine, in whom the glorious, perfect sacrament was performed, the ineffable union of the natures that have come together in Christ.” “She is the One, the One who brings Christ into the salvation of our souls.”

Saint Andrew of Crete, in his Homily for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, says: “The present holiday is for us the beginning of the holidays. It serves as the door to grace and truth. Now the Creator of all has built an animated temple, and creation (in the person of the Virgin Mary) is being prepared for a new home for the Creator.” . According to Rev. John of Damascus, “the day of the Nativity of the Mother of God is a holiday of universal joy, because through the Mother of God the entire human race was renewed and the sorrow of the foremother Eve was changed into joy.”

“Ubo (Virgin) is born, and the world is renewed with Her.” In the person of the Most Pure Virgin Mary, all creation participates in salvation as a divine-human work. She herself is the best “firstfruits” of the human race and human nature. The Most Holy Theotokos appeared as “the beginning of our salvation,” She is “the life and purification of all,” “the joys of salvation, the Intercessor,” “She who is earthly and heavenly” is united. She is “the removal of oaths, the giving of blessings,” “Adam’s deliverance, Eve’s proclamation and the incorruptible source, the change of aphids: For her sake we were deified and were delivered from death.”

The Holy Church in the liturgical hymns of the holiday glorifies the highest degree of approach of the Divine to grace-filled unity with humanity in the person of the pre-elected Virgin, born according to the promise of God “by the wave of all the Creator and Almighty.”

“Today the world joy is proclaimed, today the winds have risen, the salvation of the herald: the barrenness of our nature is resolved. Barrenness (Anna) is shown to the Virgin Mother (Matter of the Virgin Mary) (Who remains a Virgin) and after the birth of the Creator. From Her the alien (human nature) appropriates , and brings salvation to those who have gone astray in the flesh, Who (is) by nature God - Christ the Lover of Mankind and the Deliverer of our souls."

At Great Vespers, after entering, there is a reading of three proverbs, which are also read on other Mother of God feasts.
The first proverb (Gen. 28:10-17) speaks of the ladder (ladder) that Patriarch Jacob saw. This ladder spiritually and symbolically symbolizes the Most Holy Virgin, through Whom the Son of God descended to earth and united with human nature.

The second proverb (Ezek. 44:2-4) speaks of the closed gates seen by the prophet Ezekiel, through which no one passed, but the Lord God of Israel will pass and “they will be shut.” These closed gates represent a prototype of the Ever-Virginity of the Virgin Mary.

The third proverb speaks of Wisdom, who created a home for herself, and clearly points to the Most Holy Virgin Mary, from whom Christ the Savior was incarnated and born.

At Matins, the magnification is sung on the polyeleos. After the magnification, the small litany and the sedalna of the feast, the first antiphon of the 4th tone is sung.

This antiphon (“From my youth”), as a rule, is sung according to the polyeleos on all the twelve feasts of the Lord and the Theotokos, which occur on weekdays. If the Twelfth Feast of the Theotokos happens on Sunday, then the sedate antiphons of the current voice are sung. On Sunday, the first antiphon of the 4th tone is sung only when it coincides with the twelve feasts of the Lord: the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the Nativity of Christ, the Epiphany, the Transfiguration, the Week of Vai (the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem), Pentecost, as well as on the Sunday of the Apostle Thomas - a holiday with many features of the service of the twelfth feast.
On the holiday, two canons are read. The first canon is of St. John of Damascus (VIII century); the second - St. Andrew of Crete (VII century). The second canon is dedicated not only to the Nativity, but also to the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, as events that are close to each other, for the feast of the Entry refers to the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, as the Presentation of the Lord is to the Nativity of Christ. Katavasia is the irmos of the nearest great holiday of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: “Moses drew the Cross” (based on this principle, katavasia is supposed to be sung on some other great feasts of the Theotokos and the Lord: the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, Transfiguration, Ascension of the Lord, etc.). According to the charter, the Irmos of both canons are supposed to be sung twice. On the 9th song, “The Most Honest Cherub” we do not sing, but the choruses of the holiday are sung. Usually, instead of “The Most Honest Cherub,” the first chorus and the irmos of the second canon are sung.
Chorus: Magnify, my soul, the glorious Nativity of God to Matera.

Irmos: Virginity is foreign to mothers, and childbearing is strange to virgins: on You, Mother of God, both are settled. Thus we continually magnify all the tribes of the earth.

Then the indicated chorus is sung to the troparions of the first canon. To the troparia of the second canon there is another refrain: Magnify, my soul, the Virgin Mary born of barrenness.

At the Liturgy, instead of “It is worthy”, the deserving person is sung - the irmos “Virginity is alien to mothers” with a chorus. We sing the same honorable person at every Liturgy during the after-feast before the celebration of the holiday. Usually, the saint of the holiday is sung at the Liturgy up to and including the celebration and on all other great feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God. On these holidays, the irmos of the 9th song of the canon, with or without a chorus, usually serves as a zadostoynik.

The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary has one day of pre-celebration (September 7/20) and four days of post-celebration. It is given away on September 12/25.

The day after the holiday (September 9/22) the memory of the holy righteous Godfather Joachim and Anna is celebrated.

ENTRANCE TO THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY VIRGIN

Troparion, tone 4
Today is the day of God's favor, the transfiguration, and the preaching of the salvation of men: in the temple of God the Virgin clearly appears and announces Christ to everyone. To that we too will cry out loudly: Rejoice, fulfillment of the Creator’s vision.

Kontakion, tone 4
The most pure temple of the Savior, the valuable palace and the Virgin, the sacred treasure of the Glory of God, is today introduced into the house of the Lord, the grace of the Divine Spirit, even as the Angels of God sing: This is the village of heaven.

Greatness
We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, God-chosen Youth, and honor Your entry into the Temple of the Lord.

ORIGIN OF THE HOLIDAY, ITS MEANING AND IMPORTANCE

The exact date of the establishment of the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary is unknown. The introduction of the Blessed Virgin into the temple after She was three years old was mentioned in the first century by Bishop Evodius of Antioch, in the 4th century by Blessed Jerome, as well as by Saints Gregory of Nyssa and Patriarchs Germanus and Tarasius of Constantinople. In the East, the holiday became widespread in the 8th–9th centuries. In the 9th century, George, Metropolitan of Nicomedia, compiled a canon for the holiday ("I will open my mouth") and a series of stichera, and in the 10th century, Basil Pagariot, Archbishop of Caesarea, compiled a second canon for the holiday ("Song of Victory"). These stichera and canons are still sung by the Church today.

Predestined by the Lord by Her miraculous birth to be the dwelling place of the Son of God, the palace of the Incontainable Living God, the Most Holy Virgin from her earliest youth was preserved by Divine Providence in perfect purity, far from all sin and vice.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, filled with reverence for God, grew up in the house of her pious parents in an atmosphere of purity and holiness, tender parental love and care. In fulfillment of the vow given by her parents - to be dedicated to God, at the age of three She was taken to the Jerusalem Temple in order to “be brought up sacredly, so that the Lord of all will be the Divine Throne and<…>luminous abode."

As this event is depicted in ancient church tradition, for the celebration of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin, the righteous Joachim and Anna, according to custom, called their relatives to Nazareth, where they lived, collected the faces of the virgins and prepared many candles. Arriving from Nazareth in Jerusalem, they reverently and solemnly walked to the temple of God, like the Old Testament procession with the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple of Solomon (1 Chron., ch. 15). The Blessed Virgin Mary, led into the temple, was preceded by the face of young virgins with lamps. “Around the temple,” writes Blessed Jerome, “according to the 15 psalms of degrees, there were 15 steps. On each of these steps, the priests and Levites, ascending to serve, sang one psalm. On the first of these steps, the parents placed young Mary. And when they removed her from Her traveling clothes and, according to custom, they dressed Her in the best and most splendid, the Virgin of the Lord alone, not supported or lightened by anyone’s hand, ascended all the steps as if she were at full age.” Everyone was surprised to see how the three-year-old Otrokovitsa quickly, like an adult, ascended all the steps.

The Most Pure Virgin was met by the High Priest Zechariah, the son of Varachia, the parent of the Forerunner, the prophet of God, and by the mysterious inspiration of God, foreseeing the future, he did an unusual and surprising thing for everyone: having blessed the Virgin, He introduced Her, as the “Bride of God the All-Tsar,” into the Holy of Holies, to where the ark of the Covenant was located, where, according to the law, only the high priest was allowed to enter once a year with cleansing sacrificial blood, and where entry was prohibited not only to women and virgins, but also to priests (Ex. 30:10). Even the Angels, according to the church song, “beheld the entry of the Most Pure One, marveling at how the Virgin entered the Holy of Holies.”

The Holy Church glorifies the event of this holiday in kontakion.

The Most Holy Virgin entered the Holy of Holies on the day of the Entry, and during the entire time of Her stay in the temple She entered there without any restrictions, which was forbidden even to the high priest on pain of death (Lev. 16:2).

Here, “in the sanctuary” - in the middle part of the temple, between the courtyard and the Holy of Holies, the Blessed Virgin was left in a special compartment for virgins for her upbringing. When She was brought to the temple, being a three-year-old girl, even then She was “many in spirit,” “infant in the flesh, but perfect in soul.” In the temple She was honored with the appearance of an Angel of God. According to Sacred Tradition, an Angel brought Her food that sanctified Her. The Holy Virgin, “taking heavenly food, flourished in wisdom and grace.” “Nursed in the temple with heavenly bread, (She) gave birth to the world the Bread of Life - the Word,” “all of Her,” says the church song, “dwelling inside the temple and nourished by heavenly food, was sanctified by the All-Holy Spirit.” During the stay of the Holy Virgin Mary in the temple, the Spirit of God, preparing Her for the “Divine Dwelling,” penetrated more and more into Her soul, until Her soul became capable of giving a human soul to the One who would be born of Her in the flesh—the Son of God. “As the spiritual fruit of the righteous,” “as having the beauty of spiritual purity and filled with the grace of God from heaven, the Pure Mother of God,” the Virgin, through spiritual achievement and perfection, reached such a height of holiness at which Her body became completely impervious to sin (glorified for “the flow of sin "). She who was brought with candles in infancy and “given to the Divine Temple, She herself, as a truly Divine temple, appeared as the abode of the impregnable and Divine Light.”

And throughout the entire service of the feast of the Entry of the Mother of God into the temple, the dominant motives are purity and holiness, joy and light.

The Most Holy Virgin Mary, who by grace achieved the highest purity and holiness, served the great mystery of the Incarnation, becoming the Matter of the “Holy Holy Word". “The Chosen One and the Only Pure One,” says the chant, “turned out to be above everything earthly and intelligible.” The Prophet of God, the High Priest Zechariah, once contemplating the beauty of the soul of the Most Pure Virgin and seeing the future, exclaimed with faith: “You are deliverance, You are joy everyone. You are our appeal: through You the Incontainable will be contained for me.”

Since childhood, the Most Holy Virgin contained all the inexhaustible wealth of grace: “Like the house of the essence of grace, in it lie the treasures of God’s ineffable structure (household building).” At the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, only Her parents Joachim and Anna, due to the miraculous circumstances that accompanied this birth, could foresee the great destiny of their Daughter. Her introduction into the temple was, as it were, a manifestation of Her to the world, similar to the appearance of Christ at His Baptism. The introduction into the temple became a silent sermon to the people about the imminent coming of Christ, which showed God’s favor to people, served for them as salvation and the implementation of the entire economy of the Creator in relation to the human race. “Today (on the day of the Entry of the Mother of God into the temple) is a foreshadowing (“pre-depiction”) of God’s favor and a preliminary sermon about the salvation of people: the Virgin openly appears in the temple of God and announces Christ to everyone.”

The Most Holy Virgin Mary, by Her appearance, announced that the fulfillment of the “discipline (house-building) of the Creator” is near and “the eternal counsel of our Eternal God is coming to be fulfilled.”

From the time of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple, prophecies about our salvation began to come true: “The rays of grace have already shone with the entry into the temple of God of the Pure Virgin,” destined to be the Mother of God and the mediator of joy for the world; "before the age of the named Mother and in last summer The Appearing Mother of God."

David’s prophecy came true on the Pure Virgin (Ps. 44:15) as a pure offering of all mankind to God, who accepted this gift and sacrifice from people: “The Lord, though (wanting to show) with his tongue (to the peoples) His salvation, the Unmade (Virgin) now from man accepted (as a gift), reconciliation (as) a sign and renewal."

The Blessed Virgin Mary, "being Holy Temple Our Holy God," served as the incarnation of the King of all and God, Who deified, renewed, recreated the entire human race by His mercy. Through Her we got rid of the ancient curse, "the former incorruptibility of the community." "Let the heavens above rejoice today, and the clouds rejoice and sprinkle the very (very) glorious majesties of our God”, “for He has opened to us Heavenly Kingdom the so-called All-Tsarina. Rejoice people and be merry."

FEATURES OF THE HOLIDAY SERVICE

At Great Vespers three proverbs are read.

In the first proverb (Exod. 70, 1–5, 9–10; 16, 34–35) in the image of the Old Testament tabernacle, which during consecration was filled with the glory of the Lord, the Church contemplates the greatness of the Blessed Virgin Mary - for the Holy Spirit overshadowed the Blessed Virgin, the tabernacle of the incarnation Gentlemen.
In the second paremia (3 Kings 8, 1; 3–7, 9–11) the Church contemplates the prototype of the Blessed Virgin - the ark of the Covenant of the Lord, which, after the consecration of Solomon's Temple, the priests brought into the Holy of Holies under the shade of the Cherubim.

In the third proverb (Ezek. 43, 27; 44, 1–4), the prototype of the God-chosen Maiden is the gate seen by the prophet Ezekiel.
At the blessing of the loaves, at “God is the Lord,” and at the end of Matins, the troparion of the holiday is sung.

At Matins there is polyeleos magnification.

There are two canons. Katavasia: “Christ is born, glorify” (irmos of the nearest holiday - the Nativity of Christ). At song 9 we don’t sing “The Most Honest Cherub”, but the chorus and irmos are sung.

Chorus: The angels were amazed at the entry of the Most Pure One into the Holy of Holies.

Irmos: Like the animate ark of God, let the hand of the bad (uninitiated) never touch it; The lips of the faithful to the Mother of God are silent, the voice of the Angel is chanting, and they cry out with joy: truly you are above all, O Pure Virgin.

These same chorus and irmos are the honorific at the Liturgy. Further, the troparions of the first canon, the irmos and the troparia of the second canon are appended with their own special refrains.

At the Liturgy, as usual on the twelve feasts of the Theotokos, there is the prokeimenon, the Apostle, the Gospel and the sacrament of the holiday (on Sunday - in conjunction with the Sundays). Instead of "Worthy" the sung worthy is sung.
The twelfth feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos has one day of forefeast (November 20) and four days of afterfeast. The holiday is celebrated on November 25/December 8.

The service for giving is combined (as an exception from all the twelve feasts) with the service to the holy martyrs Clement of Rome and Peter of Alexandria.

From the day of the Feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary (November 21/December 4) to December 31 (January 13 of the new style - the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. - Ed.) at matins on Sundays and holidays, having a vigil, polyeleos or great doxology, the katavasiya is sung: “Christ is born, glorify” (ordinary, after all the songs).

Holidays are not only church-wide celebrations of one or another event related to our salvation, but also an occasion to renew Old Testament events in our memory.

For what? Yes, it’s very simple - the Old Testament, in fact, is just the history of the Jewish people and, in isolation from the events of the New Testament, it remains so. Why do we need to know how many years the Jews wandered in the desert and why the prophets scolded them in their time, if this is absolutely not connected with our own history and even more so with our life today.

But the Old Testament is not just the history of the Jews, it is the greatest prophecy and prototype of our salvation, which would have been impossible without Christ and, of course, His Most Pure Mother. That is why at festive evening services, proverbs are read - special passages from the Old Testament (in the overwhelming majority), which in one way or another correlate with the immediate festive events. Often they may not be entirely clear - not only because few people are familiar with Holy Scripture in the Church Slavonic language and few people know the events of the Old Testament as well as the events of the Gospel, but also because through the dull, “fortune-telling” glass of prototypes and prophecies it is not always possible to understand what or Who is being discussed. Take, for example, the proverbs that are read on the Intercession of the Virgin Mary...

Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran, and came to a certain place, and stayed there to spend the night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place, and put it at his head, and lay down in that place. And I saw in a dream: behold, a ladder stands on the ground, and its top touches the sky; and behold, the angels of God ascend and descend on it. And behold, the Lord stands on it and says: I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; don't be afraid. The land on which you lie will I give to you and to your descendants; and your descendants will be like the sand of the earth; and you will spread to the sea, and to the east, and to the north, and to the noonday; and in you and in your seed all families of the earth will be blessed; and behold, I am with you, and I will keep you wherever you go; and I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you. Jacob awoke from his sleep and said: Truly the Lord is present in this place; but I didn’t know! And he was afraid and said: How terrible is this place! this is nothing other than the house of God, this is the gate of heaven. (Genesis 28:10-17).

The Holy Scripture is revealed to everyone gradually, as everyone progresses spiritually. Someone can see here only a description of the disturbing dream of Jacob, fleeing from the revenge of his brother in the vicinity of the “well of oath”, where, even under Patriarch Abraham, an agreement was concluded on the non-aggression of the Jews and Philistines against each other. And someone, following the holy fathers who discern the fullness of the semantic shades of Scripture, can also see the prototype of the Mother of God Herself, contained in the patristic understanding of “Jacob’s Ladder.”

Firstly, the staircase itself, as an image of ascent from earth to heaven, cannot but recall the basic principle of spiritual life - communion with God. Of those who lived on earth, even the forefather Adam hardly had such complete communion with God as the Mother of God. Secondly, none of the stairs can be climbed at once - gradualism, “step-by-step” is its integral property, just as the Holy Virgin Mary did not immediately become the Mother of God, but was first born, raised, brought to the temple, taught the Scriptures, betrothed to Joseph ... Here, too, is the prototype and great mystery of how a person who has fallen low as a result of the Fall can rise thanks to the humility that the Blessed Virgin revealed in its fullness.

Finally, the ladder is based on the ground. If we turn to the image of the Mother of God, then She is also from the earth, from the human race. She did not neglect anything earthly: she did not disdain work, did not consider sorrow unnecessary for herself, did not avoid communication, and was not burdened by solitude. Only sin on earth harms everything, and so, without sin, the whole earth is blessed by God and best flower earth - the Mother of God - our Hope and Confirmation. But Jacob's Ladder is not only established on earth, but also reaches heaven. Who else has achieved the highest of the gifts of communication with God in the most perfect form? And if the desire for God becomes the meaning of all quests in life, then who else, if not the Mother of God, will become a Helper and Intercessor in this field.

Also, “Jacob’s Ladder” is full of Angels rising from the earth and descending to the earth. From the earth, from us, they bring to God the prayers of all faithful people, and to people (and not only the faithful) from God - gifts of His love. The memory of this can encourage everyone, especially when it seems lonely and sad in a world that has long suffered from despondency caused by the general impoverishment of holiness. For believers, this deficiency is filled by the Angels and the mercy of their Queen - the Most Holy Theotokos.

Finally, “Jacob’s Ladder” is the connection between heaven and earth, man and God. Her unique and perfect example is the Most Pure Virgin. She herself became the ladder that leads to God. That is why this passage from the book of Genesis is read all-night vigil on the day of the Intercession of the Mother of God and indeed on all the feasts of the Mother of God.

Now a few words about the second proverb, which is an excerpt from the prophetic words of St. Ezekiel.

At the end of these days, on the eighth day and beyond, the priests will offer your burnt offerings and thanksgiving offerings on the altar; and I will be merciful to you, says the Lord God. And he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, facing east, and it was shut. And the Lord said to me, “This gate will be shut, and it will not be opened, and no man will enter through it, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it, and it will be shut.” As for the prince, he, like a prince, will sit in them to eat bread before the Lord; He will enter by the porch of this gate, and will come out the same way. Then he brought me by the way of the north gate before the face of the temple, and I saw, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord (Ezek. 43:27, 44:1-4)

This proverb, in historical context, already through the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel promises liberation to the captive Jews and even the restoration of their devastated temple. The prophet speaks about the construction of the future temple and its consecration. The future temple will be consecrated for seven days, and on the eighth day the priests must make a sacrifice, but not to consecrate the temple, but to appease the Lord and as a sign of gratitude to Him and an expression of devotion. The prophet saw the entire temple in a vision, and then he was again shown the eastern gate of the sanctuary. They were closed, and he was told about them that the Lord had passed through them, and no one should not only pass through them, but even see them open. From the eastern gate the prophet was led to the northern, from where a majestic spectacle of all the glory of God was revealed to him.

Blessed Theodoret, whose opinion was accepted by the Fathers of the Church, considers the eastern gate through which the Lord once entered to be a symbol of the Mother of God. She seemed to open the door to the Lord into the human world, without, however, losing her virginal purity either before or after the birth of Christ. The Mother of God served the one and only sacrament of the Incarnation of the Lord. This proverb is a prophecy about the ever-virginity of the Mother of God, but for its complete understanding, as well as for understanding the very mystery of ever-virginity, the strength of the human mind alone will clearly not be enough. However, how insufficient they will be for understanding the Divine mysteries in general.

And finally, the third passage from the Book of Proverbs, read at this all-night vigil.

Wisdom built herself a house, hewed out its seven pillars, slaughtered a sacrifice, dissolved her wine and prepared a meal for herself; sent her servants to proclaim from the heights of the city: “Whoever is foolish, turn here!” And she said to the weak-minded: “Come, eat my bread and drink the wine that I have dissolved; leave foolishness, and live and walk in the way of reason.” He who teaches a blasphemer will gain disgrace for himself, and he who reproaches the wicked will bring shame upon himself. Do not reprove the blasphemer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you; give instruction to a wise man, and he will be even wiser; teach the truthful, and he will increase knowledge. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding; because through me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you. (Prov. 9, 1 – 11).

The third proverb is dedicated to Wisdom. Under Wisdom, Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, Saint Ambrose of Milan, Blessed Augustine and other fathers see the Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Gospel (Matthew 28:20), the Church is considered to be the House of Wisdom. Fathers have different opinions on what to consider as seven pillars. Some believe that this is an indication of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, others that of the seven Sacraments, and still others of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Is. 11, 12). The meal, especially with the mention of bread and wine dissolved in the cup, of course, symbolizes the Eucharist, but you can also include here all the blessings of the Church, including the word of God (Matthew 4, 4 and 1 Cor. 1, 4 - 5) .

Whom did Wisdom send to invite to her meal? This is a speech about preachers of the Gospel, who are commanded to proclaim to the whole world: as you go, teach all languages ​​(Matthew 28:19). Who's name is it? The insane, that is, those who are not satisfied with the wisdom of this age, who seek justification by the blood of the Lamb, which in the Church is possible in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Those invited are invited to part with madness, that is, with doubt, disbelief, delusions and conquer the mind to faith. Not everyone will follow the call of God, and therefore the Lord, with the words Punish (not in the sense of “punishing,” but calling, setting an example, convincing) the evil, will accept dishonor for himself and further warns against close communication with the evil. You can’t correct them if they don’t want it themselves, but you will only irritate them and even harm yourself. Moreover, by bringing danger upon yourself, you will hinder the work of God. This should be a warning to those who are called to be God's messenger to save the wise, that is, those who are able to heed instructions. Turning to the fear of God (to the fear of somehow violating the will of God, and not to the fear of punishment) as the beginning of wisdom will make everyone who loves wisdom and truth equal, humble and experienced. From the advice of the saints such a person will only become richer in intelligence. If you take care of this, then your temporary life will be calmer (and therefore longer), and your eternal life will be more reliable.

But what does all this have to do with the Mother of God? The most direct thing is that the Church calls Her the “Most Pure Temple of the Savior”, and the “Chamber of the King of All”, and other comparisons that indicate that She is the living temple of God and the words about the House of Wisdom can easily be attributed to Her. If every soul can become a temple to God, according to the apostle, then even more so is His Most Pure Mother. And the stronger should be our own desire on this Feast to partake of that Shrine that She bore in Her most pure womb - our Lord and God Jesus Christ.

For any Mother of God feasts the paremias are the same:
1. Genesis reading.
Jacob left the sworn student and went to Harran. And you found a place and slept there: for the sun went down, / and was taken from the stone of that place, and set the head for yourself, and slept in that place. And I saw a dream. And the ladder was established on the earth, its head reaching to heaven, and the Angels of God ascended and descended on it. The Lord established himself on it, and said: I am the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac, do not fear: the land where you write on it, I will give it to you and to your seed. And your seed shall be like the sand of the earth, and shall spread over the sea, and the valley, and the north, and to the east; and all the tribes of the earth will be blessed because of you and because of your seed. And behold, I am with you, keep you on every path, even if you go. And I will return you to this land, as I am not the imam to leave you until I create all that is great in your words. And Jacob arose from his sleep, and said: for the Lord is in this place, but I know not. And he was afraid and said: How scary is this place; not this, but the house of God and this gate of Heaven. Gen 28:10–17
2. Reading the prophecies of Ezekiel.
Thus says the Lord: from day to day the priests will make your burnt offerings and the rest of the things on the altars, and I will accept you, says the Lord Adonai. And turn me to the path of the outer holy gates, looking to the east, and this byahu will be closed. And the Lord said to me: this gate will be shut and not open, and no one will pass through it; for the Lord God of Israel will pass through them, and they will be shut. As if the Abbot will sit in them to carry bread, he will enter along the path of the Elam gates and will leave along his path. And he led me along the path of the holy gates that are to the north, straight to the temple, and I saw, and behold, the temple of the Lord was filled with glory. Eze 43:27; 44:1–4
3. Reading parables.
Wisdom created for herself a house and established seven pillars. Slain Your sacrificial offering, and dissolved the wine in Your cups, and prepared Your table. He sent His servants, calling them to the cup with a high sermon, saying: Let him who is foolish turn away to Me. And to those who require intelligence, he says: Come, eat My bread, and drink the wine that I have dissolved for you. Leave madness and live, and seek reason, and live, and correct your reason in knowledge. He who punishes the wicked will receive dishonor for himself, but he who reproaches the wicked will dishonor himself: for the reproof of the wicked wounds him. Do not reprove the evil, lest they hate you. Reprove the wise one, and he will love you. Give wine to the wise, and he will be wise. Tell the righteous, and he will receive it. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord and the counsel of the saints, understanding: to understand the law of the thought is good. In this way, you will live a lot of time, and the years of your life will be added to you. Proverbs 9:1–11