Monthly Message from Fr. Ghassan - September/October 2026

Monthly Message from Fr. Ghassan - September/October 2026

The Nativity of the Most Holy and Ever-Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (Mother of God)

"The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name." (Luke 1:49)
The life of the Virgin Mary is the finest explanation of this verse, and the life of the Mother of God is the greatest example for all humanity.
She was a human being like us, sanctified by grace, who gave birth to God. What an immense mystery that surpasses all understanding! A virgin becomes the Mother of God. In this title alone—Mother of God (Theotokos)—lies, as St. John of Damascus says, "the whole mystery of the economy of salvation."Likewise, St. Nicholas Cabasilas (c. 1320–1363) writes:
"God looked down from heaven upon the earth and saw a woman who was pure, spotless, and humble. He could do nothing but become incarnate through her."
It was Mary's humility that drew God.
This is the heart of the matter. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). Mary did not merely behold God—she carried Him in her womb. Through her life, the words of the prophets concerning God's promised salvation for humanity were fulfilled: God became man.
The Church celebrates the Nativity of the Virgin because in her God's plan for humanity's salvation began to unfold. From her birth we learn that every human being is called to holiness and can become a bearer of God, provided he or she freely chooses that path.
The Orthodox Church celebrates several feasts of the Mother of God throughout the year.
However, it is important to understand that all of the major feasts (the Twelve Great Feasts, excluding Pascha) are fundamentally Feasts of the Lord, whether fixed or movable, because they all center on Jesus Christ and are inseparably connected to Him. They are called "Feasts of the Lord" because they concern the Lord (Christ), not simply because they involve the Lady (Mary).
Even the Nativity of the Mother of God, her Entrance into the Temple, the Annunciation, and her Dormition—all of which belong to the Twelve Great Feasts—are ultimately celebrations of God's saving work through Christ, although they are also Marian feasts.
It is noteworthy that the Nativity of the Mother of God (September 8) is the first great feast of the Orthodox liturgical year, since the ecclesiastical year begins on September 1. Likewise, the Dormition of the Mother of God (August 15) is the final great feast before the liturgical year concludes.
It is as though the Orthodox Church wishes to say that the Mother of God, who carried the Lord of all in her womb, also embraces within herself the entire cycle of the Church's liturgical celebrations—from beginning to end.
Whenever we look upon her icon, she seems to say:
"Let us rejoice together in the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the Savior—my God and your God, my Savior and your Savior."
With Mary's birth, the first signs of joy and the fulfillment of God's promise of salvation begin. This little child would become the Mother of God—not because she had been arbitrarily chosen above all others, but because of her humility, purity, and profound love for God.
She herself proclaimed:
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has regarded the lowliness of His servant." (Luke 1:46–48)
No human being is born guilty of personal sin. We are all vulnerable to sin because of the weakness of human nature, and we inherit the consequences of Adam and Eve's fall—but not Adam's personal guilt itself.
In this respect, Mary was born like every other human being, without distinction. Through her love for God and her unwavering union with Him, she overcame every temptation.
We too are called to imitate her and make her our example. Whoever is united with God through His grace can overcome every kind of sin. Sin is never stronger than the human person; it has already been conquered by the light of Christ.
This recalls God's words to Cain in Genesis:
"...Sin lies at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." (Genesis 4:7)
The words "you must rule over it" are addressed to every one of us. We overcome sin by remaining steadfast in God.
With Mary's birth begins our journey back to the Kingdom. With her Dormition and entrance into heaven is fulfilled Christ's promise:
"Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live." (John 11:25)
We were created to share forever in the Resurrection of the One who lives eternally.

 

History of the Feast

The feast originated in Jerusalem around the middle of the fifth century, when a church dedicated to the Mother of God was consecrated near the Sheep Pool (Bethesda).
From Jerusalem, the celebration spread during the sixth century to Constantinople, where St. Romanos the Melodist composed many of the hymns still sung today.
From the East, the feast passed into the Western Church during the pontificate of Pope Sergius I (687–701), who was of Antiochian origin.
The New Testament says nothing about Mary's childhood, birth, or Dormition, because the purpose of the Gospels is to proclaim Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, and His work of salvation.
Nevertheless, the Church's sacred Tradition preserves the belief that Mary's birth occurred through a special act of divine intervention, much like the miraculous births of Isaac, Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist.
All of this belongs to God's plan of salvation.
One of the principal sources for these traditions is the Protoevangelium (Gospel) of James, an apocryphal text.
It should be noted that not all apocryphal writings are heretical. Some contain valuable traditions, although the Church did not include them in the biblical canon because they are not directly related to salvation history. Others, however, are false and were written to attack the Church, such as the Gospel of Judas.
The Holy Fathers thoroughly examined these writings, and the Church's teaching concerning them has been clearly preserved since the earliest centuries.
According to the Protoevangelium of James, Joachim, Mary's father, belonged to the tribe of Judah and the lineage of King David. He was raised in a devout family faithful to the Law and generous in offering sacrifices.
His father was exceedingly wealthy and offered gifts to God, praying:
"May all my possessions benefit the whole people, so that God may forgive my sins and have mercy upon me."
Mary's mother, Anna, was the daughter of the priest Matthan from the priestly line of Aaron. She suffered deeply because she was barren. Among the Jews, barrenness was regarded as a reproach and even as a sign of divine displeasure, whereas bearing children was associated with the hope of the coming Messiah.

Anna prayed:
"God of my fathers, bless me and hear my prayer, as You blessed Sarah and gave her Isaac."
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to her and said:
"Anna, the Lord has heard your prayer. You shall conceive and bear a child, and your offspring will be renowned throughout the world."
Anna answered:
"As the Lord my God lives, whether I bear a son or a daughter, I shall dedicate the child to the Lord to serve Him all the days of life."
Anna conceived, and in the ninth month gave birth to a daughter. She named her Mary and thanked God, saying:
"My soul rejoices this day."
The Liturgy of the Feast
The hymns of the feast overflow with joy and celebration:
"This is the day of the Lord; rejoice, O peoples!"
"Today the glad tidings of joy have appeared for the whole world."
"Today the beginning of our salvation has come."
"Let the earth be adorned with its finest beauty; let kings dance for joy; let priests rejoice with blessings; let the whole world celebrate."
The Scripture readings connect the Old and New Testaments.
First Reading: Jacob's Ladder (Genesis 28:12–14)
"He dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven... and behold, the Lord stood above it."
The Virgin Mary is understood as the ladder by whom God descended to humanity.
Second Reading: The Closed Gate (Ezekiel 44:1–2)
"This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened... because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it."
According to Orthodox interpretation, this symbolizes Mary's perpetual virginity—before, during, and after Christ's birth.
Third Reading: Wisdom Builds Her House (Proverbs 9:1)
"Wisdom has built her house..."
The Fathers interpret the "house" as the Virgin Mary, the dwelling place prepared by Divine Wisdom, through whom humanity is invited to the Lord's banquet.
The Theology of the Feast
One of the Matins hymns proclaims:
"What a marvelous wonder! The fruit born of the barren woman, by the command of the Creator and Lord of all, has removed the barrenness of the world."
Just as Joachim and Anna represent the barren world, so Mary represents the new and fruitful creation—the image of the Church that never grows old.
Our joy in Mary's birth is ultimately joy in Jesus Christ, who would be born from her. Christ made Mary the Mother of Life through the Holy Spirit and, through her, made the Church itself a fountain of life.
This is something we often forget, treating the Mother of God as though she stood independently of God's work in her life.
Yet throughout the liturgy and hymnography the Church calls her Theotokos ("Mother of God"), and in Orthodox iconography she is almost always depicted together with Christ, except in a few special cases.
In conclusion, the Church's celebration of the Nativity of the Mother of God proclaims the joyful dawn of salvation. The one born to two elderly and formerly childless parents loved God, dedicated herself entirely to Him, and willingly accepted His saving plan so that she might bring Christ into the world for the salvation of all humanity.