Archbishop’s Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and the Day of Greek Independence (2019)
It is the Feast of the Annunciation, and we celebrate God’s revelation of
His grace to the Virgin Mary. It is a new day as the Archangel Gabriel
announced the Incarnation of Christ, saying to the Theotokos, you will
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
(Luke 1:31) Today we commemorate a sacred event, when the love and divine
will of God was made known to humankind.
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Archiepiscopal Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and the Day of Greek Independence (2018)
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On this blessed and glorious Feast
of the Annunciation, we celebrate a miraculous event that affirms with God
nothing will be impossible. (Luke 1:37) We gather to worship, as we
commemorate the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary
announcing the Incarnation of our Lord. We rejoice in the proclamation to
the Theotokos, as God reveals His divine plan for our redemption from sin
and our salvation from death. We marvel at her faith in Him and obedience
to His will.
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Archiepiscopal Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and the Day of Greek Independence
Today, as we celebrate the blessed and holy Feast of the Annunciation, we
hear the words of the Archangel announcing the good news of the coming of
the Son of God for our salvation. We hear the response of the Virgin Mary
in praising God and committing herself to His divine will. We hear a
witness of her faith in God as she proclaims, My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has regarded the low estate
of His handmaiden…. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and
holy is His name. (Luke 1:47-49)
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2016)
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Annunciation and
Greek Independence Day
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2015)
The Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever
Virgin Mary, is a day when we celebrate a truly amazing and miraculous
revelation. At the event of the Annunciation, the messenger of God appeared
before Mary and announced the divine plan for our salvation through the
birth of Christ. The words of the Archangel Gabriel revealed how God’s
promises would be fulfilled and the ancient prophesies affirmed.
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2014)
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation, the crown of our
salvation and ultimate human restoration, and the revelation of the mystery
that is from all eternity. We worship in adoration and thanksgiving the Son
of God who became the Son of the Virgin. We join with the Archangel Gabriel
and the heavenly hosts in honoring the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin
Mary. In the midst of this solemn and holy Lenten season, we exult in this
manifestation of the grace of God for our liberation from evil and guilt.
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2013)
On this blessed and glorious Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy
Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, our hearts are filled with joy and
amazement as we see the abundant love and divine wisdom of God. We worship
Him in joy, for through the Annunciation and the Incarnation of our Lord
salvation has come. We are astounded as we encounter the revelation of His
grace in a manner beyond human comprehension.
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2012)
For almost two centuries our celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation
as Greek Orthodox Christians has been joined by the commemoration of the
struggles for independence by our forbearers in Greece that began in March
of 1821. These two observances have been and continue to be very important
to us, for they represent a deep connection of our Church and our heritage,
of faith and life, that offers a unique witness to the world.
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Encyclical on the Feast of the Annunciation and the Day of Greek Independence (03/25/2011)
The faith of the Theotokos brought great blessings to her and to all
humankind. In the insightful verses of the Akathist Hymn we acknowledge her
as the one “through whom joy shall shine forth,” “through whom the curse
shall vanish,” and “through whom we are vested in glory.” Christ
accomplished all of this for us, because the faith and willingness of the
Theotokos provided the means by which He entered humanity for our
salvation.
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and the Day of Greek Independence (03/25/2010)
We celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady, the
Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary chanting these words, “Today is the crowning
of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery that is from all ages.”
In the Announcement of the Archangel Gabriel to the Theotokos, God offered
His divine plan for our salvation. In the same event the nature and purpose
of the message of the Gospel was made known. God’s grace and the means of
salvation were revealed, the good news was proclaimed by His messenger, and
the hearer and receiver of the Word of God responded in faith.
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Encyclical for The Feast of the Annunciation and Day of Greek Independence (03/25/2009)
I am lovingly and joyfully writing to you on this solemn day, the Feast of
the Annunciation of the Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary. This Feast is
celebrated in the midst of the season of Great and Holy Lent, and, thus, it
provides us the blessed possibility to enjoy the unending love of God for
us as we continue along our spiritual journey to Holy Week.
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2008)
On this blessed day we gather in worship to commemorate a very special
event that revealed God’s divine purpose and work for our salvation—the
Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. In a city
in Galilee called Nazareth the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary and
announced that she would, "conceive in her womb and bear a son, and call
His name Jesus" (Luke 1:31). The significance of these words is truly
unique. On this day, what had been unknown was revealed. The divine plan
for our salvation that had been established for ages was now manifested.
The restoration of humanity by means of the grace of God would now be
accomplished through the Incarnation of Christ.
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2007)
During this Holy season of Lent we are blessed to commemorate the Feast of
the Annunciation on Sunday, the Lord's Day. We celebrate this feast in
anticipation of what is to come in a few weeks and for all eternity. First,
the relationship of this feast to the coming observance of Holy Week is
significant. On this day the Incarnation of our Lord in the flesh was
announced by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2006)
On this blessed Feast of the Annunciation, which comes to us in the midst
of the Holy Lenten season, we are given the opportunity to celebrate a
beautiful and spiritually significant event in the history of salvation. We
commemorate the visit of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, his
announcement of the Incarnation of the Son of God, her acceptance of the
divine will to be the "God-bearer," and the conception of the Savior as an
expression of the love of God for humankind. We celebrate this Feast in joy
and thanksgiving, for it was at this moment in time when God entered into
our humanity through the Virgin Mary.
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation, Day of Greek Independence (03/25/2005)
As we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation this year, we remember an
event of major significance. For on this day, the Archangel Gabriel
announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary the uniquely Good News: "The Holy
Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God"
(Luke 1:35). In the face of such an awesome message, we are struck by the
purity of trust and the strength of faith in Mary’s response to the angel:
"Let it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day (03/25/2004)
As we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation, we commemorate an event of
extraordinary significance. The hallmark of this important feast of the
Church is represented by a most remarkable encounter between the Archangel
Gabriel and the Virgin Mary. Their dialogue with one another, beautifully
narrated in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke (verses 26-38),
presents us with an astonishing depiction of faith, a faith whose power
rests in its courageous human honesty and its extraordinary trust in God.
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Encyclical on the Feast of the Annunciation and the Day of Greek Independence (03/25/2003)
The Feast of the Annunciation is a day of paramount significance in the
Orthodox Church, one which extols the important role of the Theotokos in
the salvation of all humankind. The good tidings of grace announced on this
day by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary speak with clarity: “The
Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son
of God” (Luke 1:35). Presented with such an awesome message, Mary’s
response was one of utmost trust and faith: “Let it be done to me according
to your word” (Luke 1:38).
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Encyclical for the Feast of the Annunciation (03/25/2001)
In the Feast of the Annunciation we hear once more with renewed admiration
the great declaration of the Theotokos: Gevnoitov moi katav tov rh`ma sou.
Be it done unto me according to your word. How beautifully this one
sentence expresses the power of God's grace in our lives! With this saying,
Panagia accepted the announcement of the Archangel Gabriel that the Lord
had chosen her to be the Mother of God and to give birth to our Lord Jesus
Christ according to the flesh.
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Feast of the Annunciation Encyclical (03/25/2000)
In the Feast of the Annunciation and the Day of Greek Independence we
celebrate the glorious gift of freedom in every aspect of human existence,
both in things temporal and eternal. But it is not sufficient to celebrate
this two-fold feast merely by paying lip-service to the idea of freedom. We
receive the gift of freedom truly only when we also determine in our hearts
and minds to share the gift as well, by actively promoting the spread of
the Gospel, by vigorously working for the deliverance of the oppressed, and
by openly advancing the cause of human rights and liberties in accordance
with the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Saviour and Liberator.
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