O Holy Virgin mother , Blessed and abode of  virtues, what mind or tongues  suffies you have toes to describe your virtues? You became the Mother of God who incarnated in you. Our senses ,our wisdom fail to utter your glory .you are the second heaven and the heavenly chariot which prophet Ezekiel saw. You carried in your lap the Creator of cherubims. The host of angels look astonished at the celestial beauty for you bore Him as if in delicate  chrystalline throne According to God's will and by His grace ,you were taken to His presence so that you could find comfort in heaven beside your son .To day , the heavenly hosts sings in great joy:

" second heaven , come in joy;

divine throne of the most High , come in peace ;

the glorious tower of the light come in peace

Today ,God who took birth from you in flesh was pleased to take you to his presence

Today ,the dead in there graves are happy because of the good news

.Today , the David prophet recognized you who was the abode of the God of Jacob being buried in earth just the other mortals was joyous

Today by divine providence Simon from Rome and Andrews from ends of seas were summoned; James from Jerusalem and John from Ephesus were came in great joy and happiness ;

Today , Mathai , son of alphai from Jebusia and Simon ,the Cananite , arrived from there mission fields,

Today the son of Zebedi, the son of James and the other evangelists laid to rest your holy amid hymns of praise and glory ;

Today Mark came through the air from Egypt;

Today Luke also came from Alxanderia

Today on the express desire of your only Son, all the apostles gather together

O! Mother , we the feeble and the sinners celebrate with awe and devotion this feast of your repose.

Holy Mother, we plead that you request the son of God, who took birth from you , to have mercy up on us , to bless our Country ,Our Church  Our   Fathers and all the servants of the real Orthodox Tewahedo Faith , and let our prayer and songs join along with those of the Cherunims  and Seraphim's and Apostles

 

 

THE ARK OF COVENANT
blessed Virgine Mariam is the anti-type of the Ark of Covenant, the basic assumption for this analogy can be traced to the angel gebriel's annunciation to Mariam that the "power of the Most High will overshadow you"her.the idea of overshadowing is also similarly expressed as "clouds of gloury" overshadowing the Ark of the Covenant reffered as the Tabernacle also in Old Testament.We read in Numbers 9:15 "on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tebernacle namely,the tent of testimony." Again in the exodus 40:35 "the Ark has another feature .It had in it the golden censer,the golden pot that had manna and aaron's rod that budded and the tables of the covenant. In concept and imagery,the Ark was the place where the glory and honour of God dwelt.Virgin Mariam is symbolically referred to as the ark for the reson that she conceived and bore in her womb ,the word of God ,Jesus Christ and hence refelected the glory and honour due to God. Mar Jacob of Sarug Sang,"Blessed are you ,Mary , for you were represented in mystery by the Ark which Moses made as a symbol; in it were the tables of the law written by God ;but in you ,Mary , was the bread of life in truth." It will be recalled that the Ark exuded dreadful holiness of God to the Isreallites so much so that an indifferent touch brought death.(num:4:5,15,19) That being the case in respect of a wooden arc, the Holliness of Virgin mariam who bore God the son , should be treated in greater awe. This also holds for asserting the perpetual Virginity of Virgin Mariam. EZEKIAL PROPHESISED :"This gate shall remain shut ;it shall not be opened , and no one shall eneter by it,for the Lord the God of Israel, has entered it; therefore it shall remain shut." The gate mentined is taken as the type and Virgin Mariam , anti-type.

THE BURNING BUSH
The burning bush described in Exodus 3:2 is also thought of as a fine example of typology.The Burning bush is visulized as reperesenting Virgin Mariam remined un impired when the Holy Son of God indwelt in her womb.Virgin mariam is seen as the anti-type of the bush.This analogy is refelected in the liturgical prayer: AS THE FIRE ENFLAMED THE BUSH YET DID NOT IT BURN,SO DID GOD COME DOWN AND DWELL IN THE VIRGIN'S WOMB; HE INCARNATE WAS OF HER LOOSING NOT THE VIRGIN'S SEAL." AS THE FIRE RESTED ON THE BUSH AND THE BUSH WAS NOT BURN , SO GOD DESCENDED RESTED ON THE VIRGIN;HE WAS PLEASED TO TAKE FLESH FROM HER AND HE DID NOT BREAK THE SEAL OF HER VIRGINITY"

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Regarding St. Mary's virginity, the Church calls her Aaron's Rod which blossomed (Num.17). The Ark of Testimony (Ex.25:10-22) is a type (resemblance) for Virgin Mary because firstly, the Ark was overlaid with gold on the inside and the outside, symbolising her purity and elevation. Secondly because the Ark was made of Acacia wood which does not decay, symbolising her sanctity. Thirdly because the Ark contained the manna, which symbolises Christ the Living Bread who came down from heaven, and lastly because the Ark contained the two tablets of the Law which symbolise Christ the Word of God (John.1: 1). The ladder reaching from earth to heaven which Jacob saw in his dream, is a type (resemblance) for Virgin Mary. Being this conjunction between earth and heaven in the Incarnation of Christ; She was the earth in which heaven dwelt and whilst she was on earth she bore heaven within her (Gen.28: 12). The burning bush that was not consumed and which Moses saw (Ex.3), is a type (resemblance) for Virgin Mary, upon whom came the Holy Spirit with His Divine fire and she was not consumed. Since the union of Divinity and Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ resembles the union of coal and fire, therefore, St. Mary the Virgin, who bore within her that Union, resembles the censer. She is called Aaron's Censer or the Golden Censer, signifying her exaltation. The Church also gives the Virgin the title 'The Good Dove' because: 1. In her meekness she resembles the dove. 2. The Holy Spirit, Who appeared in the form of a dove (Matt.3: 16), came upon her. 3. She brought the message of man's salvation, resembling the dove that brought the message of the return of life to the earth after the Flood (Gen.8: 10,11). The Virgin is also likened to the Church and many prophecies apply simultaneously to the Virgin and to the Church. The symbols and resemblances of Virgin Mary in the Church rituals and in the Holy Scriptures are numerous. She is venerated because: 1. the Holy Spirit came upon her, 2. she is the mother of God, 3. she is of perpetual virginity, 4. she is holy, 5. the Holy Bible testifies of her, 6. the Lord Himself venerated her, and 7. because of her miraculous signs and sacred appearances. This veneration is expressed in the Church rituals, hymns and songs, in the Church prayers asking for her intercession, in celebrating her many feasts and in consecrating one of our fasts in her name.

THE VIRGIN IS THE GATE OF LIFE AND THE GATE OF SALIVATION