The Most Holy Theotokos

The Orthodox Teaching about the life of the Virgin Mary,

and a prayerful contemplation on the Theotokos for each day of the month.

By Archbishop Lazar (Puhalo), retired, Orthodox Church in America

Abbott of New Ostrog Monastery, Dewdney, British Columbia, Canada

We think of Mary when we see her icon, or during the prayers we read from our prayer book, or during the Divine Services when we hear her mentioned.

We know her as the Holy Virgin and the mother of Christ, but most of all, Orthodox Christians know her as "Theotokos," the one who bore God. Indeed, Orthodox people seldom call her by her name, "Mary," and we do not often refer to her as "the holy virgin." Orthodox Christians almost always speak of the Virgin Mary as "The Most Holy Theotokos," or simply, "The Theotokos."

The Theotokos -- the holy Virgin Mary -- is very significant in the history of God's Church and in the lives of Orthodox Christians. It is therefore important for us to know and understand what is said about her in Holy Scripture, and what the Holy Spirit has taught the Church about her.

Many Orthodox Christians do not realize that the old Testament prophecies teach us about Mary, just as they teach us about Christ.

Why does the Old Testament teach us about the holy virgin? There are some very important reasons.

First, the Old Testament prophecies about the Theotokos help us understand more about our salvation, about the meaning of redemption.

Second, the Old Testament prophecies concerning the virgin teach us a lot about the Church.

Third, since the people had prophecies about both Christ and His earthly mother, it would be easier for them to know Christ Himself when He came.

Finally, what we know about Mary, the holy virgin Theotokos, helps keep us from falling into error and false teachings about our Saviour Jesus Christ.

From the most holy Theotokos we learn meekness, humility, purity, obedience, love, service to God and to mankind, faith and hope. No other ordinary human being has ever been called to such a great service as she was. No other person has ever received such grace from God or been made so holy by Him as she was. By God's grace and the work of the Holy Spirit, Mary was made to be the highest of all human kind, and lifted higher than all the angels. The angels stand close to God, but she had God dwelling in her womb. She held Him in her arms and bore Him in her heart in that special way that only a mother can.

It should be easy for everyone to understand that when we think about her, we do so in a reverent and prayerful way.

In this little book, we will learn about Mary, the most holy, ever-virgin Theotokos, in two ways. First, we will read about her life as we learn it from the Bible and the history of the Church. Then we learn about the spiritual meaning of her life as we read a prayerful contemplation about her for each day of the month.

These contemplations are divided into three parts. The first eleven are based on Old Testament prophecies and likeness of the holy virgin, including her birth, which is recorded in the history of the New Testament Church, not in the Old Testament, but which is the last major event in bringing the Old Testament to a conclusion and opening the New Testament story.

The second eleven contemplations are based on New Testament Scripture, and include the Dormition of the Theotokos, which is not recorded in the Gospels, but in the history of the New Testament Church.

Finally, the last ten contemplations are based on some of the Church hymns, which teach us about the Holy Theotokos in a special way. The last ten help us give us a deeper spiritual understanding of the mystery of the Most Holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary.

May our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His most pure mother, guide us in knowledge and understanding of His Holy Orthodox faith.