Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple ~ Commemorated Nov. 21st

Volume II - Worship

The Church Year

Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple

The second great feast of the Theotokos is the celebration of her entrance as a child into the Jerusalem Temple which is commemorated on the twenty-first of November. Like the feast of her nativity, this feast of Mary is without direct biblical and historical reference. But like the nativity, it is a feast filled with important spiritual significance for the Christian believer.

The texts of the service tells how Mary was brought as a small child to the temple by her parents in order to be raised there among the virgins consecrated to the service of the Lord until the time of their betrothal in marriage. According to Church tradition, Mary was solemnly received by the temple community which was headed by the priest Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. She was led to the holy place to be “nourished” there by the angels in order to become herself the “holy of holies” of God, the living sanctuary and temple of the Divine child who was to be born in her.

There is no doubt that the verses of the Old Testamental Psalm 45, used extensively in the services of the feast, provided a great inspiration for the celebration of Mary’s consecration to the service of God in the Jerusalem Temple.

Hear, O Daughter, and consider and incline your ear; forget your people and your father’s house, and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your Lord, bow to him . . .

The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes, in many-colored robes she is led to her king, with her virgin companions, her escort, in her train.

With joy and gladness they are led along, as they enter the palace of the king.

Instead of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations, therefore, the peoples will praise you forever and ever (Ps 45.10–17).

The Orthodox Church understands these words of the psalm to be a prophecy directly related to Mary the Theotokos. According to the Gospel of Saint Luke which is read at the Vigil of each of her feasts, Mary herself speaks the following words:

My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden. For behold, hence-forth all generations shall call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation (Lk 1.47–50).

The main theme of the feast of Mary’s entrance to the Temple, repeated many times in the liturgical services, is the fact that she enters the Temple to become herself the living temple of God, thus inaugurating the New Testament in which are fulfilled the prophecies of old that “the dwelling of God is with man” and that the human person is the sole proper dwelling place of the Divine Presence (Ezek 37.27; Jn 14.15–23; Acts 7.47; 2 Cor 6.11; Eph 2.18–22; 1 Pet 2.4; Rev 22.1–4).

Today is the preview of the good will of God, of the preaching of the salvation of mankind. The Virgin appears in the temple of God, in anticipation proclaiming Christ to all. Let us rejoice and sing to her: Rejoice, O Divine Fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation (Troparion).

The most pure Temple of the Saviour, the precious Chamber and ­Virgin, the Sacred Treasure of the Glory of God, is presented today to the house of the Lord. She brings with her the grace of the Spirit, which the angels of God do praise. Truly this woman is the Abode of Heaven! (Kontakion).

The fortieth chapter of Exodus about the building of the tabernacle is read at Vespers, together with passages from the First Book of Kings and the Prophecy of Ezekiel. Each one of these readings all end with exactly the same line, “for the glory of the Lord filled the house [tabernacle] of the Lord God Almighty” (Ex 40.35; 1 Kg 8.11; Ezek 44.4).

Once again on this feast, the Old Testament readings are interpreted as symbols of the Mother of God. This “glory of the Lord” is referred to the Mother of Christ and it “fills” her and all people after her who “hear the word of God and keep it” as the Gospel of the festal liturgy proclaims (Lk 11.37–28). The epistle reading at the Divine Liturgy also proclaims this very same theme (Heb 9.1–7).

Thus, the feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple is the feast which celebrates the end of the physical temple in Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God. When the child Mary enters the temple, the time of the temple comes to an end and the “preview of the good will of God” is shown forth. On this feast we celebrate—in the person of Christ’s mother—that we too are the house and tabernacle of the Lord.

. . . We are the temple of the living God, as God said, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Cor 6.16; Is 52.11).

Thanks to:

https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-church-year/entrance-of-the-theotokos-to-the-temple

sayings C.S. Lewis ~ my argument against God was...

My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust? 


~ C.S. Lewis

St. Innocent Orthodox Church Iconography

St. Innocent Orthodox Church Iconography

Title of this Icon: Anastasis, Resurrection or Descent into Hades

Overall Explanation of this Icon:

 Christ descends into Hades and pulls Adam and Eve out of the tombs.  Abel stands close to his mother Eve, and in some icons is depicted with his foot in her tomb.

Ezekiel is there because of the prophecy of the dry bones.  Moses is there with the tablets of the law and Noah is there with the Ark, a symbol of the Church.  On the bottom right are some of the righteous women, on the left, John the Forerunner leads the way.  Jonah is at the far left because his coming out of the whale is a symbol of the resurrection and Christ’s Descent into Hades.  Daniel was in the pit, but was uneaten by the lions.

Everyone in this icon -- prophets, righteous kinds, righteous women -- all were waiting in Hades having died before Christ was crucified on the cross.

A: Risen Christ -- Christ surrounded by the light of the mandorla, descend into Hades and pulls Adam and Eve out of the tombs.  His pose is reminiscent of ancient images of the Emperor.  Trampling the enemy underfoot and pully up images of the provinces that he is freeing by his victory in battle.

B & C: Adam and Eve, who are a symbol for all mankind.  Christ is holding Adam and Eve firmly by the wrists so that they cannot slip away.

D (Doors, locks, etc): Through the wood of the cross (which you see under Christ’s feet), Christ destroys death and everything that binds us, as symbolized by the locks that are broken.  The dark area under Christ’s feet represents Hades.

 

A: St. John the Baptist

B: Prophet Isaiah

C: Prophet Hosea

D: Prophet Habbakuk

E: Prophet Jeremiah

F: Isaac

G: Prophet Daniel

H: King David (behind him is Hezekiah)

I: Manassah (behind him is Josiah)

J:Solomon

K: Jonah

 

A: Abel

B: Moses with the tablets of the law

C: Zechariah

D: Ezekiel

E: Elisha

F: St Simeon

G: Noah with the ark

H: Sarah (behind her is Ruth)

I: Hannah (behind her is Miriam)

J: Naomi

K: Anna the Prophetess

L: Rebecca

 

Title of this Icon: Our Lady of the Sign

Explanation: The Virgin is standing with her arms outstretched in prayer (in the ORANS position) interceding for the whole world.  In her womb represented by the circle (her womb is more spacious that the heavens), stands the Christ child, painted like an adult, to show wisdom.  His arms are outstretched in the form of a cross and he is blessing with both hands in the same way the Bishop does. 

Christ is dressed in golden robes rather than the blue and red to show that he existed before time with the Father.  From Him come rays of light showing a Theophany and pointing also to the Transfiguration.  When Mary’s arms are outstretched in the Orans position, her body assumes the shape of a cross as does her son.  The icon represents the church at prayer and also internal prayer of the heart -- the Jesus Prayer.  It also represents the Incarnation.

Title of this Icon: Communion of the Apostles

Overall Explanation: Christ is standing behind an altar, making the sign of the blessing on the gifts of bread and wine. It is called the Communion of the Apostles but is not strictly speaking the twelve apostles.  On either side of Christ, stand Peter and Paul, who are considered the two pillars of the church.

On the side walls of the altar, the icon continues with the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and representatives of the twelve apostles -- Thomas, Phillip, Bartholomew, Andrew, James and Simon.  These are the same twelve that appear in the festal icons.  They represent the fullness of the church.

A: Christ

B: Peter

C: Paul

D: Altar painted in inverse perspective

E: Michael Archangel dressed liked a Deacon, to his left, Andrew, John, Luke, Simon, Thomas

F: Gabriel Archangel dressed liked a Deacon, to his right Matthew, Mark, James, Philip and Barthalomew

Explanation of this Icon: Before going into battle, Constantine saw this cross in the heavens and was told “In this sign, you will conquer.”

Title of this Icon: The Last Judgement

Overall Explanation:

A: Christ coming again in Glory -- Deisis -- Angels rolling up the Heaven and the Earth.

B & C: The Twelve sitting in judgement accompanied by archangels

D: The Righteous coming in a cloud

E: Adam and Eve, prostrating before the Prepared Throne -- Hetoimasia, and the weighing of souls

F: The Lake of Fire

G: The Elect entering Paradise, Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom

H: An image of the Theotokos in Paradise with the wise thief

I: The Torments of the Damned and the Rich man in Hell

Explanation: The Deisis

A: Christ as He comes again in glory, seated on the arc of the heavens.  His right hand points up to show the fate of the righteous, His left hand down to show the fate of the unrighteous as He sits in Judgment flanked by the Virgin Mary on His right and John the Baptist on His left, surrounded by archangels.

B: His feet are resting on Angels called Thrones -- also known as wheels or many eyed. Out of His foot comes the river of fire.  For the righteous, this is Paradise. For those who reject Christ, it is a burning fiery furnace.

C: Theotokos

D: John the Baptist

E: Angel rolling up the scroll of heaven and earth.  This angel is red to represent the sun and the day.

F: The Host of Archangels

G: Angel rolling up the scroll of heaven and earth.  This angel is green indicating night and the moon.

A: Peter

B: John

C: Luke

D: Bartholomew

E: James

F: Philip

A: Paul

B: Matthew

C: Mark

D: Andrew

E: Simon

F: Thomas

Explanation of this Icon: In this cloud are the righteous who are mentioned in the anaphora prayers of the Divine Liturgy : “Moreover, we offer you this spiritual sacrifice for those departed in faith: the forefathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, preachers, evangelists, confessors, ascetics and every righteous spirit made perfect in faith”

Explanation: The Prepared Throne (Hetoimasia)

A & B: Adam and Eve making prostrations before the prepared throne, now with halos to show the restoration of mankind

C: Seraphim

D: Cross with the crown of thorns, and spear and sponge and nails, and ICXC NIKA

E:  The red cushion on the altar is reserved for royalty, Christ’s robe which represents His humanity, and the Gospel

Explanation: The Weighing of Souls -- as a soul is being weighed, the demons (our accusers) stack scrolls of sins on one side and even try unfairly to pull the scale down by hanging onto the chain.  The archangels, however, completely weight the scale in the souls favor by only two scrolls.  Their two scrolls outweigh the demons many scrolls

A: Archangels

B: The weighing of a soul

C: The demons lead those chained by their rejection of God to the lake of fire. When we die, we will be surrounded by the love of God, whether we like it or not.  If we love it, it is Paradise for us.  If we hate it, it is a burning fiery furnace.

Explanation of Icon: The Lake of Fire

A: Archangel driving them forward

B: Demon

C: The River of Fire is the love of God.  But for those who reject that love, it is torment.  There are many monastics and clergy in the lake of fire, a warning to us all that going to church can be to our condemnation and judgment.  It is not a guarantee that we will be saved.

D: (Unknown at this time)

Explanation of Icon: The Entry of the Elect into Paradise
A: Basil the Great

B: Solomon

C: Prophet Isaiah

D: Andrew

E: John the Evangelist

F: John Chrysostom

G: David

H: Moses

I: Paul

J: Peter with the keys to the kingdom (the keys being repentance)

K: The Seraphim with the flaming sword blocking the door to Paradise

L: Abraham

M: Lazarus (the poor man) in Abraham’s bosom

N: The souls of the righteous in the new Eden

Explanation of icon: An Image of Paradise

A: The Theotokos Enthroned

B: Archangel Michael

C: Archangel Gabriel

D: The Wise Thief

Explanation: The Torments of the Damned

A: The Rich Man in Hell with the now useless money bags under his feet.  He is asking Lazarus for some water to cool his tongue    but between he and Lazarus, there is a great chasm.

B: The Gnashing of Teeth

C: The Outer Darkness

D: “The Worm that Sleepeth Not”

E: The Unquenchable Fire

Sayings Charles J. Chaput & John Stuart Mills ~ The quest of nihilism, relativism and evil

Evil teaches tolerance until it is dominant, then it tries to silence good.


~ Charles J. Chaput


Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing

~ John Stuart Mills

Sayings Plato & Orwell ~ Drifting from truth and goodness

Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses.

~ Plato

The further a society drifts from the TRUTH, the more it will hate those who speak it.

~ George Orwell

Sayings Plato ~ Shadows and lies of ones culture

Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses.

~ Plato

Sayings C.S. Lewis ~ To love is to be vulnerable

   To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.

~ C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves



thanks to source:

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/3058-to-love-at-all-is-to-be-vulnerable-love-anything