Russian Patriarch Cyril celebrated a Divine Liturgy at the Annunciation cathedral in Kremlin in the occasion of the feast of Annunciation
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09.04.2009
)
At April the 7th, in the occasion of the feastday of Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Cyril, celebrated a Divine Liturgy at the Annunciation cathedral in
After the reading of the Book of Gospel, Russian Patriarch spoke to the present people: “This feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God is event, that really became the very beginning of our salvation.” God was pleased to enter into the history of humans, to become One of us, to unite the divine nature with human, in order to defeat the sin from inside, and recovered the fallen Adam.”
According to the words of Patriarch Cyril “God created man to be free, and though Almighty God, He do not create the salvation of man against his will. When Archangel Michael informed the Most Pure Virgin bringing Her the graceful news, that She will be the One to give birth to the Saviour of the world – that was the moment of the entrance of God’s will into human’s life and the agreement of the whole humankind with this, in the personification of the Holy Virgin Mary. Such agreement was the unavoidable condition of Incarnation of God, as fulfilment of the humility and devotion of God’s will.
The admiration of the Holy Mother of God in the Orthodox Church has always been connected to the respect to woman. And although various dangerous mistakes appear in the contemporary world, one of which is the appearance of the women clergy. The Head of ROC accented that “exactly in those confessions, which denied the admiration and respect to the Most Holy Mother of God, such dangerous and sinful blunders appeared.”
“The praise and honour of the all women is the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Who guards the whole world, particularly granting the woman’s and mother’s prayer” – concluded Patriarch Cyril, once again calling to a prayer to the Queen of Heavens.
Finishing the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Cyril congratulated the feast of Annunciation to the present people. Directing to Bishop Mark, he thanked him for the long year’s assistance at the position of Deputy President in the Foreign Affairs Church Department. Symbolising his thankfulness to Bishop Mark, Patriarch Cyril handed to the bishop a panagia.
After the celebration, the students of the Moscow Sunday Schools with singing the feast’s hymn welcomed Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Cyril. At the exit of the church, according to the custom, Patriarch released two white doves.
