September 8, 2016. + Orthodox Calendar

Orthodox Calendar 2016

Old Style

September 8

Wednesday

New Style

September 21

14th Week after Pentecost. Tone 4.

Fish, wine and oil allowed.

The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

Sts. Ioane (Maisuradze), archimandrite (1957), and Giorgi- Ioane (Mkheidze), schema-archimandrite (1962), confessors, of Georgia. St. Serapion, monk of Spaso-Eleazar Monastery (Pskov) (1481). St. Lucian, abbot, of Alexandrov (1654).

New Martyr Alexander Jacobson, at Solovki (1930).

Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos: Syamsk (1524), Glinsk (16th c.), Lukianov (16th c.), and Isaakov (1659). Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos: “Kursk Root” (1295), Pochaev (1559), Domnitsk (1696), Kholmsk (1st c.), and Lesna (1696).

St. Ina, King of Wessex, and his wife Queen Ethelburga (8th c.). New Martyr Athanasius of Thessalonica (1774). St. Sophronius of Achtalea in Georgia, bishop (1803).

Repose of Archbishop Dionysius of Ufa (1896), Elder Daniel of Katounakia, Mt. Athos (1929), and Priest Dimitrie Bejan of Romania (1995).

Articles

Sorrow and Joy: A Homily on the Day of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God

St. John of Kronstadt

We solemnly celebrate, dear brothers and sisters, the Nativity of the Most Holy Virgin Mary from her barren parents, pious Joachim and Anna. The Holy Church established this feast during the first centuries of the Christian Faith.

Feast of the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on September 8 each year. The Feast commemorates the birth of the Mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Nativity of the Theotokos Icon

Together, the Great Feasts serve to tell us the story of the Incarnation, which has its climax in the centre of the year with the celebration of the “Feast of Feasts” – Pascha. It is therefore fitting that the first Great Feast of the Church year, which begins in September, is that of the Nativity of the Theotokos.

Sermon on the Nativity of the Mother of God

The Mother of God so fully and vividly expressed herself concerning herself with the words of the hymn: My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior (Lk. 1:46-47). Her whole life lies in this: Her soul magnifies the Lord for the wisdom of creation, for love and goodness. And this regardless of the sorrows and suffering that filled her heart at the foot of the Cross.

Sermon on the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

St. Andrew, Archbisop of Crete

The radiant and bright descent of God for people ought to have a joyous basis, opening to us the great gift of salvation. Such also is the present feastday, having as its basis the Nativity of the Theotokos, and as its purpose and end, the uniting of the Word with flesh, this most glorious of all miracles, unceasingly proclaimed, immeasurable and incomprehensible.

Sermon for the Nativity of the Theokotos from the Hermitage of the Holy Cross

There is no great event which is not proceeded with great longing and expectation. This Great Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God is no exception. This first of Feasts, celebrated on the eighth day of the New Church Year, was certainly preceded by great longing and expectation.

Saint Edwin of Northumbria, King and Martyr, and Saint Ethelburgh, Queen and Abbess of Lyminge

Dmitry Lapa

The ferocious pagan called Penda soon afterwards began to rule over the Kingdom of Mercia in present-day central England. The northeastern part of the country then was called Northumbria, which was later ruled by Edwin, who was still a pagan but who was destined to become one of the apostles of his Kingdom. Let us now recall his life.

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