At the Annunciation (Evanggelismos) of the Ever-Virgin Mary, we chant, "Today is the crown of our salvation and the manifestation of the mystery that is from all eternity. The Son of God becomes Son of the Virgin." The Holy Prophets foretold that He was to become a child, taking flesh from the Virgin, being joined to men and seen by those on earth, even as Baruch proclaimed: "This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of Him. He hath found out all the way of knowledge and hath given it unto Jacob His servant and to Israel His beloved. Afterward, did He show Himself upon the earth, and conversed with men" (Baruch 3:35-37). Jesus is the "expectation of nations" (Genesis 49:10).

On May 1st our Holy Orthodox Christian Church commemorates the Venerable Prophet Jeremiah but who are the Prophets and what is Prophecy? The Greek word προφήτης, derived from the Greek word πρόφημι (propheme), means foretell, that is, to tell beforehand. In Hebrew, the word "prophet" meant not necessarily one who foretold the future, but one commissioned by God to speak to man.

Theognis, the holy Martyr of Christ, and those with whom he suffered martyrdom in Kyzikos were Rufus, Antipater, Theostichos, Artemas, Magnus, Theodoulos, Thavmasios, and Philemon. These nine men, some country folk, and other city dwellers hailed from various places. They were not in the same group. They also held different positions and occupations: some were in the military or clerical ranks. They nevertheless possessed the same mind and sentiment in matters of the Faith. The Church at predominantly pagan Kyzikos was small. Many of the pagan citizens were drawn into the pit of lawlessness. Some of the Christians had fled before the persecution, while others kept their belief in Christ, secret. But today's nine Christians boldly declared their faith in Christ and prayed for the building up of the Church.

On the Sunday of Thomas, the Second Sunday of Pascha, we celebrate the Antipascha, that is to say, the rededication of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and also commemorate the event of the Holy Apostle Thomas' touching the wounds of the Lord. Antipascha (the Greek prefix, anti, means "in place of")--that is the renewal of Pascha.

When Mary Magdalene brought her news to the Disciples, it is likely that they reacted in one of two ways: either they did not believe her, or, if they did, they were crestfallen because they were not deemed worthy to see Christ. Meanwhile, fear of the Jews was increasing the Disciples' longing to see the only One Who could relieve their anxiety.

By the age of three, Elizabeth's father had already given her over to learning the sacred letters, that is, religious texts. The little girl exhibited much skill and ability in her lessons so that she was able to recite the lives of the Saints only after hearing their accounts once. Once she closed her twelfth year, Ephemia, the maiden's mother, departed this life. Evnomianus, her father, wished to arrange her marriage, but Elizabeth could not bear to hear about a match for herself. Her yearning was rather to be wedded to the Immortal Bridegroom, Christ.