The maiden then took the holy icon and returned to the palace. She closed herself in her inner room as the elder directed. From the tremendous effort exerted in her supplications, she fell asleep and beheld in a vision the Queen of the Angels, as portrayed in the holy icon, holding the Holy Child, Whose Person emitted rays more radiant than the sun; yet His face was turned toward His Mother. Thus, Katherine saw His back only. She yearned to behold His countenance, and so went to the other side, but once again He turned His face away. This happened thrice. She then heard the Most Holy Mother say, "My Child, look upon Thy handmaiden Katherine! How beautiful and comely she is!"

Katherine, the glorious great martyr of Christ, came from the metropolis of Alexandria. She struggled during the reigns of the ungodly and pagan Emperors Maximian (306-308 A.D.), Maxentius (308-312 A.D.), and Maximinus (308-314 A.D.). The blessed one's life and martyrdom is so marvelous, sweet, and compunctious that each soul who reads it with care and attention will greatly rejoice and be refreshed by the fruit garnered there from.

While preparing spiritually through fasting, worship, repentance, prayer and living a more virtuous life we, the Orthodox Christian believers, should also meditate on who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Who is, as we confess and believe the awaited Messiah and Redeemer of the world. In our secular society and world the celebration of His Birth, Christmas, has been obscured and deliberately violated and distorted. It is actually referred as the distorted image of Christ.

A fellow-countryman and friend of Saint Basil the Great and other great Saints of the 4th century. Amphilochios early forsook the bustle of the world and withdrew to a cave where, as a solitary, he lived in asceticism for 40 years. The episcopal throne in Iconium then fell empty, and Amphilochios was chosen in a wonderful way and consecrated Bishop of Iconium.

Are the Angels all-knowing, my brethren? They are not; for, if they were, they would be gods. God is one, my brethren, and the Angels are His glorious servants. The mystery of the Incarnation were likewise unknown to the Angels before they were revealed in the Church. The Church is, then, a new revelation for the Holy Angels themselves.

"My soul is athirst for God, the strong, the living God; when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?" (Psalm 41:42)

As we continue our forty-day Lenten journey to the Holy Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we, as Orthodox Christians, prepare for this Theophany through spiritual ascesis i.e., prayer, fasting, repentance, and adhering to the Divine commandments of God.