The Church of the Annunciation is
located in the Holy Monastery of the Annunciation and St Ephraim, Nea Makri,
near Athens. Interestingly enough, the Church has two iconostases, which
separate the main part of the Church and the sanctuary. In the one we see the
Annunciation icon, in the other we find the moment Abbes Makaria found the Holy
Relics of St Ephraim, who was martyred on the grounds of the monastery, on the
3rd of January 1950.
The feast of the Annunciation of
the Virgin Mary comes nine months before Christians, i.e. 25th of
March. It is the celebration of the announcing of the birth of Christ to the
Virgin Mary. St Luke, in his Gospel writes:
“26 Now in the sixth month the
angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a
virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The
virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice,
highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”[c] 29
But when she saw him,[d] she was troubled at his saying, and considered what
manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in
your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be
great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give
Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of
Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”34 Then Mary said to
the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”35 And the angel
answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of
the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be
born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has
also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her
who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then
Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to
your word.” And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:26-38).
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