“Stories of the Planted Tree Part 9,” Daily and Annual Encounters with the Virgin Mary

[Mary Naeem]

H.H. Pope Tawadros II



“Stories of the Planted Tree Part 9,” Daily and Annual Encounters with the Virgin Mary



H.H. Pope Tawadros II delivered his weekly sermon during the Wednesday meeting this evening at the Church of Virgin Mary and Saint Marina in Alamein. The sermon was broadcast through Christian satellite channels and via C.O.C. Channel, which belongs to the Church’s Media Center, online.

His Holiness prayed the Vespers service with the participation of Their Graces: Bishop Pavly, General Bishop of the Montazah Sector Churches, Bishop Hermina, General Bishop of the East Alexandria Churches, Bishop Karas, Bishop of Matrouh and the Five Western Cities, Hegumen Abram Emil, General Deputy of the Patriarchate in Alexandria, along with a number of priests. At the conclusion of the Vespers, the relics of Saint Archdeacon Habib Girgis were anointed on the occasion of his feast.

Afterwards, Father Marcos Mikhael, priest of the church, spoke, expressing the joy of all at the visit of His Holiness, a visit that coincides with the Fast of Virgin Mary, following the annual tradition observed by the Thrice-Blessed Metropolitan Pakhomious.

Hegumen Abram Emil also offered a word of love and welcome, praying that God may preserve our country, our Church, and our High Priest.

Before the sermon, His Holiness congratulated the congregation on the occasion of the Fast of Virgin Mary and the Feast of Archdeacon Habib Girgis. He then continued the series “Stories of the Planted Tree,” speaking this time on the theme: “Daily and Annual Encounters with the Virgin Mary.”

Pope Tawadros meditated on the hymn of Virgin Mary (Luke 1:46–55), explaining that we meet the Virgin Mary annually through two stations:

The Month of Kiahk – the fourth month of the Coptic year, considered a “winter station.” Its days are short, and it has only four Sundays, in which passages from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke are read. It also has a distinct Kiahk tune and special hymns. In this month, we encounter the Virgin through her obedience—“obedience of the heart and a responsive ear”—and her humility. In Kiahk we see “the promise and its fulfillment”: the promise of the birth of John the Baptist and of the Lord of Glory, and the fulfillment of the promise with John’s birth on the fourth Sunday, culminating with the birth of Christ at the end of the month.

The Fast of Virgin Mary – the second station, a “summer station,” beloved by all in its various forms. It is characterized by spiritual revival gatherings in all churches, aimed at awakening from the slumber of sin and partaking in the virtues of the Virgin.

His Holiness also pointed to our daily encounter with our Mother the Virgin in the daily Theotokia. From this comes the expression “Theotokos” (“Mother of God”), a title affirmed by the Church at the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus, in condemnation of Nestorius who claimed she was merely the mother of the man Jesus and not of God the Word Incarnate. The Theotokias include many titles of the Virgin Mary, urging us to live in piety.

Pope Tawadros further noted that we also encounter her in the Agpeya (Book of Hours). The word “Agpeya” comes from “Agp” meaning “hour.” Each of the canonical hours contains Psalms, Gospel passages, and prayers. The third litany in each hour is dedicated to Virgin Mary. For example, in the First Hour Prayer (Prime), we say:
“O Theotokos, the Mother of God, the second heaven, you are the honored Mother of the Light who is blessed and praised from sunrise to sunset by all generations, for you are the bright and unchanging blossom, and the ever-virgin mother. For the Father chose you, and the Holy Spirit overshadowed you, and the Son humbled Himself to take flesh from you …”

In each stanza, we recall beautiful attributes and numerous titles of Virgin Mary, the pride of our race, as expressed in our Orthodox faith and doctrine.

At the conclusion of the sermon, His Holiness led the congregation in chanting the hymn “The Burning Bush”, highlighting that Virgin Mary unites both Testaments of the Holy Bible—both the Old and the New Testaments.