The Theotokos
The Theotokos

Theotokos, Mother of God, and Virgin Mary. “More honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, remaining virgin you gave birth to God the Word, true Theotokos we magnify you.” Literally, “Theotokos,” ΜΡ ΘΥ, means “one who gave birth to God. Mary said yes to God, when God sent Archangel Gabriel to tell her that she would bear a child, the Savior of the world, without having had sexual relations. She said yes at the risk of being killed since people assumed she had become pregnant immorally. She is a model for all of us to say yes to God, and to be, like her, faithful, obedient, and full of love for our Savior. Since Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human, to call Mary the Birth-giver of God is to affirm the fullness of His Incarnation, and by extension, the salvation of humanity. In 431 A.D., the 3rd Ecumenical Council rejected the heretic Nestorius’ view that Mary should be called Christotokos, restricting her role to the mother of Christ's humanity only. The Theotokos is commemorated on several feast days including March 25 (Annunciation), September 8 (Nativity), November 21 (Entry into the Temple), and August 15 (Dormition).




St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral
2300 W 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA  90057

Cathedral@StNicholasLA.COM
(213) 382-6269

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