Abstract
From the time of the Council of Ephesus (431), the veneration of the Mother of God (Theotokos) experienced substantial growth, placing the Virgin in the foreground of the piety of all the Oriental Churches. The Virgin is present in the prayer life of the Orthodox Churches as expressed in Orthodox liturgy and spirituality in all countries of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox traditions. There are numerous Marian feasts. Marian feasts, icons, and hymns are often combined, e.g. the ‘wonder-working’ icons are used for veneration on their own feast days. The Virgin Mary is the most perfect member of the redeemed community, but in that same perfection we are all called to share. The function of her apparitions and icons is therefore to introduce us at the same time to the gift of the Spirit, to the taste of prayer, and to the mystery of the permanent presence of Christ in us.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
