The Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God

Commemorated on November 21 / December 4

“Today is the preview of the good will of God, of the preaching of the salvation of humanity. The Virgin appears in the temple of God, in anticipation proclaiming Christ to all. Let us rejoice and sing to her: ‘Rejoice, O Divine Fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation.’”

The Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God happened, according to the preserved accounts of Holy Tradition, in the following manner…

The parents of the Virgin Mary, Righteous Joachim and Anna, in praying for a solution to their childlessness, gave a vow that if a child were born to them, they would dedicate the child to the service of God. When the Most Holy Virgin reached three years of age, her parents decided to fulfill their vow. Having gathered together their relatives and acquaintances, and having dressed the All-Pure Mary in her finest clothes; and, with the singing of sacred songs and with lighted candles in their hands, they carried her to the Temple of Jerusalem. There the high-priest with a throng of priests met the child. In the Temple, the stairway led up fifteen high steps. Mary, so it seemed, could not Herself make it up this stairway. But just as they placed Her on the first step, strengthened by the power of God, she quickly made it up over the remaining steps and ascended to the highest. Then the high-priest, through an inspiration from above, led the Most Holy Virgin into the Holy of Holies. It was only the high-priest that entered once a year with a purifying sacrifice of blood, therefore all those present in the Temple were astonished at this most unusual occurrence.

Righteous Joachim and Anna, having entrusted their child to the will of God, returned home. The Most Blessed Mary remained in the domicile for girls, situated near the Temple. Round about the Temple, through the testimony of Holy Scripture (Exodus 38; 1 Kings 1: 28; Lk. 2: 37), and also the historian Josephus Flavius, there were many living quarters, in which dwelt those dedicated to the service of God.

The Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple of the Lord, a solemn and joyous feast in the Orthodox Church, foreshadows our own redemption. It demonstrates, quite literally, how small and simple steps in the right direction can literally transform a human life and elevate it to a new level of holiness and participation in God. The Virgin Mary not only was sanctified by entering the temple, but also sanctified that Temple by a simple life of humble reverence and piety before God her Savior. In fact, she became the new temple by bearing within her womb God the Word

Through Holy Baptism, we are also called to be holy temples of God wherein the Triune God dwells and is present. However, if we are to become true temples of God, we must imitate our Lady Theotokos and dwell within the temple in stillness and prayer. In the Temple, the Most Pure Virgin grew increasingly humble and open to the will of God, becoming so like unto the Lord in goodness and virtue that she was able to bear the Holy of Holies, Christ the Lord. If Christ is to be born in us, we must imitate her actions. We must commit our hearts and seal that commitment with our actions; we must dedicate ourselves to Him just as the holy child Mary was dedicated to God by her parents.

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