Tarek El Mahaba 2018 | Page 44

The Feast of the Annunciation “Behold the maidservant this annunciation with a of the Lord! Let it be to me complete submission to according to your word” the divine will. (Luke 1:38) The annunciation of the There are seven major birth of the Lord Christ feasts of our Lord God was the beginning of the and Savior Jesus Christ. These major feasts are: The Annunciation, The Nativity, The Theophany (Baptism), Palm Sunday, The Feast of Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost. The feast of the Annunciation comes every year on the 29th of the Coptic reconciliation between God month of Baramhat. There in heaven and the people on are nine months between it earth. Therefore, the feast and the Feast of the Nativity. of the Annunciation of the On this day, our beautiful Nativity is also considered church remembers the the Annunciation of the joyful news about the beginning of salvation. birth of the Savior of the God’s incarnation was whole world that was sent a fulfilment of the Old through archangel Gabriel Testament prophecies to the Holy ever virgin and about salvation. The how Saint Mary received hymns and prayers in the 44 divine liturgy of this feast are prayed in a joyful tune because it is one of the major feasts. As the other major feasts, the prayer of the fraction is prayed during the breaking of the Body. If the feast of the annunciation falls during lent, then the readings of the Holy Liturgy are to be replaced with appropriate responses of the Feast of the Annunciation. However, if the Feast of the Annunciation and Lazarus Saturday fall on the same day, our church does not celebrate it, so, the reading will be only on Lazarus Saturday. May the blessing of the Feast of the Annunciation be with us all to fill our hearts with joy and happiness and to live a life that glorifies the Lord’s name forever. Amen