love until the end .
Let us magnify her as the Archangel did by saying : “ Rejoice Mary full of grace the Lord is with you for you have borne the Savior of our souls ” Amen .
Source : http :// dialogues . stjohndfw . info / 2010 / 03 / the-simplethings-in-life-sermon-for-annunciation /
Fr . Vasile Tudora is native of Romania and moved to Texas in 2001 . He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in February 2004 and Holy Priesthood in November 2005 , and is assigned as Proistamenos ( presiding priest ) at the Church of St . John the Baptist in Euless , Texas .
The oldest surviving icon of the Annunciation is found in the Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria in Rome , Italy , and dates from the second half of the second century A . D . Priscilla is thought to have been a well-to-do Roman who converted to Christianity and was martyred . These Christian catacombs , along with many others found surrounding Rome , are a treasury of early Christian iconography .
One difference between this depiction of the Annunciation and later icons is that the Mother of God is shown with her head uncovered . In Rome , young virginal maidens would always have their heads uncovered , and so the imagery is in keeping with the Christian beliefs regarding Mary , the Mother of Jesus Christ . The veil worn in the East would come to dominate iconography of the Mother of God in later centuries .
Other than this difference , it is remarkable how similar this image is to the established iconography of the Annunciation : Mary seated in a high-backed chair , the Archangel Gabriel stood , robed simply , with bare feet , and arm raised to signify he is speaking :
Rejoice , O Full of Grace , the Lord is with You !
Annunciation Icon , Ohrid , 14th Century
The Apostle ’ s Path 4