The angelic annunciation to the Theotokos, ‘the destiny of the woman’ & the month March, dedicated to the women in the Nigerian Orthodox Archdiocese

Orthodox Cathedral of the Resurrection of the Lord, Lagos

(see the page here)

ierapostoli.wordpress.com (a Greek blog for the Orthodox Mission). ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ μετά το αγγλικό κείμενο.

The Thanksgiving Service of the women of our Parish in celebration of 2021 Mother’s Day within the Nigerian Archdiocese. The month of March is generally dedicated to celebrating the remarkable achievements of women and their exploits cross the globe. The angelic annunciation to the Theotokos of the Incarnation of Christ has occupied in the global Christian consciousness a towering remembrance of ‘the destiny of the woman’ in God’s redemptive plan for mankind. Virgin Mary is honoured by the Church not only because God chose her, or because she bore the Son of God in the flesh, but also because she herself chose to believe and obey God firmly. She became the highest model of obedience in her faithful response to the news of the angel. For this, every 25th of March is celebrated the solemnity of the Annunciation and our mothers have adopted to mark the Mother’s Day on this same day to remind themselves and us the humility, faith and love of the Theotokos to God and humanity.

This year’s event was initiated by a symbiotic ministerial outreach the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) and the women of our Archdiocese via virtual conference. On the eve of the Feast the following presenters offered corresponding topics :-
Anna Kurian ----------------------- The Theotokos, the Woman Who bore Christ.
Presbytera Brittany Kearns --------------------- Imitating women Saints – Heroes for modern women.
Melissa Starnge ---------------------------- Women working together to raise up their Church and Families. 

In his remarks, our Father and Archbishop Alexander expressed blessed gratitude to: Fr. Martin Ritsi (President of OCMC), Presbytera Renee Ritsi, Andrew Lekos and the entire OCMC team for their kindness throughout the years and their unrelenting love and dedication to mission and evangelism across the world.

The Archbishop during the Divine Liturgy this morning prayed and invited all women to rise to the height of their potentials, becoming 'mothers' to the child Christ after the likeness of the Virgin Mary and bringing God and humanity in a divine synergy for the salvation of our souls.

We wish all women a joyous Mother’s Day celebration.

You can see video here. 

The Feast of Annunciation of Virgin Mary - 25th March

From the Orthodox Church in Nigeria (here)

Epistle: Hebrew 2:11-18
Gospel: Luke 1:24-38

The angle of God was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos: "Rejoice, highly favored one, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His name JESUS."

This annunciation is the harbinger of the destruction of Satan's triumph in the garden of Eden when through annunciation he led Eve to disobedience and sin through it entered the world. Today, the seed of Satan is supplanted by the power of the Highest through the visitation of the Holy Spirit. In hearing of the Incarnation of Christ; Adam rejoiced, Eve marveled at the obedience of Mary in her acceptance of the good news - 'let it be to me according to your word.'

The Baby Christ already in Mary's womb sanctified it and through it creation's womb. No longer is He ashamed to call us brethren, saying: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me." "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil." (Hebrew 2:13-14).

The mystery of the event we commemorate today can only be understood in total obedience to the word of God just like Virgin Mary. Our life received a new meaning during the announcement and acceptance of the Incarnation of Christ. In Mary, every woman acquired the potentiality to conceive and bear a 'child' of God. While in Christ every man obtained the likeness to become sons of God and together we all became 'children' of God. The vessel that the Mother of God became at annunciation is what we are called to become daily in our lives. Receivers and bearers of the Incarnate Word of God. And may all who through fear of death were all their lifetime subjected to bondage be released in the Name of Jesus Christ!

Happy feast dear brothers and sisters!

Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία Νιγηρίας: ο Μάρτιος αφιερωμένος στη Γυναίκα & τη Μητέρα λόγω του Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου

Ολοκληρώθηκαν την Κυριακή 28 Μαρτίου σε όλες τις ενορίες της Μητρόπολης Νιγηρίας, οι εκδηλώσεις για την εορτή του Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου, που είναι αφιερωμένη στις Ορθόδοξες γυναίκες και μητέρες.Στο πλαίσιο αυτών των εκδηλώσεων πραγματοποιήθηκε στις 24 Μαρτίου, διαδικτυακή συνάντηση γυναικών από την Ενορία της Κοιμήσεως της Θεοτόκου αλλά και.από άλλες ενορίες με γυναίκες από τις ΗΠΑ, με τη φροντίδα και συνεργασία της Μητρόπολης και του ιεραποστολικού συνδέσμου OCMC.

Αυτή είναι η αρχή μιας σειράς διαδικτυακών συναντήσεων που διοργανώνει η Μητρόπολη για τις γυναίκες, τη νεολαία και τους κληρικούς.

Ο Μητροπολίτης Νιγηρίας κ. Αλέξανδρος εξέφρασε την ευγνωμοσύνη του στον π. Martin Ritsi (Πρόεδρος της OCMC), την Πρεσβυτέρα Renee Ritsi, τον Andrew Lekos και ολόκληρη την ομάδα του OCMC για την καλοσύνη τους όλα αυτά τα χρόνια και την αδιάκοπη αγάπη και αφοσίωσή τους στην αποστολή και τη διάδοση του Ευαγγελίου σε όλο τον κόσμο.

Κατά τη Θεία Λειτουργία, o Μητροπολίτης Νιγηρίας προσευχήθηκε και κάλεσε όλες τις γυναίκες να αξιοποιήσουν το μέγιστο των δυνατοτήτων τους, να γίνουν «μητέρες» στο νεογέννητο Χριστό καθ’ ομοίωση της Παναγίας και να οδηγήσουν την ανθρωπότητα στην ένωση με τον Θεό για τη σωτηρία των ψυχών.

orthodoxtimes.gr

Περισσότερα… https://www.facebook.com/orthodoxcathedralng/

( http://ampelonas-trygetes.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-thanksgiving-service-of-women.html )

Χειροτονία διακόνου στη Μητρόπολη Νιγηρίας

( https://www.orthodoxtimes.gr/cheirotonia-diakonou-sti-mitropoli-nigirias/ )

Νέος Γενικός Αρχιερατικός Επίτροπος στην Μητρόπολη Νιγηρίας

( https://www.orthodoxtimes.gr/neos-genikos-archieratikos-epitropos-sti-mitropoli-nigirias/ )

The Archbishop of Nigeria Alexander with Nigerian Orthodox Women on Sunday of Orthodoxy 2021 (from here).