ICONS OF THE GREAT FEASTS My collection of icons of the Great Feasts
THE ANNUNCIATION Today is the beginning of our salvation and the manifestation of the mystery which is from eternity. The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin, and Gabriel announces grace. So with him let us also cry to the Mother of God: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace! The Lord is with thee.
THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened thy Disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, having become confident of the blessing. Verily, thou art the Son of God, and Deliverer of the world.
THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD Make ready, O Zebulon and prepare thyself, Nephthali. River Jordan, stop flowing and leap for joy at the Lord's coming for Baptism. Rejoice, O Adam, with our first mother; hide not yourself as in Paradise of old. For seeing us naked He has appeared, to clothe us with our first garment. Christ has appeared, to renew the whole of creation.
THE BIRTH OF THE THEOTOKOS Thy birth, O Mother of God, has brought joy to all the world; for from thee arose the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, Who, having dissolved the curse, has given His blessing, and having abolished death, has granted us life eternal.
THE CRUCIFIXION In that we have beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us bow down before the Holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. Thy Cross do we adore, O Christ, and thy holy Resurrection we praise and glorify: for thou art our God, and we know none other beside Thee; we call upon thy Name. O come, all ye faithful, let us adore Christ's holy Resurrection. For lo, through the Cross is joy come into all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, let us sing his Resurrection: for in that He endured the Cross He hath destroyed Death by death.
THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS In giving birth thou didst keep thy virginity, and in thy dormition thou didst not forsake the world, O Mother of God. Thou didst pass on to life, since thou art the Mother of Life, and by thine intercessions thou redeemest our souls from death.
THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD IN THE TEMPLE Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, Mother of God and Virgin, for from thee arose the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, to give light to those in darkness. Rejoice thou also, righteous old man, who didst take in thine arms the Redeemer of our souls, Who also gives us the grace of resurrection.
THE PRESENTATION OF THE THEOTOKOS IN THE TEMPLE O Lord, Today is the prelude of God's goodwill and the prophecy of the salvation of men. The Virgin appears openly in the temple of God and foretells Christ to all. So let us cry to her with loud voices: Rejoice, thou who art the fulfillment of the Creator's providence.
THE ENTRANCE OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM O Christ God, when we were buried with Thee in Baptism, we became deserving of thy Resurrection to immortal life. Wherefore, we praise thee, crying, Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.
THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; Granting to thy people victory over all their enemies, and by the power of Thy Cross preserving thy kingdom.
EXTREME HUMILITY Do not lament me, O Mother, seeing me in the tomb, for I shall arise and be eternally glorified as God. I shall exalt all who magnify you in faith and in love.
THE MYRRH-BEARERS AT THE TOMB Verily, the angel came to the tomb and said to the ointment-bearing women, the ointment is meet for the dead, but Christ is shown to be remote from corruption. But cry ye, The Lord is risen, granting the world the Great Mercy.
THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD Thy nativity, O Christ our God, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the world; For they who did worship the stars did learn from them to worship Thee, O Sun of Justice, and to know that thou didst come from the East of the Highest, Glory to Thee, O Lord.
PENTECOST Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise, having sent upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them Thou hast fished the universe, O Lover of mankind, Glory to Thee!
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS Giving us before Thy Passion an assurance of the general resurrection, Thou hast raised Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore, like the children, we also carry tokens of victory, and cry to Thee, the Conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.
THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD Thou didst descend into the tomb, O Immortal. Thou didst destroy the power of death. In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming "Rejoice" to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thy Apostles, and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
THE TOUCHING OF THOMAS What miraculous wonder, that lack of faith became conviction of faith; for Thomas exclaimed, Unless I see, I will not believe. Wherefore, when he searched the side he spoke of the Godhead of the Incarnate, who is Son of God, and knew that he verily did suffer in the flesh, and thus cried proclaiming the Risen God, shouting in a loud voice, My Lord and my God, glory to Thee.
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD When Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, Thou didst show Thy glory to Thy disciples as far as they could bear it. Let Thy everlasting light illumine also us sinners through the intercessions of the Mother of God. Giver of Light, glory to Thee.
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