“Just as the Mother of God held her Son on her left arm, close to her heart, when He was a child and presented Him to the world, so now her Son in heaven holds her soul in His hands and presents it to the angels

“the unique place of the Mother of God in the history of salvation, since it was from her body that the Son of God took His human flesh

“The Mother of God shows us this preparation. She said yes to God at the Annunciation. She remained with Christ throughout her life. She stood beside Him at the Cross. She prayed together with the Apostles. And at the end, she passed over to Him

“And through these words, she also tells us to do what the Saviour Jesus Christ teaches us in the Gospel. Thus, the entire life of the Mother of God is defined by humility and by great concern for everything taking place around her, but she is not absent. She is always present in the midst of Christians.

“You are going to the house of the Mother of God for her feast. And when you arrive there, you know how many joys, and how intense those joys are, when, after the arduous journey, you stand face to face with the icon,

“Her humility, patience and faithfulness to the will of God raised the Maiden of Nazareth higher than the heavens,

“the luminous image of a faithful wife and mother, the model of martyric patience in suffering, and the example of generous love for the Church and people.

Patriarch Daniel of Romania ›

Patriarch

Direct quote

“an icon and foretaste of the universal resurrection.