“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.

“Let us ask the Mother of God to teach us also to say to God, every day of our lives: Let it be to me according to Your word

“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

“he also encouraged the faithful to pray to the Theotokos with trust, confident that she knows human suffering and understands their concerns

Archbishop Makarios ›

Archbishop of Australia

Reported

“The Mother of God is the protector of families, children, mothers, parents, virgins, and all the faithful, both men and women. In a special way, she is the protector of the poor, widows, orphans, and those whom no one loves anymore

“Through her translation to heaven, the Theotokos always remains close to every person and accompanies them in their trials

Archbishop Makarios ›

Archbishop of Australia

Reported

“the Theotokos represents steadfast, self-sacrificing and unconditional maternal love, rooted in the love of God himself, and that just as a mother doesn’t stop loving her children even when they drift from her, the Mother of God has remained in prayer and intercession for every person

“that the Mother of God could have chosen not to die and could have been taken bodily into heaven by her Son