“an encounter with Christ should lead to an inner transformation, strengthen faith and help believers face life’s difficulties with courage

“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

“While she was in Kazan, in a prison in Russia, Christ appeared to her wearing the crown of thorns. She kept drawing near to wipe away the blood flowing from His head, wounded by the thorns. She then realised that if Christ suffered, suffering can bring us deliverance,

“Shared have been the struggles to defend Orthodox doctrine, shared the cup of affliction in difficult times, and shared the witness to the Resurrection to the ends of the earth.

“the Archbishop reflected on the message of the Dormition of the Theotokos, emphasizing that, through pain and trial, the Panagia teaches us to place greater trust in God and to face fear with faith and hope

“The Dormition is not the end; it is a passage into the fullness of life in Christ,

“following the Resurrection of Christ, death can no longer be regarded as the ultimate end of human existence