Ukrainian Orthodoxy Orthodoxie ukrainienne
 

Summary of Articles on the Mother of God
I read somewhere that the Mother of God, following her death ascended directly into heaven and her "physical body" was never found. Is this true? see answer The Pochayiv Mother of God in America Many North Americans probably won't give a passing consideration to news that an icon from Ukraine is being brought here on "tour" in the U.S. Grant it that "Pochayiv" is as far removed from New York and New Jersey as "all get out." But it would be a tragedy if the significance of this event is totally lost or else submerged in other considerations. more
Today we celebrate the glorious Feast of the Annunciation to our Lady, the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary by the Holy Archangel Gabriel that she would bear a son who would be called Jesus, who would be the salvation of His people and all humanity. We rejoice that our salvation comes – nine months to the day from this date we shall celebrate the Nativity in the Flesh of this Saviour, Jesus our Lord. We shall sing again and again: "God is with us". more My question is who started the prayer, "Hail Mary" and when did it start? see answer
On October 1 Julian Calendar (October 14 on the Gregorian), Ukrainians celebrate a Feast day that is of special significance to them. It is the Feast of the Protecting Veil of Mary, the Mother of God. The origins of the Feast hail nearly a millennia ago when a vision of the Mother of God extending her head-covering over the worshipers in a Church in Constantinople inspired the people to repel an invasion of the city. The Feast came to Ukraine with the reception of the Christian faith. Like every human being Ukrainians love and revere mothers. And our land is so desirable and vulnerable that we have been popular targets for invasion and domination. The reminder of a Mother who protects - not only from, but in - times of distress is so appealing!  Lets reflect on what Mary meant to Jesus, our Lord and Saviour and to us, His followers. more Weeping Icons of the Mother of God Today (September 24) is the Feast of a special miraculous icon of the Mother of God of "Kaplunivka."  It belongs to that category of icon known as "weeping" since eye-witnesses saw it emit tears of aromatic oil from around the eyes of the Virgin depicted on it.  As any good child would wonder about their mother, so do we about our Spiritual Mother, and we ask, "Why is She crying?" more

Icons of the Virgin Mary The liturgical services of the Dormition celebrate, at one and the same time, her leaving this earth and, at the same time, her constant beneficial influence over our lives as Christians through her continuing great intercession on our behalf with Her Son.  She who has received the fullness of joy in God focuses her maternal care on our spiritual and temporal needs.  Her miraculous icons are one way in which her presence is felt among us.  As with pictures of our own mothers who gave us birth, so too we honour images of our spiritual Mother who has a direct relationship to the Body of Christ that is the Church. more

The Feast of the Dormition Both Orthodox and Roman Catholics celebrate the mystery of Christ's taking His Mother, body and soul, into Heaven.  Yet both have quite different ways of approaching this Feast that reflects their differing perspectives on the Mother of Christ our God.  Their liturgical focus is different one from another as are the very terms by which they name this Feast.  Let's take a closer look . . . more
The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the most joyous and great Feasts of the Church Year.  It celebrates and joyfully proclaims the Incarnation of the Son of God in the womb of the Virgin Mary.  What does this Feast teach us, especially in relation to the Great Fast? more

The Virgin Mary in East and West Mary, the Mother of Christ our God has been honoured for centuries.  But let us have a look at the different ways she is venerated in both East and West, particularly with respect to the famous apparitions and other devotions. more

What is the Orthodox position on the visitations by the Holy Theotokos to Lourdes, Fatima and Medjugorje? Do we view them as true visitations by the Mother of God? If so, how much importance to we place on them. see answer

Being a former Eastern Orthodox , I see some error in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

First, salvation is not by faith + works, it is faith alone in Christ alone(See Romans 3:28, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-9). Also, "Mother of God" is not a correct name to be given to Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus' humanity, not His Deity. Jesus is God. God is eternal, Mary is not, she was created. Please study the Bible and find out the truth! see reply

Mariolatry will land you in hell.

Did not the Lord Jesus Christ say, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

Not by Mary, not by venerating "saint" volidimir, not by infant christening, but by Jesus Christ. see reply

 Martin Luther on the Mother of God A Lutheran acquaintance recently pointed out to me the great veneration that Martin Luther had for the Blessed Virgin Mary throughout his life. Luther believed that the Theotokos remained a Virgin always: "Christ . . . was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him . . . 'brothers' really means 'cousins' here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers." (Sermons on John, chapters 1-4, 1537-39). more

Today's Feast (October 14), the Pokrova or Protection of our Lady the Theotokos, is a national one of the Ukrainian people. It celebrates the constant intercession and protection given to Christians by the Mother of Christ in Heaven. We are members of the Body of Christ and so Mary is our spiritual Mother who is there, along with all the Saints, to help nurture us in the life in Christ. more

 The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos The first of the great Twelve Feasts of the Church, the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos celebrates the birth of Her from Whom God took flesh and became Incarnate - Our Lord Jesus Christ. more
I would like to know the Orthodox view of Jesus' birth.  Did Mary suffer labor pains as all other women as a consequence of Original Sin of Eve from Genesis or was Mary spared labor pains because she did not suffer the consequences of Original Sin? answer Icons of the Theotokos
I have 3 questions regarding the *all-immaculate(ness)* of Mary?
1: how exactly does the orthodox define 'immaculate' in this instance?
2: Is it within orthodox to believe she was made so at the very least at the annunciation (and at the most) her death?
3: Here's my problem and it's related to (2). If Mary had not sinned (even involuntarily), then it still separates her from the rest of humanity. If she never succumbed to sin through weakness, if she was always capable of resisting it, doesn't that imply she was capable of extra-human resistance?
To say she is 'sinless', is to say she has accomplished something i.e. free from susceptible weakness as the rest of have not fully attained. see answer		 A visitor's question on the sinlessness of the Virgin Mary see answer.
Both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches hold the Mother of God in high esteem yet conflict in regard to the "Immaculate Conception." Why is that?
I know this has a basis, in part, with regard to the Roman dogma of "Papal Infallibility" which the Orthodox do not subscribe to, since it was through a Dogma, based on long tradition, that the Immaculate Conception was defined in 1854.
Also, what is the Orthodox view on the Dogma of the Assumption? see answer		 THE NATIVITY OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

Introduction to the Miraculous Icons of the Most Holy Mother of God in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Just as individual Saints are formally Glorified by the Church, so too are Icons Glorified as a way to confirm that they are Grace-bearing as evidenced by miracles that are worked by God through the intercession of the Saint depicted on the Icon, in response to our faith and prayer. 

The veneration of an Icon is therefore a way to affirm the reality of the Incarnation of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  The Icon teaches us that God became man in Christ and that, by participating in the Body of Christ through the Mysteries and Life of the Church, the Saints are themselves divinized.  Icons of the Most Holy Mother of God and the Saints proclaim this truth.   

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has a profound veneration for the Incarnation of Christ as shown in its great love for the Most Holy Mother of God.  There are some Miraculous Icons of Saints, like that of St Nicholas the Drenched in Kyiv, but, by far, the Mother of God is honoured by almost 1,000 Miraculous and locally-venerated Icons in Ukraine!  Just as Saints undergo a process to determine whether God has Glorified His Servant with miracles of Grace, so too does an Icon of the Mother of God undergo a similar process.  Like the Saints, the Icon of the Theotokos is hymned with liturgical prayers and is celebrated on an appointed feast day and Churches are built in its honour.

The following is a liturgical calendar for Icons of the Mother of God in the Ukrainian Church that have been formally Glorified by the Church for their miracles. It is based on the work of Professor Poselianin. To obtain the date in accordance with the Gregorian Calendar, 13 days should be added to the date given. While all Icons of the Mother of God are honoured, there are those who have a particular history and devotion amongst the Ukrainian faithful. They are particularly celebrated, honoured and hymned

Miraculous Icons

By Feast Day (Julian Calendar):