December 22 / December 9

1. The Conception by Saint Anna of the Most-holy Theotokos

The righteous Joachim and Anna were childless for fifty years of their married life. In their old age, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to each one of them separately, telling them that God had heard their prayers and that they would give birth to a daughter, Mary. Then St. Anna conceived by her husband and after nine months bore a daughter blessed by God and by all generations of men: the Most-holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos. (For more details, see September 9.)

2.  Saint Hannah (Anna), Mother of the Prophet Samuel

Hannah was the wife of Elkanah from Ramathaim Zophim or Arimathea (I Samuel 1:1–2). Hannah had not given birth to any children because she was barren, and this caused her to weep and grieve bitterly. But the Merciful God showed pity on her and removed her barrenness because of her ceaseless sighs and prayers. Hannah bore a son, Samuel, and dedicated him to God from his childhood. Samuel was a great leader of the nation of Israel and a prophet, who anointed two kings, Saul and David. St. Hannah sang a hymn of thanksgiving to God, a hymn wonderful both in its wisdom and its beauty, which is used even to this day in the services of the Church (I Samuel 2:1).

3.  The Venerable Stephen “the New Light,” of Constantinople (829) This God-pleaser was born and brought up in Constantinople in the home of his parents, Zacharias and His father was a priest of the Great Church at the time of Patriarch Methodius. While carrying him in her womb, his mother fed only on bread and water, and when the child was born a cross of light shone on his chest. Because of this and because of his pure and God-pleasing life, he is called the “New Light.” At the age of eighteen, Stephen enclosed himself in a cell near the Church of St. Peter the Apostle, and there he gave himself up to the ascetic labor of fasting and prayer. Once St. Peter appeared to him and said: “Peace be to you, my child. You have made a good beginning. May the Lord strengthen you.” Following this, he lived for many years in a cell by the Church of the Holy Martyr Antipas. This saint also appeared to him and encouraged him with the words: “Know that I will not abandon you.” Stephen imposed even greater and greater hardships upon himself. He ate only twice a week and then only unsalted vegetables. This holy man lived a life of asceticism for fifty-five years for the sake of Christ’s Kingdom and entered into rest in the Lord in the year 829, at the age of seventy-three.

4.  Saint Sophronius I, Archbishop of Cyprus (6th c.)

Sophronius was born and brought up in Cyprus. Because of his great spiritual learning and his many virtues, especially compassion, he was appointed archbishop following St. Damian. Having faithfully served the Church and pleased God, Sophronius died peacefully in the sixth century.

• Valeria of Aquitaine (2nd c.).
• Virgin-martyr Leocadia, at Toledo, Spain (303).
• Martyr Sositheus of Persia (553).
• (Greek : Commemoration of the Founding of the Church of the Resurrection at Jerusalem [335]. Martyr Narses of Persia).
• Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Unexpected ”

HYMN OF PRAISE

The Conception of the Most-holy Theotokos by Saint Anna

O Most-glorious God, wonderful and marvelous,
Kind and merciful toward all creation,
The proud dost Thou overturn, the humble dost Thou raise;
Thou Who dost extinguish,
Thou Who makest to live, According to Thy plan,
O Creator, Thou canst do all,
According to Thy plan, eternal and divine.
With Thy blessing, the fertile earth brings forth fruit;
By Thy holy word,
Thou settest a seal upon the barren.
From one who gives birth,
Thou canst take away,
And for the barren one,
Thou canst bring forth good fruit.
Thou madest fertile the barren Anna;
Thou didst grant her a holy and noble daughter.
That which was the subject of mockery,
Thou didst crown with glory;
The dream of a childless woman
Thou didst openly surpass.
The aged woman prayed; her prayer
Thou didst accept.
The seal of barrenness
Thou didst remove from her body;
Her dead body
Thou didst fill with life;
Thou gavest her a Virgin, wondrous in beauty,
And a daughter was born, the Most-holy Virgin,
A Daughter, a Mother, and the Mother of God!
According to Thy plan, O Creator,
Thou canst do all,
According to Thy plan, eternal and divine.

---

To read the Reflection, Contemplation, and Homily for this day,
you can purchase your copy of the Prologue of Ohrid at our St. Sebastian Bookstore
or download our Kindle E-Book version at Amazon.com.