Elder Ephraim Vatopedinos: God's greatest gift to man is the Mother of Godtranslated

The Virgin Mary, on the occasion of her ascension, is honored from end to end throughout Orthodoxy with the faithful praying to her, glorifying her and worshiping the Holy Icons where Her face is imprinted but also coming to Holy Churches, Monasteries and places which are connected with miraculous events. At the same time in Athos, the Monks emphasize that the Virgin Mary is the Abbess of Mount Athos and her presence is strong on Mount Athos where she is abbess.

The Professor of the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi, Mount Athos, Geron Ephraim talks about the face of the Mother of the whole world and her presence in our lives, emphasizing that because of the obedience of the Virgin Mary we are entitled to and partake, today, of the most honorable Body and Blood of Christ.

"The Holy Mountain was given as her lot because she is, indeed, the first after the One and she is this person, who, as the Holy Fathers said, received the depth and breadth and height of spiritual knowledge like no other person on earth. That is why the Mother of God and our Mother knows what monasticism, asceticism, seclusion means, but at the same time she also knows what pain means, temptation, what…