Похвальное слово на Успение Святой Владычицы нашей Богородицы. Св. Феодора, игумена Студийского и Исповедника

Passing with difficulty through the weak organ of our voice, the word for praise of this sacred day needs the voice of a trumpet, the sound of a horn that sounds loudly and shakes the ends of the earth. But the Queen and Mistress of everything looks at one intention of the soul. So, come to me, all under heaven, all bishops and priests, monks and laity, kings and princes, men and women, young men and virgins, tribes and languages ​​from every kind and tribe, come, rejoicing brightly, in order to celebrate the feast of the Mother of the Lord, Mary, her burial and migration. For She departs from earthly things and approaches the eternal mountains, being truly Mount Zion, where God is pleased to dwell in her, as the lyre of the Psalmist says (Ps. 67:16-17). Now the earthly sky, clothed with the garment of incorruptibility, is transferred to a better, eternal dwelling. Now the spiritual and God-illuminated moon, marching towards the Sun of truth, is deprived of real, temporary life, and at the same time, rising, is enlightened by the glory of immortality. Now the gilded and God-made ark is moving from the earthly tabernacle to heavenly Jerusalem, to endless rest, about which the Godfather David, singing as if on a harp, says to us: virgins will be brought to the King (Ps. 44:15), that is, souls after Her will be brought to You. So, now the Mother of God, having closed her material eyes, brings us great, never-setting, spiritual lights, vigilance and intercession for the world before the face of God. Now, when Her God-moving lips, which uttered an articulate voice, are silent, She opens Her ever-speaking lips, pleading for the whole race (ours). Now, having lowered Her bodily hands, with which She carried God, She, having become immortal, raises her hands to the Lord about the entire universe. Now, having hidden Her natural appearance, like the sun, She shines, however, on Her painted icon, which She offers to earth-born for beneficial kissing and befitting worship, although heretics do not want this. So, having soared grief, the pure dove does not cease to protect for longer. Having departed in body, She is with us in spirit; Having been elevated to heaven, She drives away demons and is an intercessor to God. In ancient times, death reigned through the foremother Eve; now, having touched Her blessed Daughter, she is killed, having been defeated by the same thing from which she received strength. Therefore let the women rejoice, having inherited glory instead of dishonor. Let Eve, freed from her oath, rejoice, for she bore the blessed fruit - Mary. Let all creation leap, watered by the mysterious waters of incorruption from the virgin spring, quenching their deadly thirst. This is what we celebrate today. Such is what is sung that it gave us the root of Jesse, which brought the flower - Christ, the sacred rod of Aaron that flourished, a spiritual paradise where the tree of life is, a spiritual meadow of virgin aromas, a flowering and God-cultivated branch of a mature and life-bearing vine; the high and exalted cherubic throne of the King of all, the house full of the glory of the Lord, the holy veil of Christ, the brightest country of the East, asleep in peace and truth, I say: “asleep” and not: “died” because You were transferred, but did not cease to patronize the human race. In what words shall we express Your sacrament? We waver in our minds, we have a weak tongue that does not speak, we do not know how to write, for it (the sacrament) is glorious, lofty and surpasses any mind: it has nothing similar to itself or similar to itself, so that we can easily explain it from our deeds. You changed nature with Your indescribable birth: has anyone ever heard of a Virgin conceiving without seed? Oh, child! The Mother who gives birth is at the same time the incorruptible Virgin, because, of course, what is being born was God. You justly have this one thing, different from the others, in your life-giving dormition: the incorruptibility of both – soul and body. But let Zion tell us the wonders of this day. The limit of life was fulfilled, the hour of resolution was approaching. The Most Holy Mother of God foresaw, as befits, the time of Her transfiguration. For who, lovers of Christ, would not attribute this to the Mother of God and the Chief of the Prophets, to a greater extent than to any prophet who is in a slave state? What did She say after she found out and felt this? “The hour of My departure has come, the time of My migration to You has come. May there be people with Me, Lord, who would perform My burial; let the servants be present who would bury Me, and I will commit My spirit into Your hands, and into the hands of the disciples My inviolable and God-pleasing body, from Which You, the Immortal One, shone forth. Let the preachers and ministers of Your Gospel scattered to the ends of the earth appear for My consolation. For if You, in Your goodness, deigned to transfer the righteous Enoch, who is still living, (Gen. 5:24) and carried away Elijah the Thesbethite on a chariot of fire from this known to unknown countries (2 Kings. 2:11), both awaiting Your glorious and terrible coming; if, in addition, You caused Habakkuk to be miraculously transported in an instant from Jerusalem to Babylon and brought back (Dan. 14:36–39): then what is impossible for You when You desire? As soon as the all-praised Virgin said this, the twelve apostles, each from their place, appeared like clouds, carried on the wings of the Spirit to the cloud of light, until they stood there (on the ground) with a firm foot. And what did the God-named One, who has many captives and bears a great name, tell them? Looking around from Her bed, and seeing the waiting disciples, She said: “Let My soul rejoice in the Lord, and may it be glory and greatness to Me in all the languages ​​of the earth, that He has gathered to Me the foundations of the Church, the princes of the universe, the glorious servants of My burial. Oh, great miracle! O gift of the sons of love! The sky, containing the luminaries of the world, is a dwelling for Me. The heavenly shelter opens, bringing me secret people and priests. The congregation of the Jews will no longer rage against Me; the priestly council will no longer arm its bold hand to kill Me. Previously, these bloodthirsty people tried to destroy the Mother and the Child; but they did not achieve their goal: for they were prevented by the highest providence. I am moving to safe dwellings, to a peace alien to anxiety and sorrow, where the evil one does not spread the nets of his malice, where I will enjoy the sweets of the Lord; and I, who was His bright church, will see the church of the Lord.” But what did the blessed apostles answer to the Virgin in their own or prophetic words? They said: “Rejoice, ladder stretching from earth to heaven, as the patriarch Jacob saw (Gen. 28:12). Rejoice, original bush, from which the angel of the Lord appeared in a fiery flame - a bush that was not burned by flaming fire, as was shown to Moses, the highest viewer of God (Ex. 3:2). Rejoice, God-pleasing fleece, from which flowed the heavenly dew, a cup full of water, according to the wondrous Gideon (Judges 6:37). Rejoice, city of the great King, which the kings marvel at, as the hymn writer David depicts (Ps. 47:3). Rejoice, mental Bethlehem, house of Euphrath, from whom came the King of glory to be a prince in Israel, who came from the beginning from the days of the world, as the Divine Micah says (Micah 5:2). Rejoice, shaded virgin mountain, from which the Holy One of Israel appeared, as the inspired Habakkuk cried (Hab. 3:3). Rejoice, golden and luminous lamp, from which the unapproachable light of the Divine poured out to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, according to the inspired Zechariah (Zechariah 4:2). Rejoice, general cleansing of mortals, through whom from the east of the sun to the west the name of the Lord is glorified among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to His name, according to the most holy Malachi (Mal. 1:11). Rejoice, light cloud on which God sat, according to the sacred voice of Isaiah (Is. 19:1). Rejoice, holy book of the commandments of the Lord, the newly written law of grace, by which we know what is pleasing to God, as the much-lamented Jeremiah said (Bar. 4:1). Rejoice, closed door, through which the Lord God of Israel came in and went out, according to Ezekiel the Seer of God (Ezekiel 44:1–2). Rejoice, uncultivated highest Mountain, from which the cornerstone was cut off, as Daniel, the greatest among theologians, says (Dan. 2:3,4). And what kind of mind will it accommodate? What word can compare with what they sang and said there, how the theologians blessed Her?... But when they holyly accomplished what was due and holy, the Lord Himself appeared with the glory of His power and all the heavenly army. And the disembodied ones performed the service invisibly, and the apostles performed the service bodily, appearing as singers of Divine greatness. It was a mixed assembly, and the crowd consisted of heavenly and earthly (let no one marvel at our word, which proclaims deeds worthy of God), angels, archangels, dominions, thrones, principalities, powers, powers, cherubim, seraphim, apostles, martyrs, righteous ones, of whom some walked ahead, others met, some led, others followed - yet unanimously cried out with joy: “Sing.” Lord! Praise the Lord! Blessed is the Lord on the righteous mountain of His saints! And may the sky be raised high!”... So, lovers of Christ, has anyone heard such a song since the ages? Has anyone seen such a funeral procession? Has anyone ever known such a relocation as the Mother of my Lord was honored with?” And this is not unfair: for who is higher than She who is higher than all? My spirit is terrified when it reflects on the greatness of Your outcome, O Virgin! My mind is amazed, contemplating Your wondrous Dormition; My tongue is tied when I tell about the mystery of Your resurrection. And truly, who is worthy of hearing all Your praise, and who will proclaim all Your wonders? What lofty mind will express, what eloquent tongue will convey Your virtues and deeds, will present and depict Your sacraments, glories, holidays, praises? You surpass, incomparably exceed, in greatness every highest part of the sky, in the radiance of holiness - the light of the sun, in merit - the dignity of the angels and the ethereal being of all rational and intelligible Powers. Oh, your bright and glorious triumph! - so I will say, rejoicing. - Oh, wondrous and full of significance is Your passage! Oh, Thy burial, giving imperishable life, Mother of light!.. But, passing through the clouds, and ascending into heaven, and entering the Holy of Holies in the voice of joy and confession, O Mother of God, deign to bless the earthly circle, savingly tempering with Your prayers the dissolution of the air, giving rains in good time, controlling the winds, making the earth fertile, the church calm, establishing Orthodoxy, protecting the kingdom, protecting all the people of Christ, and finally forgiving my boldness. For this was Your word: You, Mother of God, prophesied about the future: behold, from now on all the generations will bless Me (Luke 1:48). So, since Your words cannot fail to be fulfilled, then accept this word of Your unworthy servant, which I spoke according to my strength, and reward me with the joy of Your salvation. By the power of Your prayers, strengthen me with the flock under me in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory, honor and dominion with the Almighty Father and the life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen 179. See Curs. Compl. Patrolog. Migne tom. XCIX, col 720–730. You might be interested in: