The Theotokos

Opening Prayer

Troparion (Tone 4)

Your Nativity, O Virgin,
Has proclaimed joy to the whole universe!
The Sun of righteousness, Christ our God,
Has shone from you, O Theotokos.
By annuling the curse, He bestowed a blessing.
By destroying death, He has granted us eternal life.

Ask the class to think of people they know about whose faith has been severely tested. Might these people have been tempted to abandon their faith, or to question God? Tell the class you are going to read about a couple whose faith was really tested over many years--Joachim and Anna, the parents of Mary, the Theotokos.

Story of the Nativity of the Theotokos

Read the story of The Nativity of the Theotokos (found in the Resource Section) together.

After reading the story, discuss these questions:

• Could Joachim, after being humiliated when he went to make his offering, have been tempted to be angry at God? Could both Joachim and Anna, after praying and hoping for so long to have a child, have been tempted to give up on God?
• What are some ways Joachim and Anna might have kept themselves and each other from giving up? (Prayer, mutual loving support, consciously trying to live a good life in trust that God would not abandon them, etc.)

Scripture

Put on the chalkboard these 3 Old Testament passages:

• I Samuel 1: 9-20 (answer: Samuel)
  
• Judges 13: 1-3 and 21-24 (answer: Samson)
  
• Genesis 21: 1-3 (answer: Isaac)
  

Let students look up the passages and find the names of the children who were born to their parents late in life, and who each had something very important to do for God.

Mary: The New Eve

Scripture Review

Hymnography of the Theotokos

Look together at the Troparion, Kontakion, and Hymn texts for this session. (The Troparion is in the opening prayer section, the Kontakion is in the closing prayer section and all the hymns are in the click-on Session Resources*. )

Hymn to the Theotokos:
Virginity is foreign to mothers;
Childbearing is strange for virgins,
But in you, O Theotokos,
Both were accomplished!
For this, all the earthly nations unceasingly magnify you!

Closing Prayer

Kontakion of the feast

By your Nativity, O most pure Virgin,

Joachim and Anna are freed from barrenness;

Adam and Eve, from the corruption of death.

And we, your people, freed from the guilt of sin, celebrate and sing to you:

"The barren woman gives birth to the Theotokos, the Nourisher of our Life."

Take a few minutes to tell the class that starting with the next session, a brief period for journaling will be part of each session. Tell them that you have notebooks for them.

Opening Prayer

Troparion of the Entrance of the Theotokos - Tone 4

Today is the prelude of the good will of God,
Of the preaching of the salvation of mankind.
The Virgin appears in the temple of God,
In anticipation proclaiming Christ to all.
Let us rejoice and sing to her:
Rejoice, O fulfillment of the Creator's dispensation

Make sure students understand these words in the hymn:

• prelude: something that prepares us for what is to come. (If some of your students play or study music, they may be familiar with this word in the context of music)
• anticipate: look forward to
• dispensation: God's (the Creator's) gift or plan of salvation

Scripture Reading

Read Psalm 45, verses 13-17, together.
Ask students to keep the words in mind as you go on to read the story of the feast.

Story of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

Read the story of The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (found in the Resource Section) together.

After reading the story, discuss these points:

• Mary's entrance into the Temple reminds us that later her divine Son will also be presented. Read together Luke 2: 22-40. Note that Mary and Joseph followed the law of the Old Testament and brought their Son to present Him to the Lord. Simeon and Anna the Prophetess (not the wife of Joachim) had been waiting many years to see the Savior, and when Jesus was brought to the Temple, they knew they had seen Him.

• In the next verses of Luke (41-50) we see something that goes beyond the law of the Old Testament. The young Jesus is teaching the rabbis and scholars in the Temple. Now the law of the Old Testament is fulfilled and the Savior they promised has come.      

• The Old Testament also gives us a "prelude" of Mary's entrance into the Temple. Look at Psalm 45, verses 13-17. Note how these verses are reflected in the story you have just read together.

Scripture Reading/Discussion

Scripture Review

As a review, have students make a chart based on Psalm 45, verses 13-17. The chart should have three columns. In the first column, put words from the Psalm. In the second, describe an event from the story of the feast.   In the third, where applicable, put a phrase from the troparion or the kontakion of the feast. Have students choose a title to put on the chart, and display it in the room.

Point out that Jesus Christ was also presented to the Temple, as a fulfillment of the Old Testament law. Let students look at and compare the icons of the two feasts.

Journaling - Mary as a "living temple"

Review the Journaling Handout found in the Resource Section.

Mary as a "living temple" 

Talk together about the title "living temple" that is often applied to the Theotokos. Ask students to tell what they think it means. (Bring into the discussion the idea that Mary carried Jesus Christ in her body as He was getting ready to be born. But also, she did the will of God. In both ways, she was ready to be God's servant. So she was always offering God worship. The temple is the place where God is always worshipped. Thus we can call Mary a "living temple" of God.)

Let students come up with their own ideas. Varied answers are completely acceptable, but they should be along the lines of the ideas offered here.  

Emphasize to students that Mary's choice to become the Mother of God was made freely and without any coercion. She could have said "no" to God. But we honor her for her choice because by saying "yes" she put into motion God's plan for the salvation of all of us human beings.

Give students their journals, and ask them to take a few minutes to think about how WE can become "living temples" of God. They should write their ideas in their journals

Closing Prayer

The most pure Temple of the Savior;
the Precious Chamber and Virgin;
the sacred Treasure of the Glory of God,
is presented today to the House of the Lord.
She brings with her the grace of the spirit,
which the angels of God do praise.
Truly this woman is the Abode of heaven!

If you have time, go over the meaning of the last line of the kontakion with your students: "Truly this woman is the abode of heaven." Make sure they understand that the word "abode" means a place where someone lives or stays. Ask them what it means to say Mary is the abode of heaven. (She carried Jesus Christ in her body as He was getting ready to be born. This is the same as what any mother does with her baby. But Jesus is God's only Son, who came from heaven. So we can say that Mary carried heaven in her body when carried Jesus Christ. She was His "abode.")

Opening Prayer

Troparion of the Annunciation - Tone 4

Today is the beginning of our salvation,
The revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin
As Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.
Together with him let us cry out to the Theotokos!
Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you

Discuss some points about the words of the hymn:

• The first line reminds us that Mary has a central role in God’s plan to save the world from the final power of death (this is what “salvation” means.) She consents to be the Mother of God.
• The second line reminds us that God has planned this salvation forever (that is why it is “eternal”, and it is a “mystery” because it is God’s plan and therefore beyond our power to know or understand fully)
• The last line gives the Virgin Mary the title “Full of Grace.” Grace is God’s gift to all human beings who truly want to follow His commandments and someday live with Him in the Kingdom. Grace is what enables us to follow Him through this earthly life with its temptations and difficulties

Story of the Annunciation

Read the story of the Annunciation to the class or, better still, have students, one or more, read it aloud (found in the Resource Section).

With the class, read Luke 1: 36-45. Talk together about these questions and points:

• What other good news does Gabriel give Mary? (He tells her that her elderly cousin Elizabeth, who has wanted a child, is going to have one.)
• What does Mary do after talking with angel? (She goes to visit Elizabeth to share her joy. This shows us something of Mary’s loving and outgoing nature.)
• What title does Elizabeth give Mary? (She calls Mary “the mother of my Lord.”)
• What unusual thing happens when Mary tells Elizabeth her wonderful news? (Elizabeth’s own baby “leaps for joy” inside her body. That baby is John the Baptizer and Forerunner. Even in the womb he knows that Mary’s baby will be the Savior.)

Scripture Reading

With the class, read Luke 1: 46-55. Put the title “Magnificat” on the chalkboard, and tell the class that this hymn of praise to God is part of our worship services. The title comes from the first word of the hymn in Latin.

Point out to the class that the mother of Samuel in the Old Testament sang a hymn of praise much like this one. Read I Samuel 2: 1-10 together. Divide the class into three groups. Give them paper, markers, and a ruler. Ask each group to make a chart showing three things from Hannah’s hymn that are similar to the Magnificat. Let them make their charts colorful, with words written large enough to be easy to read. (Groups can divide their papers down the middle using rulers, and head one side “Hannah’s Song” and the other side “Mary’s Magnificat.”)

When the groups have finished, they can compare their charts to see how many of the same similarities they came up with. Plan to display the charts in the room.

Point out to the class that Hannah rejoiced over the birth of her son Samuel, who would become a great leader of the Hebrew people. Samuel was a human being like all of us. But of course the greatest event ever to take place was the birth of Mary’s Son, because it was a miracle and He was the divine Son of God. That’s why the Church calls His birth by the special title of “the Incarnation.”

Discuss the word INCARNATION with the class. The prefix “in” is familiar to all of us. “Carn” refers to flesh. Ask students to think of some words including “carn.” (Carnivore, carnal, carnival and carnation are some examples. A “carnival” is a celebration of fleshly enjoyments. The flower “carnation” is so named because it is flesh-colored.) The suffix “ation” means being or becoming.

Put the word on the chalkboard in syllables: IN-CARN-ATION. To become flesh—this is what God did for us.

Hymnography

Read together Luke 1: 5-20. Then look together at the verses of the Apostikha for the Feast of the Conception of St. John the Baptist, to see how the Church has written them based on the Biblical account.  (Gabriel has told the priest Zachariah that his wife Elizabeth will bear a son, John the Baptizer or Forerunner. The following verses are Zachariah’s response)

Apostikha for the Feast of the Conception of John the Baptist
Tell me clearly, how will I know this?
Answered the blessed elder [Zachariah]
For as you see I am full of days and Elizabeth is barren.
How do you utter words beyond nature?
I am amazed and now suspect, O man, that you speak not the truth.
Depart, for I ask the salvation of the people,
And not to acquire a son;
Such a thing cannot be believed!

Ask the class:

• “What kind of person does Zachariah seem to be?” (Point out that he is certainly a person with his own agenda, not willing to accept what Gabriel tells him. Use the points made in “Teacher Notes " in the Resource Section to enhance the discussion.)
  
  
• “Why does Gabriel react so negatively to Zachariah?” (Stress the difference between his attitude and that of the Virgin Mary when Gabriel visits her. Though she is confident and strong enough to question the angel in a sensible way, she does not do so with cynicism or doubtfulness. She is a person of faith but also of humility, as described above in the story for the feast of the Annunciation. She is willing to let God be in charge, not blocking His access to her life as Zachariah does. Her attitude is an example of what Christians mean when they talk about humility.)

Journaling

Closing Prayer

O victorious leader of triumphant hosts!

We, your servants, delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks to you, O Theotokos!

As you possess invincible might set us free from every calamity

So that we may sing: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride.

Notice that the hymn tells us that Mary “possesses invincible might.” This reminds us of her willingness and ability to pray for us and intercede, as she did at the wedding in Cana. It also reminds us, once again, that she is not a passive or weak person but a strong one who loves us and will pray for us.

Opening Prayer

Troparion of the Dormition - Tone 1

In giving birth you preserved your virginity!
In falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos!
You were translated to life, O Mother of Life,
and by your prayers you deliver our souls from Death!

Tell the class that today you will be talking about the Feast of the Dormition, or Falling Asleep, of the Theotokos. Tell them that they may also have heard this feast referred to as the Assumption.

Go over the meaning of the word “translated” in the troparion. Ask the class what the word means to them. (They will probably say that it means changing a word from one language to another.) Tell them that in this case it means that the Theotokos was changed from one state of being into another. After she died, she was taken from death into life in the Kingdom of God. She is there with God, and is already taking part in the wonderful life of His Kingdom that we all hope to enjoy some day. Mary did not and does not lie in the grave, like other people who have died. Rather, she is with her Son, Jesus Christ. Ask the class to keep the following questions in mind as you read the story of the Dormition of the Theotokos together: What was special about the death of the Theotokos? Why do we refer to it as “Dormition” or “Falling Asleep”?

Story of the Dormition of the Theotokos

Read the story of the Dormition (found in the Resource Section) together: 

After reading the story, look again at the troparion. Point out to the class that two miracles about the Theotokos are compared. First, she gave birth to a child even though there was no human father—she “preserved her virginity.” Second, though she “fell asleep” or died, she lives in the Kingdom of God. Both of these show us God’s greatness. Ask the class, “What does the troparion tell us that Mary does now, in the Kingdom?” (She prays for us.)

Flowers for the Theotokos

Discussion about Grief

Icon of the Dormition

Journaling

Closing Prayer

Kontakion of the Dormition - Tone 2

Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos,
Who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions.
For being the Mother of Life, she was translated to life
By the One who dwelt in her virginal womb!

Note that both the troparion and kontakion emphasize Mary’s ever-virginity. Use the Teacher Notes in the Resource Section to lead a discussion on what this means. Remind students that in Orthodox teaching, a husband and wife are given the gift of sexual intercourse to enjoy, not just to procreate. Close with the kontakion of the feast as your prayer.

Opening Prayer

It is truly meet to bless you, O Theotokos,
ever blessed and most pure, and the Mother of our God.
More honorable than the Cherubim,
And more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim,
Without defilement you gave birth to God the Word.
True Theotokos, we magnify you!

Make certain the students understand that the Cherubim and Seraphim are ranks of angels. See the Introduction to the unit for guidance in talking about the word "defilement." In this prayer we use "magnify" to mean to glorify or praise.

The Theotokos in Scripture and Hymnography

Icons of the Theotokos

During the past four sessions we have studied four feasts of the Theotokos. We know though, that we honor the Theotokos more often than just on these feast days. We can ask the Theotokos to pray for us and remember us to God daily. Icons are an important part of the worship of the Orthodox Church. There was a time when people misunderstood the use of icons, and still some people today don’t understand them. The Orthodox Church teaches that we do not pray to icons, but in fact pray through them, and that they help us to realize that Christ and the saints are present with us always. They also help us to understand important events in the life of Christ, the Theotokos or the saints. That’s why we studied the icons of the feast days of the Theotokos. But there are many other icons of the Theotokos. Many people have a number of icons in their home, usually in a special place, where they also pray. There are a number of styles or types of icons of the Theotokos. Many churches and individuals have several icons of the Theotokos.

Read the appropriate page (page 2) from The Icon Book . Here are some additional types of icons of the Theotokos. What differences do you see in the different types of icon? Have the students spend a little time looking at the icons, discussing the facial expressions and the positioning of Christ and the Theotokos. 

Read The Icons of the Theotokos - Description from the Resource Section.

Journaling

Story of the Tikhvin Icon

Discuss the value of this icon for the Russian Orthodox people. If possible visit the www.oca.org site to see the photos and description of the return of the icon. Especially note the huge crowds that greeted the icon on her return to Russia.

Closing Prayer

Hymn  to the Theotokos

It is truly meet to bless you, O Theotokos,
ever blessed and most pure, and the Mother of our God.
More honorable than the Cherubim,
and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim,
without defilement you gave birth to God the Word.
True Theotokos, we magnify you!