Day 4

If we recall the Church services during Great Lent, even on the preparatory Sundays leading up to the start of the Fast, the Church talks to us repeatedly in its hymnography about Lent, fasting and repentance. It is very much different during Advent. In fact, as Archimandrite Vassilios points out, the Church is strangely silent about the Nativity of Christ for the first days of the Advent Fast. It is not until the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God (December 4) that we hear the first mention of Christ's birth.

This Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple is a beautiful Feast. It is the second major Feast of the Birth-giver that we celebrate in the liturgical year, the first of course, being her Nativity (September 21). It is a Feast that is based not in scripture as we know it today, but from the Gospel of James, also called the Protoevangelium of James. What is unique about this writing is that while it did not qualify for inclusion into the Bible as we know it today, it was and continues to be widely used both in the writings of the Church Fathers and in the hymns of the Church.

It is this writing that speaks the most about the life of the Virgin Mary. It speaks about her conception, nativity, infancy, her entrance into the temple, her betrothal to Joseph, and the Annunciation. Much of what the Church teaches and sings about the Virgin Mary comes from this writing, including this Feast of the Entrance of the Birth-giver into the Temple. Abd as mentioned, it is at this Feast that we first hear mention of the Nativity of Christ as the Nativity Canon is sung during its Matins service.

We have a beautiful tradition in our Carpatho-Russian churches that allows for this Canon of the Nativity to be sung on the Sundays following the Feast prior to the start of Divine Liturgy. In this way we are reminded each Sunday as we go through the Advent Fast that we are preparing for something special, something miraculous, something that shakes the foundations of the world. 

Tomorrow we will talk more about this Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God and its significance, but for today...let us remember:

Christ is born, glorify Him, Christ comes from heaven, go to meet Him!