Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to the Flesh

Your Nativity, O Christ our God,

Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom!

For by it, those who worshipped the stars,

Were taught by a Star to adore You, the Sun of Righteousness,

And to know You, the Orient from on High.

O Lord, glory to You!

Basilica of Nativity, Bethlehem

The main sanctuary of Basilica of Nativity

Grotto of Nativity: the grotto in which Jesus was born

The icon nativity above the altar in the Grotto of Nativity

Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus Est - Here of the Virgin Mary Jesus Christ was born

Site of the manger

Mural behind the altar above the manger site

An icon near the main sanctuary

Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One,

And the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One!

Angels with shepherds glorify Him!

The wise men journey with a star!

Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child!

Entrance to Church of the Milking Grotto, where Mary nursed Jesus

The friary at Milking Grotto

Christ is born, give ye glory.

Christ cometh from heaven, meet ye Him.

Christ is on earth, be ye exalted.

O all the earth, sing unto the Lord,

And sing praises in gladness, O ye people,

For He hath been glorified.

Mural icon of nativity at St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Bethany Beyond the Jordan, Jordan

Mosaic icon of infant Jesus at St. George Orthodox Church in Madaba, Jordan

As we continue to celebrate Christ's incarnation, let us meditate this great mystery with these Byzantine Christmas hymns: Your Nativity, O Christ, Today the Virgin, and Christ is born.

Your Nativity, O Christ:

Today the Virgin:

Christ is born:

Elevation of the Life-Giving Cross

O Lord, save Thy people,
And bless Thine inheritance.
Grant victory to the Thy people
Over the their enemies
And by the power of Thy Cross
Preserve Thy commonwealth.

Armenian Orthodox shrine commemorating the finding of the true cross of Jesus by St. Helena,
Grotto of Basilica of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Armenian Orthodox shrine commemorating the finding of the true cross of Jesus by St. Helena,
Grotto of Basilica of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Catholic shrine commemorating the finding of the true cross of Jesus by St. Helena,
Grotto of Basilica of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

As You were voluntarily raised upon the cross for our sake,

Grant mercy to those who are called by Your Name, O Christ God;

Make all Orthodox Christians glad by Your power,

Granting them victories over their adversaries,

By bestowing on them the Invincible trophy, Your weapon of Peace.

The location where Jesus' cross once stood,
Mt. Calvary, Basilica of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Catholic shrine commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus,
Mt. Calvary, Basilica of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Tracing an up right line with his staff, 
Moses divided the Red Sea for Israel, which was travelling on foot,
and striking it a transverse blow, 

he brought the waters together over the chariots of Pharaoh, 

there by inscribing the invincible weapon of the Cross.
Wherefore, let us hymn Christ our God, for He hath been glorified.

Armenian Orthodox shrine commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus,
Mt. Calvary, Basilica of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Let us pray for the Lord's blessing on all of us through His cross, as we listen to Lord, Save Thy People: 

Let us also meditate on the mystery of the life-giving cross as we listen to Tracing an Up Right Line:

Nativity of the Theotokos

The feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos is the first feast day according to the Byzantine liturgical calendar. Happy New Year to everybody!


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 annulling the curse, He bestowed a blessing.

By destroying death, He has granted us eternal Life.

The icon of nativity of the Theotokos, at the grotto of her nativity,
situated beneath Basilica of St. Anne, Jerusalem

The grotto of the nativity of the Theotokos

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!

The main altar of Basilica of St. Anne, built by Crusaders in 1130 in Jerusalem,
 on the foundation of Byzantine shrine,
above the grotto of nativity of Mary

The tabernacle of Basilica of St. Anne

A side altar honouring St. Ann and Blessed Virgin Mary

Statue of Sts. Anne and Mary, Basilica of St. Anne

Basilica of St. Anne, the façade

Basilica of St. Anne, the façade and bell tower

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages amen.
How should we not marvel at your Offspring, 
who is both God and man, all-honoured one? 
For without knowing man, 
O all-blameless, you gave birth in the flesh to a Son without father, 
begotten from the Father before the ages without mother, 
in no way undergoing change, or mixture or separation; 
but preserving intact the identity of either nature. 
Therefore, Sovereign Lady, Virgin-Mother, 
implore Him that the souls may be saved of those who with right belief acknowledge you as Theotokos.

The Orthodox chapel commemorating the nativity of the Theotokos,
behind Basilica of St. Anne

Finally, let us contemplate on this joyful event by listening to Glory to... How should we not marvel:

Your Nativity:


For more information on Basilica of St. Anne, see: http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/escurs/Ger/10escursEn.html
http://www.africamission-mafr.org/jerusalem_presentationgb.htm

Dormition

O marvelous wonder! 

The Fount of life hath been laid in a grave, and the tomb hath become a ladder leading to heaven. 

Rejoice, O Gethsemane, the holy chamber of the Theotokos.

And let us believers shout to her with Gabriel, the chief of the angels, saying, 

Rejoice, O full of grace. 

The Lord is with thee, granting the world, through thee, the Great Mercy.

The sepulchre of the Theotokos Blessed Virgin Mary, at the foot of Mt. Olive, Jerusalem

Another altar in the same grotto containing the sepulchre

The entrance to the sepulchre of the Theotokos, the current structure was built by crusaders in the twelfth century

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.

Icon of dormition of the Theotokos, Dormition Abbey, Mt. Zion, Jerusalem

Statue of dormition of the Theotokos, in the grotto of Dormition Abbey

Statue of dormition of the Theotokos, in the grotto of Dormition Abbey

The apse of Dormition Abbey

The apse and altar of Dormition Abbey

Dormition Abbey, a Benedictine monastery built at the turn of twentieth century

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.

Finally, let us meditate on the mystery of dormition/assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary through two Byzantine chants.

O Marvelous Wonder, a vesperal hymn:

In Giving Birth, the festal apolytikion:

For more information on the tomb of Mary, see:
http://198.62.75.4/www1/ofm/san/TSmary0.html
http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/MarysTomb.html

For more information on Dormition Abbey, see:
http://www.hagia-maria-sion.net/engl/index.html

Transfiguration; Metamorphosis

Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever;
Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, 
O Christ our God; showing to Thy disciples Thy glory as each one could endure. 
Shine forth Thou on us, who are sinners all, 
Thy light ever-unending; through the prayers of the Theotokos; 
Light-bestower, glory be to Thee.

The high altar and the apse with an ornate mosaic depicting transfiguration of Basilica of Transfiguration, Mt. Tabor

The mosaic of transfiguration, Basilica of Transfirugation, Mt. Tabor

The main altar of Basilica of Transfiguration, on the lower level, built on the foundation of a Byzantine chapel

Basilica of Transfiguration, Mt. Table, built of the foundation of three Byzantine chapels that were each dedicated to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah

The ruin of a medieval Benedictine women's monastery chapel

On the Mountain You were Transfigured, O Christ God,

And Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they could see it;

So that when they would behold You crucified,

They would understand that Your suffering was voluntary,

And would proclaim to the world,

That You are truly the Radiance of the Father!

A view from Mt. Tabor

Sunrise on Mt. Tabor

“Today You have shown forth...”

Today all mortal nature shines with the divine Transfiguration

And cries with exultation:

"Christ the Savior is transfigured to save us all!"

A mosaic icon of transfiguration, Church of St. George, Madaba, Jordan

Finally, let us listen to and meditate on the apolytikion of transfiguration: Thou wast transfigured on the mountain.

For more information of Basilica of Transfiguration and Mount Tabor, see: http://198.62.75.4/www1/ofm/san/TABmenu.html

Prologos

In April 2010, I went on a life-changing pilgrimage to the Holy Land (i.e. the land of the Bible). While it was incredible to trod on this ancient land where our Lord Jesus, the Theotokos Blessed Virgin Mary, apostles, prophets, kings, and saints lived, I could not help but notice that most of the holy sites were rebuilt on the foundation of Byzantine-era churches or monasteries. The most striking evidence was the almost ubiquitous mosaic flooring in almost every shrine.  Suddenly, something dawned on me: the hymns of the Eastern Churches (Orthodox and Catholic) that are still in use today were quite likely first chanted on those ancient grounds, in commemoration of the salvific mysteries wrought by God right there. Indeed, by God's grace, the Timeless One entered time. Standing there, I could almost hear the chanting by the monks and priests from centuries ago. Throughout the pilgrimage I thought, wouldn't it be great to have a Byzantine rite priest to celebrate divine liturgy for us? Alas my dream never came true. However, I would like to share with you where I had been and what I saw, in conjunction with the hymns of the Eastern Churches (i.e. apolytikia, kontakia, aposticha, etc) relevant to each site, according to the Church's liturgical calendar. I present to you, Echoes from Byzantine Palaestina. 
                                                                                                                      

Mosaic flooring in the aisle of the ruin of a Byzantine church in Petra, Jordan

Mosaic flooring in the aisle of the ruin of a Byzantine church in Petra, Jordan

Mosaic flooring in the aisle of the ruin of a Byzantine church in Petra, Jordan

Mosaic flooring in the aisle of the ruin of a Byzantine church in Petra, Jordan

The cross-shaped baptistry of the ruin of a Byzantine church in Petra, Jordan 

The ruin of a Byzantine church on the ground of Citadel of Amman, Amman, Jordan

The famous mosaic map of the Holy Land from the Byzantine era, Church of St. George, Madaba, Jordan

The mosaic map of Holy Land, zoomed in on Dead Sea

The mosaic map of Holy Land, zoomed in on Jerusalem