Alushta

HOMILY ON THE FEAST DAY OF THE KAZAN ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

The enemy of our salvation, the devil, especially hates the two most important commandments of Christ – about humility and obedience – and with all his might he pushes weak Christians onto the path of self-will and pride, and especially teaches them to despise the canons and decrees of the Ecumenical and Local Councils and to put the authority of the great fathers and teachers of the Church in no way.

These advice of their enemy is eagerly listened to by those who have broken ties with the Catholic and Apostolic Church: the Lutherans, the Protestants who have divided into many communities, and our sectarians – Baptists, Evangelists, Adventists – who have come from among the Lutherans. All of them understand and interpret the Holy Scriptures in their own way. And each community and sect considers its own understanding to be the only correct one.

But the truth is one, just as the body of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is one, and Her Head is one, our Lord and God Jesus Christ.

Especially harmful and intolerable is the division of churches in the matter of veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Ever-Virgin Mary.

In this respect, Christendom is particularly sharply divided. With fear and trembling, with deep reverence, we, Orthodox Christians, and Roman Catholics, treat the grace-filled and amazing words of the Archangel Gabriel addressed to the Most Holy Virgin Mary: "Rejoice, O Blessed One, the Lord is with Thee..." (Luke 1:28). "Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb..."

Blessed among all the women appeared the Most Holy Virgin Mary before the bodiless powers of heaven.

And for the Lutherans and all Protestants and sectarians, She is only a pious woman, one of countless many, who does not deserve any exaltation before them.

The Archangel said to the Most Holy Virgin Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You..." (Luke 1:35).

And the Lutherans and our sectarians descended from them do not care about this in the least. They do not reflect on the fact that never and in none of the saints did the Holy Spirit dwell with such fullness as in the Most Holy Virgin, Who served with Her most pure body the greatest mystery of the incarnation of the Pre-eternal Son of God.

For sectarians and Protestants, She is only a pious woman and nothing more.