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.

Lutherans, Protestants and sectarians are hopeless for the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos, the words of the Archangel do not convince them, the words of the Most Holy Virgin Herself do not denounce them in Her songs, which She sang before Her relative Elizabeth: "... For behold, behold, henceforth all shall bless me" (Luke 1:48), and they do not want to be among all the generations that bless the Most Holy Virgin, but, of course, God knows with what childlike trust the Orthodox and Catholics receive them. And He strengthens in them the veneration of the Most Holy Virgin in an extraordinary way.

He reveals to the Orthodox and Catholic world a multitude of miraculous icons of the Most Holy Virgin Mary and works countless miracles with them.

Our Orthodox Church alone has 99 miraculous icons of the Mother of God, the appearance of which was accompanied by miracles.

It would take a long time to tell you about these miracles. You know about many of them, such as, for example, those that were at the appearance of the Tikhvin, Kostroma, Iveron, and Novgorod icons. We have probably read about more ancient miracles that took place during the long years of iconoclasm in Byzantium, and at that time still mightily strengthened the Orthodox faith.

I know how deeply you revere the wondrous Kazan Icon, how much you love the beautiful troparion written in its honor: "Fervent Intercessor, Mother of the Most High Lord...".

I know how your faith is strengthened by the multitude of miracles from this icon.

Always remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: "... except ye be converted, and be as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3).