Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zacharias and were amazed that he was tarrying in the temple. But he, having gone out, could not speak to them; and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple; And when the days of his service were finished, he returned to his house.

After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself for five months, saying, "Thus hath the Lord done me in these days, in which he looked upon me, that he might take away from me the reproach of men."

5. An angel announces to the Virgin the birth of the Son of God from Her.

Lux. 1, 26-38.

In the sixth month, after the conception of John the Baptist, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a Virgin betrothed to a man, named Joseph, from the house of David; and the name of the Virgin was Mary.

The angel came to Her and said: "Rejoice, O Thou of Grace! The Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled by his words, and pondered what kind of greeting it would be.

And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God; and behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and his kingdom shall have no end.

And Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I know no man? The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; wherefore also the Holy One who is born shall be called the Son of God. Behold, Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, who is called barren, and she conceived a son in her old age, and she is already six months old; for with God no word will be powerless.

Then Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to Me according to thy word.

And the Angel departed from Her.

6. The Blessed Virgin visits Elizabeth.

Lux. 1, 39-56.

And Mary arose in these days, and went in haste to the hill country, to the city of Judah. And she went into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!" And whence is it to me that the Mother of my Lord has come to me? For when the voice of Thy greeting came to my ears, the babe leaped with joy in my womb. And blessed is she who believes, for what was spoken to her from the Lord will be fulfilled.