September 8 is not just a calendar date, but a significant one for Orthodox Christians: it is a royal feast that brings to our attention the birthday of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Birthgiver of God, “More honourable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim”
For the Parish of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Gatineau, Quebec, this feast day also represents an invitation to come to the Church, dressed in festive clothes, to honour the Mother of God, the patron saint of this holy place.
And this year, on September 8th 2019, the atmosphere of celebration and spiritual joy was shared among the believers, in the presence of His Grace Ioan Casian, the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada, of Rev. Fr. Teofil Arsene the parish priest and of Rev. Fr. Grigore Țăpuc the priest from St Matthew and St Christina Parish, Ottawa.
From the program of the day it should be mentioned: Matins and Divine Liturgy, the prayer at the beginning of the school year, the sermon of HG Bishop Ioan Casian, the commemoration prayer for those who fell asleep and the brotherly agape. The moment when Bishop Ioan Casian asked the children to gather for the blessing for the beginning of the school year will remain memorable due to the impressive number of children who came to honour this day with their parents and grandparents.
The Mother of God is our example at the beginning of the year. We are meant to be similar to her 'birthgivers of God' in our own particular way by word and deed - said the hierarch of Canada. The Mother of God at the Annunciation has crucified her understanding coming out of her human experience and understanding in order to penetrate and contemplate an understanding that overwhelms nature without abolishing it. The Virgin Mary is herself a fruit of the prayer of her parents - Joachim and Ana and a gift of God. The Virgin's parents felt themselves the overwhelming grace of God that made them fruitful at an old age.
The experience of man in the Church is an experience of the work of grace that guides and renews everything. Man experiences in a secret way 'the heavenly state of heaven' sharing into Christ the resurrected One who transfigures all. Man walks in the Church on the road to Heaven, to God the purpose of his life.
The celebration ended with a traditional fraternal agape, in an atmosphere of joy and soul-quiet, accompanied by the psaltic music, agape prepared by the Parish Council together with the Parish Ladies Committee.
Only you, Holy Virgin / You are full of gift!
Everyone calls you, everyone sings to you, / The one full of grace!
Only you are Virgin / And Pure Mother,
Full of the Holy Spirit / And Illumined!
