Theotokos, Bearer of God

With enthusiasm and poetic sensibility, Archbishop Joseph Raya discusses Mary as both Virgin and as Mother, explaining motherhood as a profound knowing of another person, a presence, a sharing, and a means of intercession, and virginity as perfect freedom and glory. He even provides a brief introduction to the historical developments leading up to Mary's being affirmed as the Mother of God at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. From her conception in the womb of St. Anne, her nativity, and her entrance into the Temple, to her giving birth to Jesus and her Assumption into Heaven, Archbishop Raya examines Mary's role in our Christian life. He gives a concise history of how the Church has honored Mary in the Liturgy, in preaching, and in pilgrimages, and uses the Acathist Hymn of the Eastern Church in order to emphasize her importance for each individual.