The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

JERUSALEM: April 9, 2021
The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gethsemane

“Wherever Mary, delighted with the Annunciation, came, everything was filled with joy,” declares St John Chrysostom.

With such spiritual joy, the sisters of the monastery of St Mary Magdalene celebrated the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Feasts of the Mother of God are especially spiritually experienced in Gethsemane for the sake of the proximity of the tomb of the Mother of our Savior, which is located next to the convent.

On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, at Vespers, these prayers were read: “The eternal counsel revealing to you o Maiden…” In the evening Great Compline was served with the singing “God is with us!” During the polyeleos, the Most Holy Virgin was glorified with the words “The Archangel’s voice crying to Thee o pure one: Rejoice Thou full of grace, the Lord is with Thee!”

The service was led by the Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), accompanied by the clergy of the monastery: Hieromonk Misail (Minin), Hieromonk Theodore (Kirike) and Hierodeacon Gerasim (Kotovsky). Abbess Elisabeth (Smelic) and the sisters of the convent prayed at the services.