His Holiness Pope Shenouda in this lecture speaks about our mother and lady, the Holy Virgin Mary, and presents her first place among Christian believers and her uniqueness in the plan of salvation.

Her faith and role:
The Virgin is defined as the first believer, because she believed she would be the mother of the Son of God when the angel told her, and she believed in the descent of the Holy Spirit and His divine work within her, so she conceived a miracle without human seed.

The descent of the Holy Spirit and its effect:
He explains that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Virgin in a hypostatic manner—an exceptional divine work that resulted in the Word’s incarnation inside her womb, and sanctified the embryo of Christ so that he did not inherit original sin.

Her rank and greatness:
He affirms that the Virgin is greater than all women and also greater than the angels, and she is honored in the Church as queen and bearer of Christ; she has icons and rites that indicate her special rank.

Old Testament symbols and prophecies:
He points out that the Old Testament contains many symbols that refer to her (like the burning bush, Aaron’s rod, the ark of the covenant, the manna portion) and that the prophets’ prophecies point to her coming and her bearing of the One to come.

Her relationship to the Church and the people:
He shows that the Church’s love for the Virgin appears in hymns, naming girls after her, the spread of her icons and many feasts dedicated to her, especially in Egypt where she has apparitions and miracles.

Her practical and spiritual virtues:
The Pope highlights the Virgin’s virtues with special emphasis on humility, endurance, prayer and service: her acceptance of what was against her desire for God’s will, her service to Elizabeth with love, her endurance of poverty and of glory without pride, and her bearing of responsibility at a young age.

Call to imitation:
The educational and spiritual conclusion is a call for believers to acquire her virtues — humility, service, steadfastness in faith — and for their lives to reflect the presence of the Spirit and holiness as in her life.

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