His Holiness Pope Shenouda offers a spiritual reflection on the status of the Lady the Virgin, emphasizing her purity and holiness and her worthiness that God dwelt in her, and that her birth and presence through the ages indicate the greatness of this holy person.

The angel’s greeting and its meaning
The angel announced to her with the phrases “Hail, you who are filled with grace” and “Blessed are you among women,” which distinguishes her among the women of the world and indicates her unique dignity as the Church praises her.

Her titles and their theological meanings
She is called the Mother of Christ with many titles: Mother of God, Mother of Light, Mother of the Savior, Mother of the Holy, and Mother of the Lord — because each title is connected to the nature of Christ which is in her.

Her spiritual role for all believers
Besides being the mother of Christ in the flesh, she is the mother of believers spiritually; and Christ, as a task, presented her to the believers as a spiritual mother.

Biblical symbols and metaphors
She is likened to the Covenant (Ark of the Covenant), to Zion and Jerusalem, to the Bride, to the manna of the fathers, to the golden censer, to the burning bush, to Jacob’s ladder, to Aaron’s rod, and to the vine bearing a cluster of life — each comparison indicates the union of divinity with humanity in her and her special rank.

Worship, feasts, and veneration
The Church has many feasts related to her birth, repose, appearances and miracles; her icon is placed to the right of the altar as an expression of her rank; churches are built in her name and special hymns are dedicated to her.

The issue of virginity and birth
The sermon clarifies the belief in perpetual virginity: a virgin before giving birth and after giving birth, and explains verses like “her firstborn son” and “did not know her until she bore” where the intent is to prove the virginal birth and that the word “firstborn” means the one born first, not necessarily implying later siblings. It also mentions the presentation of Christ in the temple after forty days as evidence of applying the law of the firstborn, not to negate virginity.

Joseph as guardian and historical clarifications
His Holiness explains that Joseph the carpenter was entrusted with guarding Mary and not marrying her in a way that would deny her virginity; he points to the possibility of Joseph’s advanced age according to some references, and warns that portraying him as a young man in many images can lead to wrong interpretations.

Conclusion and call for understanding
The lecture calls for careful veneration of the Virgin according to the Church’s teachings and theological heritage, focusing on biblical evidence and traditional symbols that confirm her status and virginity.

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