Virgin Mother of the Passion

Great Friday Lamentation Matins

The Ninth Ode
Lament not for Me, Mother, as you behold Me in the grave, Whom as a Son you conceived in your womb without seed. For I shall rise and be glorified, and as God, I shall ceaselessly exalt in glory those, who in faith and yearning, magnify you.
Glory to You, our God, glory to you.
My eternal Son, I was spared the travail at Your strange birth, and was marvelously blessed. And now, beholding You, my God, a breathless corpse, I am torn apart with the spear of bitter sorrow; but arise, that I may be magnified.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The earth, O Mother, covers Me of My own will, but the gate-keepers of Hades trembled seeing Me clothed in a blood-spattered robe of vengeance; for as God, I have struck down the enemies with the Cross, and I will rise again, and magnify you.
Now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages. Amen.
Let all creation rejoice, and all the earthborn be glad; for Hades, the enemy has been despoiled. Let the women meet me with myrrh; for I redeem Adam along with Eve, and all their descendants, and will rise on the third day.

In this icon, Mary is comforting Christ and pondering the prophecy in her heart as Christ is foreseeing the instruments of his Passion born by the angels. This is a powerful portrayal of the nature of the incarnation.

Icon from St. Katherine's Monastery in Sinai. It is Cretan and was written in 1579.

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