Synaxis Of The Mother Of God
The Synaxis of the Mother of God is a holiday observed on December 26th and is a celebration of Jesus’ earthly mother. It is one of the oldest feast days dedicated solely to the Mother of God. In Greece, it is a public holiday observed annually and is known as Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos or “Sínaxis Yperagías Theotókou Marías.”
Greece (Public holiday)The History of the Synaxis of the Mother of God
This holiday dates back to the 4th century when Christians gathered in the church on the second day of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ to glorify the Mother of God. In Greek Christianity, it is common for the second most important figure of a major feast to be celebrated the day following it.
For example, the Baptism of Christ is celebrated on January 6th, so the following day is dedicated to St. John the Baptizer of Christ. Since December 25th is dedicated to the birth of Jesus, December 26th is dedicated to Mother Mary.
Interesting Facts About the Virgin Mary
During the course of our research on the Synaxis of the Mother of God, we have come across plenty of interesting facts about the Virgin Mary. We have listed some of these facts below for anyone interested in knowing more about this iconic religious figure. So let’s take a closer look at these facts together, shall we?
The New Testament Contains a Lot of Information About Mary
Everything that is known about the Virgin Mary comes from the New Testament. The only people who are mentioned more than her are Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John. What do we know about her from the New Testament?
We know that her husband is Joseph and that Elizabeth and Zechariah are her relatives. It also mentions that she is from Galilee, that she traveled to Nazareth to visit Jesus, and that she was at her son’s crucifixion in Jerusalem.
There’s No Mention of Her Sinlessness in the Bible
Under Catholic tradition, it is taught that Mary was sinless. It is also taught that she was perpetually a virgin. However, these points are often disputed by Protestants who believe that Jesus was the only one sinless and that she had children with Joseph in the traditional manner.
Mary’s sinless nature is never mentioned in the Bible, but whether she remained a virgin after Jesus’s birth is mentioned in Matthew’s Gospel. According to this gospel, Joseph did not have sexual relations with Mary until after Jesus was born.
Observing the Synaxis of the Mother of God
In the Greek Orthodox Church, this holiday is celebrated to glorify Mary, the mother of God. The word synaxis means meeting or coming together to glorify. This holiday is observed with religious ceremonies, prayers, and feasts. To spread the word about this holiday, people can use the hashtag #SynaxisOfTheMostHolyTheotokos or #SynaxisOfTheMotherOfGod on their social media accounts.
Greece (Public holiday)
