09/07/2026
A Message From Fr. Sasa
My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, September 8, at 6:00 PM, I warmly invite you to join me for the Divine Liturgy as we celebrate the glorious Feast of the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.
This feast is one of the great feasts of our Orthodox Church. We are not simply celebrating the birth of a child; we are celebrating the birth of the woman whom God, in His divine providence, prepared to become the Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through her, the Word of God would take flesh and enter into our world for the salvation of mankind.
According to Holy Tradition, the parents of the Theotokos were the righteous Joachim and Anna. Joachim was a descendant of King David and belonged to the tribe of Judah, while Anna came from a priestly family of the tribe of Levi, traditionally being described as the daughter of Matthan the priest and related to the family of Aaron.
Joachim was traditionally a wealthy shepherd and keeper of flocks. Yet his wealth was not something he kept selfishly for himself. He was known for his generosity, offering generously to God and giving to the poor. Joachim and Anna lived a life of prayer, righteousness, and devotion to God.
For many years they remained childless. In the society of their time, this brought them great sorrow and even humiliation. Yet they did not turn away from God. They continued to pray and place their hope in Him.
And God answered their prayers.
In their old age, God blessed them with a daughter—Mary, the one whom we call the Theotokos, the Mother of God.
The name Mary comes from the ancient Hebrew name Miryam (Μαριάμ/Maria in the biblical tradition). Its exact linguistic origin is ancient and has been understood in several ways. In the tradition of the Church, the name is beautifully associated with meanings such as “Lady” or “Sovereign,” and the Church's hymnography continually honors her as the Lady of all creation because of her relationship to Christ, the Lord and King.
There is a profound mystery and beautiful theology in this tradition. Joachim comes from the royal lineage of David, while Anna comes from the priestly lineage of Levi. In their daughter, Mary, God's providential preparation for the Incarnation reaches a beautiful fulfillment. From her would come Christ, the promised Messiah, the King and eternal High Priest, who would take flesh for our salvation.
The canonical Gospels do not give us the names, genealogies, or professions of Joachim and Anna. These details are preserved in the Holy Tradition of the Church and in ancient Christian writings, especially the Protoevangelium of James.
The Church has preserved this tradition because it helps us understand the sacred history surrounding the coming of Christ.
The Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos is celebrated on September 8. It is one of the ancient Marian feasts of the Church and became firmly established in Constantinople by the seventh century. The feast is important because the birth of Mary marks the beginning of the immediate preparation for the Incarnation of the Son of God.
The Church beautifully proclaims:
“Thy Nativity, O Theotokos, has proclaimed joy to all the world.”
Why? Because from Mary would come Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, who would destroy death, overcome the power of sin, and open the way to eternal life.
The story of Joachim and Anna also speaks directly to our own lives. They waited. They prayed. They suffered. They trusted God when their prayers seemed unanswered. And in God's perfect time, their sorrow was transformed into joy—not only for themselves, but for the entire human race.
Let us therefore come together tomorrow evening as one church family. Let us bring our families, our children, our hopes, our struggles, and our prayers before God.
Let us rejoice in the birth of the Mother of God and ask the Most Holy Theotokos to intercede for us, for our families, for our children, and for our beloved parish.
Come and celebrate.
Come and pray.
Come and give thanks to God for the gift of the Mother of God, through whom Christ came into the world for our salvation.
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM for the Divine Liturgy.
With love and prayers in Christ,
+Fr. Sasa
