Rejoice, "the divine Source of Paradise." The Mother of God in the Pentecostal Hymnography Cover Image
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Réjouis-toi, «la divine Source du Paradis». La Mère de Dieu dans l’hymnographie du Pentecostaire
Rejoice, "the divine Source of Paradise." The Mother of God in the Pentecostal Hymnography

Author(s): Gherasim Soca
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion, Other Christian Denominations
Published by: Editura Doxologia
Keywords: the Life-Giving Spring; Theotokos; hymnography; Resurrection; healing;
Summary/Abstract: In the theology and hymnography of the liturgical period of the Pentecostarion, the Theotokos holds a prominent place as the one chosen by God the Father to offer human nature to His Incarnate Son and, therefore, as the first one to see her Resurrected Son. God granted her the fullness of spiritual gifts, so that she may personify the highest state which can be reached by a human united with God. Possessing Full of divine gifts and love, the Holy Virgin imparts these gifts to people and becomes a divine source of blessings and healings. The hymnography of Pentecostarion abounds in metaphors and epithets expressing the attributes of the Theotokos, far outnumbering those describing her Son, Jesus Christ. Which is the spiritual and theological significance of these qualifiers of the Theotokos? What place does she hold in the mystagogy of the Pentecostarion? What occasioned a feast dedicated to Our Lady, at the end of the Bright Week, and what do the hymns of this feast convey? What is the significance of healing, in this mystagogical context? The present paper addresses these questions, aiming to provide better understanding and experience of the services during this liturgical period.