During the month of August, we live a period of fasting, bearing the name of the Holy Virgin, the Mother of Light. We celebrate her feast on August 22nd (Mesori 16th). The Fast of St. Mary, the Feast of the Holy Virgin, and talking about the Mother of the Savior are all beloved subjects to the soul. Even those who are not accustomed to observing all the Church’s fasts, observe St. Mary’s Fast and may even increase their asceticism during this period.
During this fast, the churches, especially the ones bearing the name of the Holy Virgin, are all filled with worshippers during the Divine Liturgies and at the other services, which are held almost daily. They thank God and glorify Him, Who was incarnate of the Holy Virgin, for our salvation, and that He made His mother a mother for all of us. When He was on the cross, what Christ said to St. John the Beloved, “Behold your mother,” is something that applies to all those who follow in St. John’s footsteps. Like St. John the Beloved, we also take the Holy Virgin to dwell in our hearts and become a mother, who cares for us and intercedes on our behalf before her Beloved Son.
