[Mary is] a living continuation of God’s presence and guidance among His people. Just as God led the people of Israel through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud, so now the Mother of God is shown to be a “rational and living cloud.” The ancient cloud veiled the unapproachable glory of God while leading His people toward the Promised Land. The Theotokos, likewise, veils the divine Word of God in her womb, and through her intercession, guides the faithful toward the kingdom that has no end.
In the 10th century, when Constantinople faced danger from foreign threats, the Theotokos was witnessed in a vision, appearing above the faithful and spreading her veil as a covering of mercy… [Mary] continues to shelter the people of God with her maternal care.
“All you born on earth, with festival lamps in hand, in spirit leap for joy; and all you the heavenly angelic orders, join in and celebrate; and honoring the sacred wonders of the Mother of God, sing the joyful salutation, “O rejoice, Theotokos, all-blest, ever-virgin pure!” - Ninth Ode Katavasia of the Theotokos
Angels join the faithful in celebrating, for they too marveled at how the same divine presence that once overshadowed the tabernacle deigned to dwell in the womb of a Virgin, and now overshadows the faithful in every generation.
To sing of the Theotokos as a “living cloud” is to confess that God still walks with His people. In her, the fiery glory of the divine presence is made approachable, and through her prayers, the journey of the Church continues toward the land of immortality. “Rejoice, Theotokos, all-blessed, ever-virgin pure!
On Tuesday last week, we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos, known in Greek as Agia Skepi. Every year, the Greek O
