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THE SECOND
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day died the pure and righteous woman Hannah, the mother
of our Lady, the holy Virgin Mary, the God-bearer. This holy woman was a native of the city of Jerusalem, and
she was the daughter of Matat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, of the
sons of Aaron the priest, and of the tribe of Levi.
Matat had three children, and the name of the eldest was Mary; the
name of the second was Sofia, and the name of the third was Hannah.
And Mary married and brought forth Salome, the midwife who received
our Lady Mary when she brought forth Christ our God.
And Sofia married and brought forth Elisabeth, the mother of John
the Baptist, and this holy woman Hannah married the righteous man Joachim,
who was of the tribe of Judah, and she brought forth our Lady Mary.
Our Lady Mary and Salome and Elisabeth were sisters.
Now the history of the strife of this holy woman Hannah we know of
nothing whatsoever which we can record, but we know and we are convinced
that she was the most honored of women because she was held to be worthy
to become the mother of the mother of God in the flesh.
And had she not possessed many virtues, and great righteousness,
which was superior to the righteousness of every other woman, she would
never have been worthy of this act of grace.
Now this righteous woman was barren, and she used to pray and to
entreat God continually to give her children, and God gave her a beautiful
daughter, one to be revered, and she and all her people rejoiced, that is
to say our Lady Mary. Therefore
it is meet for us to honor her, and to celebrate a festival to her,
because of the exalted gift, which God gave her.
Salutation to thee O Hannah, thou ladder of the prayers of the
righteous. And on this day also are commemorated Saint Archelaus the martyr,
and Elisa the abbot, and Saint Pachomius, and Minas the martyr, and his
mother Urania, Salutation to Archelaus, Elisa, and Pachomius.
Salutation to Minas a saint of the Church.
Salutation to Urania whose apparel they stripped off and then they
beat her on her back and belly.
Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen.
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