Saints & the Theotokos
63 writings in Saints & the Theotokos. Clear
Saints & the Theotokos
Can I choose any saint as my patron?
Yes, but with guidance. You can choose any canonized Orthodox saint as your patron, but you’ll make that choice in conversation with your priest, not…
Saints & the Theotokos
How do I develop a relationship with my patron saint?
You develop a relationship with your patron saint the same way you’d develop any friendship: spend time with them, learn their story, talk to them,…
Saints & the Theotokos
What is a name day?
Your name day is the feast day of the saint whose name you received at baptism. It’s your patron saint’s day, and we celebrate it…
Saints & the Theotokos
How do I celebrate my name day?
Your name day is the feast day of the saint you’re named after. You celebrate it by going to church, honoring your patron saint, and…
Saints & the Theotokos
Who is the Virgin Mary?
Mary is the Mother of God. That’s her most important title, and it tells you everything about who she is and why Orthodox Christians honor…
Saints & the Theotokos
What does Theotokos mean?
Theotokos means “God-bearer” or “Mother of God.” It’s the title we give to the Virgin Mary because she gave birth to Jesus Christ, who is…
Saints & the Theotokos
Why do Orthodox call Mary the Theotokos?
We call her Theotokos because that’s what she is: the one who bore God in her womb. The word means “God-bearer” in Greek, sometimes translated…
Saints & the Theotokos
What is the Orthodox teaching about Mary?
We call her Theotokos, God-bearer. That’s the heart of it. Mary gave birth to God incarnate, the Second Person of the Trinity made flesh. She’s…
Saints & the Theotokos
Do Orthodox believe Mary was sinless?
Yes, but not in the way Catholics define it. Orthodox Christians believe Mary never committed personal sin, but we don’t accept the Catholic doctrine of…
Saints & the Theotokos
What do Orthodox believe about the Immaculate Conception?
We don’t believe it. The Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic dogma from 1854, and it’s not part of Orthodox teaching. But that doesn’t mean…
Saints & the Theotokos
Do Orthodox believe Mary remained a virgin?
Yes. The Orthodox Church teaches that Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ. We call this the “perpetual virginity” or…
Saints & the Theotokos
What does ‘ever-virgin’ mean?
When we call Mary “ever-virgin,” we’re saying she remained a virgin before, during, and after giving birth to Jesus. That’s what the Greek word aeiparthenos…
