The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God

St. John of San Francisco

“For He hath looked upon the lowliness of His handmaiden; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”

—(Luke 1:48)

   A right understanding of Mary, the Mother of God is essential for a right understanding of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God. When her image is distorted, the image of her Son also becomes distorted.

   This concise little book is a classic exposition of how the Orthodox Christian Church has venerated the Mother of God throughout the ages, and on the chief errors that have sought to change or undermine this veneration: both ancient heresies and the later deviations of Western Christendom. It clearly tells why the Virgin Mary should truly be called the Mother of God and should be honored by all generations, and why at the same time She cannot be said to have been unable to sin, or considered a Co-Redemptress along with Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world.

   Written by a miracle-worker of modern times who was in close spiritual contact with the Mother of God - St. John Maximovitch, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (1896-1966) - this work was translated by an American convert to the Orthodox Faith who was a beloved disciple of St. John: Hieromonk Seraphim Rose of Platina (1934-1982).

88 pages, illustrated, full-color cover, paperback, $9.00