The Visit of the Most-holy Virgin Mary to the Righteous Elizabeth.
The Most-holy Virgin Mary having found out from the angel that Her cousin Elizabeth, wife of the priest Zacharias, would have soon gave birth to a son, hurried to visit her.
Entering the home, She greeted Elizabeth. Upon hearing this greeting, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she realized that Mary was honoured to be the Mother of God. Speaking with a loud voice she said, “Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb. And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?”
The Most-holy Virgin Mary in answer to the words of Elizabeth praised God and said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, for He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden, for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call Me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.” For about three months the Virgin Mary stayed with Elizabeth, and then returned home to Nazareth.
God also informed the righteous aged Joseph of the imminent birth of the Saviour by the Holy Virgin Mary. An angel of God appearing to him in a dream revealed that Mary would bring forth a Son by the action of the Holy Spirit as the Lord God had said through the Prophet Isaiah (cf. 7:14). “And thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins,” said the angel to Joseph.
Note: See the Gospels of Luke, 1:39-56 and Matthew, 1:18-25.
by Fr. Seraphim Slobodskoy)