Explanation of the Canon for the Feast of the Annunciation; Canticle 9

 Canticle Nine

The Magnificat and Greater in honor than the cherubim are not sung, but before the irmos and the troparia we sing the megalynarion:

O earth, announce good tidings of great joy: ye heavens, praise the glory of God.

(Irmos) Let every mortal born on earth, carrying his torch, in spirit leap for joy; and let the order of the angelic powers celebrate and honor the holy feast of the Mother of God, and let them cry: Hail! Thou blessed and ever Virgin, who gavest birth to God.[12]

Let no profane hand touch the living Ark of God, but let the lips of the faithful, singing without ceasing the words of the Angel to the Theotokos, cry aloud in great joy: Hail, thou who are full of grace: the Lord is with thee.

Having conceived God in ways past understanding, O Maiden, thou hast escaped from the ordinances of nature. For though by nature mortal, thou wast not subject to the established laws of motherhood. Therefore, as is meet, dost thou hear the salutation: ‘Hail, thou who art full of grace: the Lord is with thee.’

How dost thou give milk, O pure Virgin? This the tongue of mortal man cannot make plain. For thou showest forth a thing unknown to nature, that utterly surpasses the usual laws of birth. Therefore, as is meet, dost Thou hear the salutation: ‘Hail, thou who art full of grace: The Lord is with thee.’

    

The Holy Scriptures speak of thee mystically, O Mother of the Most High. For Jacob[13] saw in days of old the ladder that prefigured thee, and said: ‘This is the stair on which God shall tread.’ Therefore, as is meet, dost thou hear the salutation: ‘Hail, thou who art full of grace: the Lord is with thee.’

The bush and the fire showed a strange marvel to Moses, the initiate in sacred things.[14] Seeking its fulfillment in the course of time, he said: ‘I shall observe it brought to pass in the pure Virgin. To her as Theotokos shall the salutation come: Hail, thou who art full of grace: the Lord is with thee.’

Daniel called thee a spiritual mountain; Isaiah, the Mother of God; Gideon saw thee as a fleece and David called thee sanctuary; another called thee gate.[15] And Gabriel in his turn cries out to thee: ‘Hail, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee.’

(Katavasia) Let no profane hand touch the living Ark of God …

 Explanation

Theological Significance of Canticle Nine

Canticle Nine in Orthodox Christian hymnography is a profound meditation on the mystery of the Incarnation and the unique role of the Theotokos (Mother of God) in salvation history. This canticle replaces the usual Magnificat and Greater in honor than the cherubim with an extended reflection on the Annunciation and the Virgin Mary’s prefiguration in the Old Testament.

Key Theological Themes

1. The Cosmic Proclamation of the Incarnation

The canticle begins with a universal call:

“O earth, announce good tidings of great joy: ye heavens, praise the glory of God.”

This statement echoes the angelic announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2:10-14 and affirms that the Incarnation is not merely a historical event but a cosmic one, involving heaven and earth in praise. This highlights a central Orthodox teaching: the Incarnation is the fulfillment of divine revelation and the restoration of all creation.

2. The Theotokos as the Ark of the New Covenant

“Let no profane hand touch the living Ark of God…”

The reference to the Virgin Mary as the "Ark of God" draws from the Old Testament image of the Ark of the Covenant, which carried the divine presence (Exodus 25:10-22). Just as the Ark was untouchable and sacred, so too is Mary, as she bore within her the Son of God. This affirms her purity and her role as the dwelling place of God Incarnate.

3. The Theotokos and the Overcoming of Natural Law

“Having conceived God in ways past understanding, O Maiden, thou hast escaped from the ordinances of nature.”

This verse underscores the Orthodox teaching that the Virgin Birth of Christ is a divine mystery that surpasses human reason and natural law. Unlike ordinary motherhood, Mary’s conception and childbirth were accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). This affirms both Christ’s divinity and Mary’s unique role in salvation history.

4. The Mystery of Christ’s Human Nature

“How dost thou give milk, O pure Virgin?”

This question highlights the paradox of the Theotokos nursing Christ: the one who created the universe now receives nourishment from His own creation. This echoes the wonder expressed in early Christian hymnography, particularly in St. Ephrem the Syrian’s Nativity hymns, emphasizing the reality of Christ’s human nature while remaining fully divine.

5. The Theotokos in Old Testament Typology

The canticle includes several references to Old Testament figures and symbols that prefigure Mary:

• Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 28:12) – Represents the union of heaven and earth through Mary, as Christ descends through her to take on human flesh.
  
  

• The Burning Bush (Exodus 3:2-6) – Just as the bush burned but was not consumed, Mary bore Christ without being consumed by His divine nature.
  
  

• Daniel’s Spiritual Mountain (Daniel 2:35) – A symbol of the Virgin’s exalted status as the Mother of God.
  
  

• Isaiah’s Prophecy (Isaiah 7:14) – Directly prophesied the Virgin Birth.
  
  

• Gideon’s Fleece (Judges 6:36-40) – Signifies the miraculous conception of Christ, as the fleece received dew without the ground being wet, symbolizing the Virgin conceiving without human seed.
  
  

• David’s Sanctuary (Psalm 131:8) – Reflects Mary as the new dwelling place of God.
  
  

• The Gate (Ezekiel 44:2) – A prophecy of Mary’s perpetual virginity, as the “gate” that remains closed after the Lord enters.
  
  

Each of these typologies affirms that the Incarnation was not an afterthought but part of God’s divine plan revealed throughout salvation history.

Conclusion

Canticle Nine serves as a powerful theological reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation and the unique role of the Theotokos. It connects the Annunciation to Old Testament prophecy, emphasizing Mary’s purity, obedience, and role as the dwelling place of God. Through poetic imagery and biblical typology, the hymn calls all creation to rejoice in the coming of Christ, reaffirming the Orthodox belief in the Incarnation as the central event of salvation.