Our Patron Saint

Our church, Nativity-Assumption, is not named after a single patron saint but rather named after two major events in the life of the Holy Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. These events are among the twelve major feast days of the Lord even though they relate to the Virgin Mary specifically. In the Orthodox Tradition, the Virgin Mary is not considered a saint, but is above all saints because she was the chosen vessel who carried and gave birth to the Christ-Child.

Our church derives its name from the commemoration of the Nativity (birth) of the of the Virgin Mary (celebrated on September 8 th ) and her death, commemorated on August 15 th each year. We refer to the event of her death as the Assumption of the Virgin Mary because we believe that she was assumed into heaven by her Son Jesus.

The reason we do not refer to the Holy Blessed Virgin as a saint is because the Orthodox church holds Mary in an esteemed position, above all saints. We believe that she was chosen by God from before all time in all of humanity that she would be HIs “Holy Tabernacle”, the one to carry the Child Jesus, the Son of God. We know from the prophesy of Isaiah in the Old Testament that Messiah would descend from the (lineage) of Jesse, the father of King David. This was foretold to us by the prophet Isaiah. The Virgin Mary descended from this the root (lineage) and she gave birth to Jesus, the Messiah.

We read in the gospel of Luke 1:42 regarding the Virgin Mary “ blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb”. This means that Mary is worthy of praise and favored by God before all ages. She is a prominent figure in Christianity in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches and is held in high honor and regard, above all saints because she is the bearer of the Christ Child, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

In addition to her role in the Incarnation, the Virgin Mary is also revered for her holiness, obedience and her devotion to God throughout her life. Orthodox Christians see her as an example of what it means to fully embrace one’s faith and to live a life dedicated to God. She is often depicted as the “new Eve,” as she is seen as reversing the sin of the first woman, Eve and becoming a role-model of obedient faith.

The Virgin Mary is also a source of comfort and intercession for Orthodox Christians. She is seen as our mother who is always ready to listen and to offer her maternal love and protection. We believe that she prays for us continually. There are many instances and times throughout the world, when the presence of her icon has been the source of miracles including the shedding of tears in the form of oil that has proven to be a healing balm for those afflicted with various diseases.

Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholic believers both often turn to the Virgin Mary in times of need, asking for her intercessions before God on their behalf. The Virgin Mary is also honored and venerated for her role in the Church and in worship. We do not pray to her nor look to her as our Savior, but we venerate her as the mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We believe that she does not save us. Only God can save us, but we believe that she actively intercedes for us on our behalf before her Son and God. She is a model for the Church itself, as she exemplifies the virtues of humility, obedience, and faith for both women and men. The Virgin Mary is also seen as a symbol of the Church’s unity of all Christians because we believe that she is the mother of all believers and therefore becomes a unifying figure for all of us.

The Virgin Mary holds a special place in the hearts of us here at the Nativity Assumption Church not only because of her role in the Incarnation, but because of her holiness and devotion to God. She holds a special position as a source of comfort and intercession before her Son, Jesus. Therefore, we commemorate both her nativity (her birth) and her assumption (her death) as well as her life as a role model for us as our chief intercessor before God.