Dear Friends,
An interesting discussion by an interesting Monk!
The OCA website actually describes the festal icon for the "Conception of St Anne."
It says that the icon for this Orthodox feast depicts the Mother of God in full stature, with hands lowered toward the earth - and on the frame are her parents, Sts. Joachim and Anne.
In fact, this depiction of the Mother of God is exactly that of the "Miraculous Medal."
This is the OCA, not St Dmitri of Rostov or myself talking
.
Professor Poselianin also includes several icons depicting the Mother of God in this manner among the Orthodox miraculous icons.
One in particular is called the "Immaculate Mother."
The crown of twelve stars, the rays from the hands, the moon underneath the Mother of God - these are all symbols seen in other Orthodox miraculous icons as well (OstraBrama is an excellent example).
In addition, we know that this is exactly how the Mother of God has appeared in recent times even at Orthodox shrines.
Eye-witnesses and even a photograph taken at Zeitoun in Egypt show the Mother of God standing with hands down and opened out toward the world.
So the iconic image on the miraculous medal itself is entirely in keeping with Eastern traditions.
The wording "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee" is also something that need not turn off any Easterner
.
Russian Orthodox emigres in France developed a strong veneration for Lourdes and the Immaculate Conception reference did not offend them.
In fact, the term "Immaculate Conception" DOES appear in the Octoechos. Not frequently, but I have seen it, much to my surprise . . .
This phrase need not ONLY refer to the Augustinian notion of "stain of Original Sin" but also to the fact that the Mother of God became a Temple of the Holy Spirit at her Conception.
It was not that she did not have any "stain" in the Augustinian sense. If that was all there was to her Conception, then she would have truly been conceived "in sin" understood as "the state of rebellion or sinfulness."
But by being sanctified by the Spirit at her Conception (as the liturgical services for this Eastern Feast indicate), she truly was "conceived without sin" where even the slightest inclination to sinfulness was absent in her due to the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit into her soul!
That prayer is truly an Eastern one!
Since St Dmitri of Rostov was mentioned
, let me reiterate that Orthodox Christians like him of the Kyivan Baroque practiced the devotion of the Immaculate Conception, adopted from France, and wore a similar medal (in those days, it would not have the inscriptions on the back of the contemporary miraculous medal).
There were even Orthodox Brotherhoods of the Immaculate Conception, and articles have been written on this, published by the University of Dayton's Marian Library - I have one, but I'd have to look for it.
I've also seen Ukrainian Orthodox articles on this at St Vladimir's Library here in Toronto.
Ukrainian Orthodox members of these Brotherhoods in the 18th century wore medals similar to the miraculous medal.
They also frequently said this form of the Panaghia prayer: "Presvyata i Neporochnozachata Bozha Maty, spasy nas!" Or, "Most Holy and Immaculately Conceived Theotokos, save us!"
They ALSO took the bloody vow, the Western practice of vowing to defend to the death the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God.
Even St Gregory Palamas, in his sermon on the Dormition of the Mother of God, seems, as commentators have said, to believe in a version of the Immaculate Conception.
In any event, the Miraculous Medal is a devotion that can be legitimately adopted by any Eastern Christian.
I am proud to wear a large one that I obtained at Rue du Bac in Paris.
This medal, for me, provides a link to my favourite Orthodox Saints of the Kyivan Baroque . . .
I think I'll do an Akathist to it . . .
Alex
