“The Theotokos is the hope for all Christians,” stressed Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece at the Church of Saint Demetrius, where he performed the Eucharist on the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple (Hypapante).
In his homily, the Archbishop referred to today’s feast and to the Theotokos. At the same time, he made a comparison between the Virgin Mary and Eve and pointed out that they responded differently to God’s calling. “Eve was created by God and lived in Paradise, but she rebelled and found herself away from Paradise. On the contrary, even though she lived in a dangerous place, the Virgin Mary was the one to whom the Archangel made the announcement. She was upset, but she did not refuse. That is why every time people hear the story of Eve disapprove of her actions, whereas they praise the actions of the Virgin Mary,” he said.
At the end of his homily, the Archbishop pointed out, “Every time we step away from God we are considered children of Eve, whereas every time we are close to God we are considered children of the Theotokos. The Theotokos is, after all, the hope for all Christians.”