“It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity intact during childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who as a child had borne the Creator at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse whom the Father had taken to herself should dwell in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son on the cross and thereby received into her heart the sword of sorrow from which she had escaped when she gave birth to him, should look upon him as he sat with the Father. It was fitting that God’s Mother should possess what belongs to her Son, and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and as the handmaid of God.”
St John of Damascus
“Het was passend dat zij, die haar maagdelijkheid tijdens de bevalling intact had gehouden, haar eigen lichaam zelfs na de dood vrij zou houden van alle corruptie. Het was passend dat zij, die als kind de Schepper aan haar borst had gedragen, in de goddelijke tabernakels zou wonen. Het was passend dat de echtgenote, die de Vader tot zich had genomen, in de goddelijke woningen zou wonen. Het was passend dat zij, die haar Zoon aan het kruis had gezien en daardoor het zwaard van verdriet in haar hart had ontvangen waaraan ze was ontsnapt toen ze hem baarde, naar hem keek terwijl hij bij de Vader zat. Het was passend dat Gods Moeder zou bezitten wat haar Zoon toebehoort, en dat zij door ieder schepsel geëerd zou worden als de Moeder en als de dienstmaagd van God.”
St Johannes van Damascus
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