he made for himself a peculiar people. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the humble. Therefore, he declared in summary the expulsion of the Jews and the bringing in of the Gentiles. For the elders of the Jews, and scribes in the law, and those who happened to be rich in other honors, because they had misused their wealth and power unlawfully, for this reason he cast them down from every throne, of prophecy and priesthood, of lawgiving and teaching, and of ancestral wealth, of sacrifices and the multitude of feasts, and of the dignity of the kingdom. Empty of all these things, they were sent away as fugitives and naked into captivity; but the humble, in their place, the peoples from the nations, hungering for righteousness, were exalted; since, having shown their own humility and the famine of the knowledge of God that possessed them, they begged for the divine word, like crumbs, just as the Canaanite woman; and for this reason, they were filled with the wealth of the divine mysteries; for Christ our God, born of a Virgin, has transferred the entire inheritance of divine goods to the nations. He has helped his servant Israel; and not just any Israel; but his servant, who by his work ennobles the nobility of Israel. And for this reason, the Theotokos called him [or: declared him] servant and heir. For finding him weary with the letter, and laboring with the law, he comforted him with grace; therefore, having called such an Israel, he helped him, in remembrance of his mercy. As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. In these few words, he takes up the whole mystery of the economy. For Christ, wishing to save the human race, 10.1169 and to fulfill the covenant with the fathers, once bowed the heavens and came down. He appears in such a way as we can receive, so that we might be able to see him, and touch him, and hear him speaking. And for this reason the Word of God condescended to take flesh and a perfect man from a woman, a holy Virgin, and was born a man, in order to pay our debt, and to fulfill up to himself the commandments of the covenant with Abraham, of circumcision and of the subsequent laws. And after these words, the holy Virgin went to Nazareth; and from there again a decree of Caesar caused her to go up to Bethlehem; and she, as pre-existing from the royal family, was sent to the royal family of David with Joseph her betrothed. And the mystery beyond all wonder followed. A Virgin giving birth, and holding in her hands him who holds all creation by his word. And there was no room for them in the inn. He who founded the whole earth with his word had no room. Nourishing with milk him who nourishes and gives life to every breath. Binding in swaddling clothes him who binds all creation by his word. She laid in a manger him who is borne upon the throne of the cherubim. A light from heaven shone around him who has enlightened all creation. Heavenly hosts stood by, giving glory to him who has been glorified in heaven before the ages. A star, holding a torch, announced those who had come from afar from the earth to the true East. From the East they came bearing gifts to him who became poor for our sake; but the holy Theotokos kept these words, pondering them in her heart, as being the receptacle of all the mysteries. Your praise, O all-holy Virgin, is higher than all eulogy, because of the God who from you wore flesh, and was born a man. To you every nature of heavenly and earthly and subterranean [or: things under the earth] beings offers fitting reverence. For you have truly been shown to be a cherubic throne. You, in the highest of the intelligible [or: southern] kingdoms, shine forth as a reflection of light; where the beginningless Father is glorified, whose power you had overshadowing you; the Son is worshipped, whom you bore according to the flesh; the Holy Spirit is glorified [or: glorified], who in your womb worked the birth of the great King. Through you, full of grace,

περιούσιον ἑαυτῷ κατεσκεύασεν. Καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀπὸ θρόνων, καὶ ὕψωσεν ταπεινούς. Τοιγαροῦν τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐκβολὴν, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰσαγωγὴν ἐν ἐπιτόμῳ ἐμήνυσεν. Ἰουδαίων γὰρ πρεσβύται, καὶ γραμματεῖς ἐν νόμῳ, καὶ οἳ ταῖς λοιπαῖς πρεσβείαις πλουτοῦντες ἐτύγχανον, ὅτιπερ κακῶς τῷ πλούτῳ καὶ τῇ δυναστείᾳ παρανόμως ἐκέχρηντο, ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ παντὸς θρόνου καθεῖλεν, προφητείας τε καὶ ἱερωσύνης, νομοθεσίας τε καὶ διδασκαλίας, καὶ πατρῴου πλούτου, θυσιῶν τε καὶ πλήθους ἑορτῶν, καὶ τοῦ τῆς βασιλείας ἀξιώματος. Τούτων ἀπάντων ἐκεῖνοι κενοὶ, καὶ φυγάδες, καὶ γυμνοὶ εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ἐξαπεστάλησαν· ταπεινοὶ δὲ, ἀντ' αὐτῶν, οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν λαοὶ, δικαιοσύνην πεινῶντες, ὑψώθησαν· ἐπειδὴ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ταπείνωσιν, καὶ τὸν συνέχοντα αὐτοὺς τῆς θεογνωσίας λιμὸν ἐπιδείξαντες, τοῦ θείου λόγου, δίκην ψιχίων, καθάπερ Χαναναία, ἐπρέσβευον· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, τοῦ πλούτου τῶν θείων μυστηρίων ἐπλήσθησαν· ὅλον γὰρ τὸν κλῆρον τῶν θείων ἀγαθῶν ὁ ἐκ Παρθένου τεχθεὶς Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, εἰς τὰ ἔθνη μετατέθηκεν. Ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὐ τοῦ τυχόντος Ἰσραήλ· ἀλλὰ τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ, ὅστις τῷ ἔργῳ ἐξευγενίζει τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν εὐγένειαν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, παῖδα καὶ κληρονόμον αὐτὸν ἡ Θεοτόκος ἐκάλεσεν [ἄλ. ἐδήλωσεν]. Κάμνοντα γὰρ εὐρὼν τῷ γράμματι, καὶ τῷ νόμῳ κοπιῶντα, τῇ χάριτι παρεκάλεσεν· οὐκοῦν τὸν τοιοῦτον Ἰσραὴλ καλέσας, ἀντελάβετο, μνησθῆναι ἐλέους. Καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ, ἕως αἰῶνος. Ἐν ταύταις δὲ ταῖς ὀλίγαις λέξεσιν, ὅλον τὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἀναλαμβάνει μυστήριον. ∆ιασῶσαι γὰρ τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων, 10.1169 καὶ τὴν διαθήκην τὴν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας πληρῶσαι βουλόμενος ὁ Χριστὸς, οὐρανοὺς ποτὲ μὲν ἔκλινεν, καὶ κατέβη. Οὕτως δὲ ὡς χωροῦμεν ἡμεῖς ἐμφανίζεται, ἴνα ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν, καὶ ψηλαφῆσαι, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι λαλοῦντος ἰσχύσωμεν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος σάρκα καὶ τέλειον ἄνθρωπον ἐκ γυναικὸς ἁγίας Παρθένου ἀναλαβεῖν κατηξίωσεν, καὶ ἐγεννήθη ἄνθρωπος, ἵνα ἐκτίσῃ τὸ ἡμέτερον ὄφλημα, καὶ πληρώσῃ μέχρις ἑαυτοῦ, τῆς πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ διαθήκης, περιτομῆς τε καὶ τῶν ἐφεξῆς νομίμων τὰ ἐντάλματα. Μετὰ δὲ τοὺς λόγους τούτους, ἡ ἁγία Παρθένος εἰς τὴν Ναζαρὲτ ἐπορεύετο· ἐκεῖθεν δὲ πάλιν δόγμα Καίσαρος εἰς τὴν Βηθλεὲμ ἀνελθεῖν αὐτὴν παρεσκεύασεν· αὕτη δὲ ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς πατριᾶς προϋπάρχουσα, εἰς τὴν βασιλικὴν τοῦ ∆αβὶδ πατριὰν μετὰ Ἰωσὴφ τοῦ μνηστῆρος ἐστέλλετο. Καὶ τὸ τοῦ παντὸς ἐπέκεινα θαύματος ἠκολούθει μυστήριον. Παρθένος τίκτουσα, καὶ χερσὶ βαστάζουσα τὸν ῥήματι πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν βαστάζοντα. Καὶ οὐδὲ τόπος ἦν αὐτοῖς ἐν τῷ καταλύματι. Τόπον οὐκ εἶχεν ὁ πᾶσαν τῆν γὴν τῷ ῥήματι θεμελιώσας. Γάλακτι τρέφουσα τὸν πᾶσαν πνοὴν διατρέφοντα, καὶ ζωογονοῦντα. Σπαργάνοις δεσμοῦσα τὸν λόγῳ πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν δεσμεύοντα. Ἐν φάτνῃ ἀνέκλινεν τὸν ἐπὶ καθέδρας χερουβὶμ ἐποχούμενον. Φῶς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ περιέλαμπε τὸν πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν φωτίσαντα. Στρατιαὶ οὐράνιαι δοξολογοῦσαι παρίσταντο τῷ πρὸ αἰώνων ἐν οὐρανοῖς δοξαζομένῳ. Ἀστὴρ δᾳδουχῶν κατεμήνυεν τοὺς ἐκ γῆς πόῤῥωθεν ἐλθόντας πρὸς τὸν ὄντως ἀνατολήν. Ἐξ Ἀνατολῶν ἥκασι δωροφοροῦντες τῷ δι' ἡμᾶς πτωχεύσαντι· ἡ δὲ ἁγία Θεοτόκος συνετήρει τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, συμβάλλουσα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς, ὡς ὅλων τῶν μυστηρίων ὑπάρχουσα δοχεῖον. Σοῦ μὲν, ὦ παναγία Παρθένε, ἀνώτερος πάσης εὐφημίας ὁ ἔπαινος, διὰ τὸν ἐκ σοῦ Θεὸν σάρκα φορέσαντα, καὶ γεννηθέντα ἄνθρωπον. Σοὶ πᾶσα φύσις ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων, καὶ καταχθονίων [ἴσ. ὑποχθονίων] σέβας προσφέρει τὸ πρόσφορον. Σὺ γὰρ ἀληθῶς θρόνος χερουβικὸς ἀναδέδειξαι. Σὺ ἐν τοῖς ἄκροις τῶν νοητῶν [ἄλ. νότου] βασιλειῶν, φωτὸς ἀπαύγασμα ἀπαστράπτεις· ἔνθα δοξάζεται Πατὴρ ὁ ἄναρχος, οὗ τὴν δύναμιν ἔσχες ἐπισκιάζουσαν· προσκυνεῖται ὁ Υἱὸς, ὃν κατὰ σάρκα σὺ τέτοκας· δοξολογεῖται [ἄλ. δοξάζεται] Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὅπερ ἐν τῇ γαστρί σου, τὴν γέννησιν τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλέως ἐνήργησεν. ∆ιὰ σοῦ, κεχαριτωμένη,