The icon of the Feast of the Annunciation by St Andrei Rublyov
The Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of Annunciation today. On this day, believers remember the revelation to Mary, the mother of Jesus, by the archangel St Gabriel, that she would conceive a child to be born the Son of God. According to an old legend, St Gabriel carried a white lily as a symbol of purity and innocence, so this image was depicted almost in all icons. In ancient times, there was a tradition in Russia to release birds in the air as they are symbols of the Holy Spirit which came down upon the Virgin Mary.
7 April 2008
Voice of Russia World Service
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=25308&cid=48&p=07.04.2008 (in Russian and English)
