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2026-11-08: 29th of Paremhotep - Lessons from the Annunciation

Introduction

Every Coptic Month has 30 days. And is split into 4 Sundays. But about twice a year, the 29th or 30th day of the Coptic Month comes on a Sunday, which would be the 5th Sunday. In the Lectionary, we only have a reading for each of the four Sundays.

So if the 30th of the Coptic Month comes on a Sunday, the 5th Sunday, we read the miracle of the 5 Loaves and 2 Fish. We consider this extra Sunday as a blessing and we read the Gospel of Blessing.

But if the 29th of the Coptic Month comes on a Sunday, like today, we read the readings of the Annunciation Feast and we pray in the joyful tune. 

The Church today celebrates the 29th of the Coptic Month. And on the 29th of almost every Coptic Month, we celebrate the Annunciation of the Birth of Christ. But why?

The Annunciation of the Birth of Christ is celebrated on the 29th of Paremhotep. Then, each Coptic month after that, we celebrate one month of the Divine Pregnancy. Of St Mary carrying the Lord in her womb.

  • 29th of Parmoute: 1 Month
  • 29th of Pashans: 2 Month
  • 29th of Paouna: 3 Months
  • 29th of Abib: 4 Months
  • 29th of Mesra: 5 Months
  • 29th of Thout: 6 Months
  • 29th of Paope: 7 Months
  • 29th of Hathor: 8 Months
  • 29th of Kiahk: 9 Months which is the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then, the 29th of Tobe and Amshir, do NOT have the celebration because they are not during the time of St Mary's pregnancy with the Lord Jesus.

When we celebrate the 29th, we:

  • Pray with the joyful/festive tune
  • We sing the hymns for the Annunciation of the Birth of Christ
  • If it comes on a Sunday, we read the readings of the Annunciation

Since the Nativity of Christ is on 29th of Kiahk, and Resurrection is on the 29th of Paremhotep, and they are all on 29ths, we commemorate those two feasts, but they are not the focus of our liturgical celebration.

We will take some Lessons from the Annunciation

Who? St Mary

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

What made Archangel Gabriel give this manner of greeting? He came venerating her, and calling her "highly favored one" and "full of grace" and "the Lord is with you" and "blessed are you among women!"

What made St Mary highly favored by the Lord?

  1. St Mary's Purity and Commitment to a Life of Purity
    • In a time when NO ONE would ever commit themselves to a life of virginity. Everyone is waiting for the Messiah - they want more children in the hopes of having the Messiah. Or if they don't, at least they can make the Jewish nation stronger.
    • The norm is to have more children... but St Mary is only interested in living the life of purity and virginity

  2. St Mary's Humility

    • The greeting of the angel gives us a hint about St Mary's Humility "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you"

    • St James & St Peter both link "grace" with humility

      • But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

      • Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6)
    • Thus, the Lord exalts her

  3. St Mary's Life of Service
    • Service in the temple
    • Serving the elder Joseph the Carpenter
    • Serving her relative, Elizabeth
What? The Incarnation of the Logos

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

  1. Jesus (Joshua, Hoshea) means "Savior"
  2. He will be great
    • Fullfills the Prophecy of Isaiah 9
    • "For unto us a Child is born,
      Unto us a Son is given;
      And the government will be upon His shoulder.
      And His name will be called
      Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
      Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
      Of the increase of His government and peace
      There will be no end,
      Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
      To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
      From that time forward, even forever.
      The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)
  3. He will be called the Son of the Highest
    • "Highest" was one of the Titles of God the Father
      • Genesis 14:19 - "Blessed be Abram of God Most High... and blessed be God Most High" (Melchizedek)
      • Psalm 92:1 - "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High"
      • Psalm 83:18 - "That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, Are the Most High over all the earth."
    • Son of the Highest means "Son of God"
  4. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David
    • Echoes the promises given to King David (2 Samuel 7:12 - “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.")
    • Even the temporal/worldly kingdom of King David belonged to Christ by a hereditary right
  5. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of His Kingdom, there will be no end
    • No earthly king will reign forever... one day, he will die
    • The Kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ, is a Heavenly Kingship

So what is the summary of this gospel message that the angel is delivering to St Mary?

  • Christ, the Son of God, will come in the Flesh. 
  • He will save the whole world.
  • He has a heavenly kingdom that He will establish here on earth, in the hearts of all of those who follow Him
How? By the Work of the Holy Trinity

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

  1. Zechariah asked a similar question to St Mary - how can this be?
    • St Mary's question was legitimate - "How can this be? I do not know a man!" If St Mary was planning to be married, she would have assumed the angel means after marriage. But she didn't plan on being married or having children... so she is confused. I have vowed my virginity... I have not known a man... how can this be? In addition, it never happened in human history.
    • Zechariah was asking out of doubt. It happened many times in the Scripture that someone old and/or barren gave birth

  2. The Work of the Holy Trinity in the Incarnation of the Son of God
    • "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God."
    • Our Salvation is the work of the Holy Trinity, and here we see the Holy Trinity very clearly
      • The Holy Spirit will come upon you
      • The power of the Highest will overshadow you
      • The Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God

  3. Giving a Sign
    • The pregnancy of Elizabeth will be a sign to St Mary - when she sees St Elizabeth is pregnant, she will have confidence in the Lord's plan
Our Response: Surrender, Obedience, Submission

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

  • By the disobedience of Eve, we lost salvation. But by the obedience of St Mary, salvation came into the world.
    • This is why we call St Mary the Second Eve
  • The angel departed from her
    • His message was complete. He visited the one that the Lord is calling Full of Grace, he delivered the message to her, and he heard her response.
  • The Annunciation and the Incarnation of Christ bring to our mind the entire Economy of Salvation
    • God did all of this: Emptied Himself, took the form of man, endured a poor life - not even having a place to lay his head; humiliated, tortured, tormented, accused of having Beelzebub, stood as a criminal before 6 trials, endured the shouts for His crucifixion, all the sufferings of the Cross, death - although He is Immortal
    • What is my response to this?
      • Obedience
      • Surrender
      • Dedication
      • Spiritual Struggle
      • Love
    • Or do I love the world more?
      • Will I reach the Promised Land?
      • All but two perished in the wilderness
Conclusion

We thank God for His Incarnation into the world, and for accomplishing for us His Salvation.

Let us contemplate on His work of Salvation and the Grace freely given, and respond to this grace appropriately in submission and obedience to His Commandment, to be sons of Light and not of darkness

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