According to the Protoevangelium, the young Virgin Mary was about two years old when Joachim said to Anna, “The time has come for us to fulfill our vow, lest we delay and displease the Lord.” Anna replied, “Let us wait a little longer. She is still very young and may not be ready.”
They might have said, “Let us allow her to grow until she is mature enough to understand what is happening. Let us enjoy her presence a little longer, for she brings us such happiness and countless joys! After all, we waited forty years for this child!” Yet they were eager to dedicate her to God and present her at the Temple. When she reached the age of three, they fulfilled their vow.
David prophesied: “The virgins behind Her shall be brought to the King; Her neighbors shall be brought to You; they shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing; they shall be led into the temple of the King” (Psalm 45:15, 16). In preparation for Mary’s departure, Joachim and Anna invited other young virgins to accompany them in procession, carrying lighted candles. “Now, as the Psalmist said, the gatherings of virgins have lit their festive lanterns. With gladness and with joy, they escort the only blameless one” (Menaion, November 22, Vespers, Apostichon of the Feast).
Fifteen broad steps rose before the young girl. They intended to chant a verse from a psalm as she ascended each step. But Mary quickly climbed the steps and reached the top unaided, astonishing her parents, the priest and everyone who witnessed this unprecedented event.
Did Mary really enter the Holy of Holies?
“When they saw the Entry of the Virgin Maiden, the Angels were astonished at how She entered with glory into the Holy of Holies” (Menaion, November 21, Matins, Ode IX). However, only the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies, and he did so once a year (Hebrews 9:7). Would the Jews, who were so devoted to the Temple, have tolerated such an event and allowed a young girl to enter the Holy of Holies? Is it possible that she entered only the Temple and not the Holy of Holies?
David prophesied that the Virgin Mary would enter the Temple in general, but not specifically the Holy of Holies. The hymns of the Church, as well as the writings of the Holy Fathers, state that Mary entered the Holy of Holies without addressing the fact that only the High Priest was ordinarily permitted to enter. Additionally, the Synaxarion for the feast of November 21 commemorates Mary’s entry into the Temple rather than specifically into the Holy of Holies: “On the twenty first day of the same month, November, we commemorate the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple” (Menaion for November, Synaxarion for November 21).
Why, then, do the hymns say that Mary entered the Holy of Holies? One possible explanation is that, in this liturgical context, the expression “Holy of Holies” is used in a broader sense to refer to the sacred precincts of the Temple.
Whether or not she entered the Holy of Holies, the central spiritual point remains the same: How could a little girl of three leave the warm embrace of her mother and father? Why did she not begin to cry or search for her parents?
From her earliest childhood, her parents had taught her that the Temple was the house of God and that devotion to God took precedence over even the deepest human attachments. This conviction had been planted in the soul of little Mary, and its fruit was truly remarkable.
After dedicating their little daughter to the service of the Temple, Joachim and Anna returned home.
The martyrs suffered in body; Joachim and Anna suffered in spirit through separation from their own flesh and blood. Inwardly, they sacrificed themselves, surrendering to God what was most precious to them. Were they not, in this sense, great spiritual martyrs?
If you found this article helpful, feel free to share it with someone who may also benefit from it.
Next in this series: How Did the Virgin Mary Live in the Temple?
Leave a Reply