Skip to content
Holy Protection
Menu
Lexicon index Lexicon

Kecharitomene

Full of grace — the angel's salutation to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation; a permanent, not momentary, condition.

Kecharitomene (from charis, grace) is the Greek word used by the angel Gabriel in greeting Mary at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28): 'full of grace.' The perfect passive participle indicates a permanent condition. Orthodox theology understands this as the description of Mary's unique preparation by God for her role as Theotokos: she is permanently, completely filled with grace — the most fully deified of all human persons, the icon of what humanity is called to become.

Holy Protection Orthodox Cathedral — come and see.

St. Demetrios Demo Parish