The day after most major feasts in the Byzantine Catholic Church calendar is dedicated to the person who is in the “2nd role” in the action of the Feast. In this case, although Christmas is clearly about Christ, His Blessed Mother has the next place of honor. A synaxis is an “assembly,” and we come together on this day after Christmas to continue our glorification of our Lord’s birth, and today, in a special way, of his mother, the Theotokos and ever Virgin Mary.
Today’s Gospel Reading, Matthew 2:13-23, is The Flight of the Holy Family to Egypt. Joseph is warned in a dream to flee with the infant Jesus and his mother to Egypt in order to escape Herod’s continuing plots to destroy him. After Herod’s death, Joseph, once again in obedience to a dream and in fulfillment of prophecy, goes to reside in Nazareth of Galilee.
