O most holy Mother of God, after heaven and earth were honored by your presence, how is it possible to accept that your departure has left men deprived of your protection? Let it never occur to us to think in this way. For just as you, when living in this world, never felt estranged from a heavenly life, even so, after your departure, you are not spiritually separated from the existence of men. If, on the one hand, you were consecrated as the heavenly tabernacle of God, because you held the Son of the Most High within you, your womb being capable of carrying His weight; on the other hand, you have been called the spiritual earth, because you received His body within you. Thus, it is right to think that, since you were intimately united with God during all of your earthly sojourn, you never abandoned those who continue to live in this world, when you left this world's life.

We however, accustomed to venerate you faithfully, uselessly say: Why were we not considered worthy to have you stay with us in your bodily presence? Therefore, we call thrice blessed those who delighted in the contemplation of your earthly existence, those who helped you, O Mother of life, as your companions in life. In any case, still desiring that you might dwell bodily in our midst, the eyes of our souls are compelled to look toward you daily.

Indeed, as you were a fellow citizen of our ancestors, even so you dwell with us spiritually, and your ample protection in our regard is like a sign that you are with us. We all hear your voice, and all our voices reach your ears. Through the protection you offer us, we are known by you. We, in our turn, recognize your ever-wonderful assistance. Nothing, not even death, can come between you and your servants.  St. Germanus of Constantinople (634-740).