The '''Magnificat''Magnificat', also called the ''Song of the Theotokos'' , is a canticle usually sung during the Sunday [[Matins]] service before the ''[[irmos]]'' of the ninth ode of the [[Canon|canonhymn]]. It is taken from the words of the [[Theotokos]] is reported to have said to describe . Shortly after the experience of being pregnant with [[JesusAnnunciation]]. Shortly after being informed by of [[Gabriel the Archangel|archangel Gabriel]] of her holy pregnancyto the Theotokos, according to she visited the wife of [[Bible|BiblicalZachariah]] account, Mary the Theotokos visited her cousin [[ElisabethElizabeth]] the wife of [[Zechariah]] (, who was herself pregnant at the time with [[John the Baptist]]); and in response to Elizabeth's salutation she , Mary spoke the words of the Magnificat, which accordingly appears appear in the [[Gospel of Luke]], 1:46-55.

Although like other [[New Testament]] texts the Magnificat was originally written in Greek, in the like other [[Roman Catholic Church|Western ChurchNew Testament]] texts, it is most often to be found in Latin or the vernacular. Its name comes from the first word of the Latin version. The words often compared to the Prayer of Hannah ([[I Kingdoms|1 Sam.]] 2:1-10).

English (Book :''My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.:''For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.:''For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.:''And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.:''He has shown strength with His arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.:''He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.:''He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of Common Prayer)His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.''^{[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/ignatius_matins.asp]}

:My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.:For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden; For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.:For he It is accompanied by a refrain that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his name; And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations.:He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered sung between the proud in verses, called the imagination of their hearts.''[[megalynarion]]'': :He hath put down ''More honorable than the mighty from their seat [[cherubim]], and hath exalted more glorious beyond compare than the humble and meek; He hath filled [[seraphim]], without corruption you gave birth to God the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away.:He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel[[Logos|Word]]: as he promised to our forefatherstrue [[Theotokos]], Abraham and his seed, for everwe magnify you.

It is accompanied by a refrain that ==Use==The Magnificat is sung between during the verses: Sunday [[Orthros]] service following the eighth ode of the [[Canon (hymn)|canon]], and, with the ''Song of Zachariah'', makes up the ninth ode of the canon.  :The megalynarion (the refrain above) also appears as part of the hymn "It is truly meet"More honorable than (''Axion estin'') which is sung during [[Divine Liturgy]] during the [[CherubimEucharist]], and more glorious beyond compare than ic Prayer as the [[Seraphimpriest]], without corruption thou gavest birth to God commemorates the [[Logossaint]]s. ==Sources==*[[wikipedia:Magnificat|Word''Magnificat'' on Wikipedia]]*[http: true //www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/ignatius_matins.asp Matins service] ([[TheotokosGOARCH]], we magnify thee)*[http://wikitranslate.org/wiki/Magnificat ''Magnificat'' on WikiTranslate] Videos of the prayer in the different languages ==External links==*[http://www.goarch.org/en/archdiocese/departments/outreach/gl-My%20Soul%20Magnifies%20the%20Lord%20Paris.doc "My Soul Magnifies the Lord" (DOC)] A Sermon by Fr. Thomas J. Paris (GOARCH)*[http://directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/gallery/view-gallery.php?gallery_id=35 "Advent"] a photo-gallery of [[icon]]s of the Theotokos with verses from the Magnificat