Questions About Yesterday's Akathist

[Chesterton]

Two questions. First, the number 9 doesn't seem to come up much, but the priest censes the icon 9 times. What's the significance of that?

Also, I got over my Protestant "Mary issues" a long time ago, lol, but she is referred to as Sovereign Lady. "Sovereign" seems like a strong word. Is this just to indicate that she's queenly?

 

[iEye]

Biblical numerology of number 9 is the finality or the judgement. It is generally when at the time of judging a person and his works. Also, number 9 is used to define the perfect movement of God. The biblical number 9 is a number of patience. ... It is also the number of those who accomplish the divine will.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Two questions. First, the number 9 doesn't seem to come up much, but the priest censes the icon 9 times. What's the significance of that?

Also, I got over my Protestant "Mary issues" a long time ago, lol, but she is referred to as Sovereign Lady. "Sovereign" seems like a strong word. Is this just to indicate that she's queenly?

could be 9 because of the nine ranks, of which every saint is more exalted (first and foremost Our Lady). and yes, she is the sovereign because she is the Mother of the King of Kings.

 

[nutroll]

I'm not familiar with a rubric saying to cense the icon 9 times. In our practice the icon is censed from four sides, three times in each side, so 12 times. There is meaning to the number of times we cense. A deacon will get censed twice, a priest three times, and a bishop 9 times. The Eucharist once consecrated is censed 9 times. So it's not unreasonable to think such a rubric exists.

As for the word sovereign, I would take it as a royal title which usually extends beyond the ruler alone to those connected to him.