Sheol: Where Christ Visited

The Incarnation is the central event of Syriac theology: the whole Old Testament prefigures it, and all eyes look to the moment of the coming of God in the flesh to restore His image. The Annunciation, the event of Gabriel announcing to Mary the conception of our God, Jesus Christ, as her son, is the beginning of His coming to restore His image fallen and rotting in Sheol, the place of the dead. In the Syriac Liturgical Year, there is an entire season dedicated to the various Annunciations (our pre-Christmas equivalent of Advent, which means “coming”) of this plan of salvation: the first Sunday (this year on Nov. 13) is the Annunciation to Zechariah (Luke 1:5-25), and the second is the Annunciation to Mary (Luke 1:26-38), followed by the Visitation (Luke 1:39-45), the Birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:57-66), the Revelation to Joseph (Matt. 1:18-25), and finally the Genealogy of Jesus (Matt. 1:1-17).

These Annunciations culminate in the great event, which prophet, patriarch and king foretold but never saw - the coming of our Lord, who would save Adam from the grave.

The mighty voice of the Son entered Sheol and brought down its fortresses. Its high palaces trembled.

He called, “Where are you, Adam?” as He had called in the beginning (ie Genesis).

Adam had heard his Lord’s voice and raised up his head and said:

“I give thanks to You, O Kind One, Who came to me in the dark.”

(From Morning Prayer of Holy Saturday)