Sophronius of Jerusalem

"And surely what joy, what delight can ever be found that far surpasses the announcement made to that blessed Virgin and Mother of joy? Rejoice, O mother of supernatural joy! Rejoice, O nurturer of sublime joy! Rejoice, capital seat of the joy of salvation! Rejoice, co-operator of immortal joy! Rejoice, O mystical dwelling place of ineffable joy! Rejoice, O most blessed source of inexhaustible joy! Rejoice, O treasure of eternal joy who bears God! Rejoice, O most luxuriant tree of life-giving joy!"

"The Holy Spirit descends upon you, who are the Immaculate, to make you purer and give you the virtue of fertility."

"(To the ever Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus) You have made the nature of men beautiful; you have surpassed the hosts of angels; you have overshadowed the dazzling splendour of the archangels; you have shown the seats of thrones to be inferior to you; you have lowered the height of dominions; you have surpassed the commands of the principalities; you have weakened the power of the powers; you have gone forth as a virtue more powerful than the virtues themselves; you, with earthly eyes, have surpassed the keenest sight of the cherubim; you, with divinely moved wings, have flown beyond the flights of the soul of the seraphim."

"Georges Gharib (editor), Testi mariani del primo millennio. Volume 2: Padri e altri autori bizantini, Città Nuova, Roma, 1989. ISBN 88-311-9216-7 (in Italian)."