I learned about the Blessed Virgin Mary as a child attending a superb Roman Catholic grade school and as a teenager studying at an excellent Catholic high school. My friendship with Our Lady was nurtured at the University of Notre Dame and deepened throughout my adult life. Later as a Wesleyan pastor, I missed the Virgin Mary as an intimate and important part of my life. Finally coming home, called in significant part by my yearning for Our Lady, I fell in love with the Theotokos as a Deacon in the Orthodox Church. This book offers a researched comparative analysis of the Eastern Prayer Rule of the Theotokos and the Western Rosary.

Deacon David Lochbihler currently serves at Saint Patrick s Orthodox Church in Bealeton, Virginia. He teaches fourth grade at The Fairfax Christian School in Northern Virginia. After graduating summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame and cum laude from the University of Texas School of Law. Deacon David worked as a Chicago attorney for three years before becoming a teacher and coach. He also earned Master s degrees in Elementary Education, Biblical Studies, and Applied Orthodox Theology. His varsity high school basketball and soccer teams captured four N.V.I.A.C. conference championships.