"Remembering our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever virgin Mary,..." From the Liturgy. "Lady" is the feminine form of "Lord".
Umm, not quite. The Greek and Slavonic words used here are
Dhespoina and
Vladichitsa (in the declension in the petition
Dhespinis and
Vladichitsu), the feminine form of
Dhespota and
Vladika (Master). The proper translation of
Dhespoina therefore should be
Mistress, not
Lady.
However, in practically all, especially American, English liturgical translations I've come across,
Dhespoina is translated to
Lady, because of the present-day unsavory connotations of
Mistress. What a pity a perfectly good word has been spoiled.
Mistress in its proper sense conveys authority, respect, gravitas - all good and fitting attributes for the Mother of God.
Lady should be used for
Kyra or
Kyria, the feminine of
Kyrios (Lord).
