Believers Observe the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God

Orthodox believers today observe the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God — a feast that reminds them of the end of the Mother of God's earthly life and her translation to eternity. In liturgical services and popular tradition this day is filled with recollections of events connected to her life and place in salvation history.

The Gathering of the Apostles and the Peaceful Passing

According to tradition, the Lord, Who on Sinai commanded with the fifth commandment: "Honor your father and your mother," by His example showed how one should honor his parent. When He hung on the cross in suffering, He remembered His mother and, pointing to the apostle John, said: "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to John: "Behold your mother!" After these events, the Mother of God settled in John's house on Zion in Jerusalem and remained there until the end of her days, helping the apostles with prayer, counsel and patience.

Before her repose Archangel Gabriel announced to her that after three days she would be taken and gave her a palm branch to be carried at her funeral. The Mother of God wished to see Christ's apostles again and, according to tradition, all the apostles, borne on clouds by angels, gathered in John's house on Zion; she encouraged them, counseled and comforted them and peacefully yielded her spirit to God without bodily suffering.

The funeral procession carried the body to the Garden of Gethsemane, into the tomb of Saints Joachim and Anna. By Divine Providence a cloud hid the procession, and the Jewish priest Atonij, who touched the bier intending to overturn it, at that moment was deprived of both hands by an angel; later he cried for help and after declaring that he had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, he was healed.

Apostle Thomas arrived on the third day and wished to kiss the body; when the apostles opened the tomb, they found only the burial shroud — the body was not in the tomb. That evening the Most Holy Mother of God herself appeared to the apostles surrounded by a multitude of angels and said to them: "Rejoice, I will be with you forever." It is not known exactly at what age she reposed, but the prevailing opinion is that at the end of her earthly life she was "more than sixty years old."

In churches across the country the feast is observed with liturgies, prayers and occasional processions. For many this day is both a sorrowful remembrance of human death and a joyful celebration of the hope that the Mother of God continues to intercede and pray for the faithful.

Photo: press material from the event