At the second locale she built a tomb for the members of her family, and where also she herself was buried with Joachim. “O marvelous wonder! A number of candles were burning. The Lamentations to the Theotokos are sung on the feast of the Dormition on August 15, before a special Epitaphios depicting the Theotokos in the grave. The Mother of God was on Cyprus with Saint Lazarus the Four-Days-Dead, where he was bishop. In conversation with others She preserved decorum, neither becoming silly nor agitated, and indeed especially never angry; without artifice, and direct, She was not overly concerned about Herself, and far from pampering Herself, She was distinctly full of humility. "It is time, my Mother,” says the… Twitter | She was the personification of purity. The holy Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem (420-458) testified before the emperor Marcian (450-457) as to the authenticity of the tradition about the miraculous ascent of the Mother of God to Heaven, and he sent to the empress, Saint Pulcheria (September 10), the grave wrappings of the Mother of God from Her tomb. She was out of Her house only for church, and then only in the company of relatives. All the members of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, with the head of the Mission presiding, participate each year in the procession (called the “Litania”) with the holy burial shroud of the Mother of God. Within the church was preserved the precious funeral cloth, which covered Her all-pure and fragrant body. She was modest in the movement of Her body, Her step was quiet, and Her voice straightforward; so that Her face was an expression of soul. She was also on Holy Mount Athos. After the clergy, in two rows walk the black-robed monks and nuns of the Holy City: Greeks, Roumanians, Arabs, Russians. Others could protect Her only in body, but She Herself guarded Her character.”. This feast, which is also sometimes called the Assumption, commemorates the death, resurrection and glorification of Christ’s mother. This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Dormition of the Theotokos Church. YouTube | It should be recited in times of temptation, discouragement or sickness. The Holy Spirit had gathered them all together so that they might be granted the blessing of the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and more fittingly to see to the burial of the Mother of the Lord. Burning with envy and vengefulness toward everything that reminded them of Christ, they sent out their own servants to disrupt the procession and to set the body of the Mother of God afire. In front the altar, beyond the burial chamber of the Mother of God, is a raised-up spot, upon which rests the burial shroud of the Most Holy Mother of God among fragrant flowers and myrtle, with precious coverings. I will be the Patroness of this place and intercede with God for it.”. For lo, the Queen, God’s Maiden comes, lift up the gates, and with the Ever-Existing One, take up the Mother of Light; for through Her salvation has come to all the human race. During this conversation the Apostle Paul also appeared in a miraculous manner together with his disciples Dionysius the Areopagite, Saint Hierotheus, Saint Timothy and others of the Seventy Apostles. With the end of Liturgy, at the fourth hour of the morning, he serves a short Molieben before the resplendent burial shroud, lifts it in his hands and solemnly carries it beyond the church to Gethsemane proper where the holy sepulchre of the Mother of God is situated. Many of the newly-enlightened in the Faith even came from faraway lands to Jerusalem, to see and to hear the All-Pure Mother of God. Her numerous icons everywhere pour forth signs and healings, and Her holy body, taken up to Heaven, bears witness to our own future life there. Going in to the Mother of God, they beheld Her lying upon the bed, and filled with spiritual joy. The Mother of God did not fear death, nor did she seek to avoid it. Having opened the grave, they found in it only the grave wrappings and were thus convinced of the bodily ascent of the Most Holy Virgin Mary to Heaven. The holy city of Jerusalem is separated from the Mount of Olives by the valley of Kedron on Josaphat. (A … The Most Holy Theotokos went often to the Holy Sepulchre of the Lord, and here She offered up fevent prayer. Her fervent and unceasing desire was to leave the body and be with her beloved Son and God. The Mother of God’s Prayer Before Her Dormition. Modeled after the Lamentations to the Lord Jesus on Holy Friday, these 176 hymns are sometimes called the "Jerusalem Service." To each She wished eternal bliss, and prayed with them for the peace and welfare of the whole world. Contact | Make a gift or a forgivable loan to the parish. The Church makes rich use of non verbal symbols to express God's presence and our relationship to Him. Miraculous was the life of the All-Pure Virgin, and wondrous was Her Repose, as Holy Church sings: “In Thee, O Queen, the God of all hath given thee as thy portion the things that are above nature. Just as in the Birth-Giving He did preserve Thine virginity, so also in the grave He did preserve Thy body from decay” (Canon 1, Ode 6, Troparion 1). “All Her days She was concerned with fasting: She slept only when necessary, and even then, when Her body was at rest, She was still alert in spirit, repeating in Her dreams what She had read, or the implementation of proposed intentions, or those planned yet anew. Mary is a most important figure in our faith. Already in the first century, the Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite wrote about Her “Falling-Asleep.” In the second century, the account of the bodily ascent of the Most Holy Virgin Mary to Heaven is found in the works of Meliton, Bishop of Sardis. The Dormition of the Theotokos is a confirmation of the resurrection of Christ and a source of hope for the faithful in the promise of their personal resurrection, their personal Pascha. Saint John the Theologian went at the head with the resplendent palm-branch from Paradise. Regarding the clothing which She wore, She was satisfied to have natural colors, which even now is evidenced by Her holy head-covering. With these heavenly tidings the Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with the three girls attending Her (Sepphora, Abigail, and Jael). It is considered to be a very strict fast, even stricter than both the Nativity and the Apostles Fasts. At that time, there was a small plot belonging to the house of Zebedee, the father of Saint John the Theologian. Feasts of the Lord and the Theotokos (hymns) Hymn to the Theotokos; Joy of all the Sorrowful; Prayer at the Icon of the Theotokos; Song of the Theotokos / prayer of Zacharias; Readings - Apostolic. She died as all people die, not \"voluntarily\" as her Son, but by the necessity of her mortal human nature which is indivisibly bound up with the corruption of this world. Descending from Heaven was Christ, the King of Glory, surrounded by hosts of Angels and Archangels and other Heavenly Powers, together with the souls of the Forefathers and the Prophets, who had prophesied in ages past concerning the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Dormition of the Theotokos (XVc) Icon - F261 As low as $9.95 The Church has received the tradition of the Dormition (death) and Assumption into heaven of the Mother of … She was a source of consolation and edification both for the Apostles and for all the believers. Day and night She spent her time in prayer. She is the means by which Christ is brought into the world; how wonderful to anchor our year with the fullness of her earthly life! The Falling Asleep of the Theotokos Although the Dormition of the Theotokos is not in scripture, we know a lot of what happened from Tradition. We have spent the last two weeks fasting in preparation for this wonderful celebration of the Mother of Our Lord, when she reposed in the Lord surrounded by most of the Apostles, who had been miraculously brought to her from all around the world. Radical changes, the traces of which remain at present, also took place under the crusaders in the year 1130. If you want to know how a friendly loan works, please contact Fr. Site Map | An angry crowd and soldiers set off against the Christians, but the circular cloud accompanying the procession descended and surrounded them like a wall. When the time came for the soul of the Theotokos to be united with her son in heaven, the apostles and … (This marks the beginning of the rite of offering up the “Panagia” (“All-Holy”), a portion of bread in honor of the Mother of God, which is done at monasteries to the present day). The commemoration of the Dormition of the Theotokos and the preparation for the Feast begin on August 1 with a period of fasting. On the evening of the same day, when the Apostles had gathered at a house to strengthen themselves with food, the Mother of God appeared to them and said: “Rejoice! The Service of the Paraclesis to the Theotokos consists of hymns of supplication to obtain consolation and courage. Search, Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America. For three days they did not depart from the place of burial, praying and chanting Psalms. The earliest known prayer to the Theotokos The earliest known prayer to the Theotokos (Greek, Θεοτόκος, meaning “Bearer of God”) is a prayer found on a fragment of papyrus dating back to approximately AD 250. The faithful, whose number by then was impossible to count, gathered together, says Saint John of Damascus, like clouds and eagles, to listen to the Mother of God. Although there are many symbolic interpretations of the Divine Liturgy, the most fundamental meaning is found in the actions and prayers. It is used more particularly during the two weeks before the Dormition, or Assumption, of the Theotokos. At an earlier time the church had also windows beside the doors. The Theotokos is ready to help your make your prayer life great again (through the Rosary and other Marian prayers)! John. Conversing with them, She told them about miraculous events: the Annunciation, the seedless and undefiled Conception of Christ born of Her, about His early childhood, and about His earthly life. In the fourth century, Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus refers to the tradition about the “Falling Asleep” of the Mother of God. Commemorated August 15 Troparion - Tone 1 In giving birth you preserved your virginity, in falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos. It is impossible to gaze upon Her, and it is impossible to render Her due honor” (Stikherion on “Lord, I Have Cried”). Kissing the all-pure body with reverence and in awe, the Disciples in turn were blessed by it and filled with grace and spiritual joy. Saint John the Theologian, greeting them with tears of joy, said that the time of the Virgin’s repose was at hand. Nativity of the Theotokos We begin our yearly festal celebrations by honoring the birth of the Mother of God on September 8 NS/21 OS. Along the way, pilgrims meet the icon, kissing the image of the All-Pure Virgin Mary and lift children of various ages to the icon. Saint Pulcheria then placed these grave-wrappings within the Blachernae church. The Feast of the Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 15 each year. The rite of the Burial of the Mother of God at Gethsemane begins customarily on the morning of August 14. Shunoyo (Dormition of the Theotokos) Feast Day: August 15. At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane, where olive trees bear fruit even now. Only towards evening were the Apostles able to place it in the tomb and seal the entrance to the cave with a large stone. The respect of ancient Christians for the Mother of God was so great that they preserved what they could about Her life, what they could take note of concerning Her sayings and deeds, and they even passed down to us a description of Her outward appearance. Great destruction was done the Church in the year 1009 by the despoiler of the holy places, Hakim. The Heavenly gates were raised, and meeting the soul of the Most Holy Mother of God, the Cherubim and the Seraphim glorified Her with joy. You were translated to life, O Mother of Life, and by your prayers, you deliver our souls from death. When the procession reached the Garden of Gethsemane, then amidst the weeping and the wailing began the last kiss to the all-pure body. See the Prayer at the Sanctification of any Fragrant Herbage. The face of the Mother of God was radiant with the glory of Divine virginity, and from Her body there came a sweet fragrance. This is the third and final week in our Great Lenten series on deepening your prayer life. 0 Mother of the most sweet and most desired Savior, Who exceedeth every love, Jesus Christ, the Lover of mankind and my God, the Light of my darkened soul! The Divine Liturgy may be divided into two major parts: the Liturgy of the Catechumens and the Liturgy of the Faithful, which are preceded by the Service of Preparation. And last week we discussed spicing up our Icon Corner s. Christians honored the sepulchre of the Mother of God, and they built a church on this spot. The Prayers and the Hymns for the Dormition of the Theotokos witness to the new Christian hope that Christ’s Resurrection has transformed the experience of death for all of us, from any sense of fearful demise into a joyful threshold toward eternal life. When was She at discord with Her kin? This piece of stone had been in the Gethsemane basilica from the sixth century. The whole temple was adorned with a multitude of lampadas and offerings. The other saints and a multitude of the faithful accompanied the funeral bier with candles and censers, singing sacred songs. Bewailing their separation from the Mother of God, the Apostles prepared to bury Her all-pure body. Interestingly, the Church Year begins with her birth, and ends with her Dormition. τικος Κανων Αγιου ΝικολαοÏ, http://www.eikona.com/paraklesis-the-mother-of-light/, https://www.amazon.com/Paraklesis-Eikona/dp/B009ZRXAO2. The Theotokos had now reached an advanced age. At the time of Her blessed Falling Asleep, the Most Holy Virgin Mary was again at Jerusalem. The Holy Apostle Thomas . A multitude of people with hierarchs and clergy at the head set off from the Jerusalem Patriarchate (nearby the Church of the Resurrection of Christ) in sorrowful procession. Saint Anna, having been left a widow, moved from Nazareth to Jerusalem, and lived near the Temple. The right chapel belongs to the Orthodox Church, and the left to the Armenian Church (since 1814). And in the ninth century near the subterranean Gethsemane church a monastery was built, in which more than 30 monks struggled. Then began a joyous angelic song. This Elizabethan prophecy, that we repeat so often in one of our most favorite prayers “Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos,” was followed by Mary’s hymn, Mary’s prayerful prophesy, which is especially important for our attention on the day of her glorious Dormition. On August 12, at Little Gethsemane, at the second hour of the night, the head of the Gethsemane church celebrates Divine Liturgy. The Most Holy Virgin prayed also that the Lord would have the Apostle John come to Her. The olive woods on the eastern and northern sides of the temple was acquired from the Turks by the Orthodox during the seventh and eighth centuries. The burial place was hewn out of stone in the manner of the ancient Jewish graves and is very similar to the Sepulchre of the Lord. The most-pure body of the Mother of God was buried in the family tomb. “The Theotokos is the salvation of the whole world, she is the only mother for all Christians... She has much love for the human race, especially for sinners.” ~ St. Anthimos of Chios Excerpt from the homily on the Dormition of the Theotokos by St. Germanos of Constantinople. The Armenian Apostolic Churchcelebrates the Dormition not on a fixed … During the eleventh to twelfth centuries the piece of excavated stone, at which the Savior had prayed on the night of His betrayal disappeared from Jerusalem. Saint Stephen of the Holy Mountain says that the Mother of God prophetically spoke of it: “Let this place be my lot, given to me by my Son and my God. The church of the Dormition of the Theotokos has the following dimensions: in length it is 48 arshin, and in breadth 8 arshin [1 arshin = 28 inches]. I am with you all the days of your lives.” This so gladdened the Apostles and everyone with them, that they took a portion of the bread, set aside at the meal in memory of the Savior (“the Lord’s Portion”), and they exclaimed : “Most Holy Theotokos, save us”. Without any bodily suffering, as though in a happy sleep, the Most Holy Virgin Mary gave Her soul into the hands of Her Son and God. While Thomas was enlightening the lands of India by preaching the Gospel, the honored Dormition of the Mother of God took place. After the receiving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the Apostles remained at Jerusalem for about ten years attending to the salvation of the Jews, and wanting moreover to see the Mother of God and hear Her holy discourse. At the 23rd step on the right side is a chapel in honor of the holy Ancestors-of-God Joachim and Anna together with their graves, and on the left side opposite, the chapel of Saint Joseph the Betrothed with his grave. There was heard the singing of the Heavenly Powers, glorifying the Mother of God, which echoed that of the worldly voices. To enter the church, it is necessary to go down a stairway of 48 steps. The holy Disciples surrounded her beautifully adorned bed, offering praise to God. She called each of them to Herself by name, She blessed them and extolled them for their faith and the hardships they endured in preaching the Gospel of Christ. Suddenly, the inexpressible Light of Divine Glory shone forth, before which the blazing candles paled in comparison. The feast of the Dormition or Falling-asleep of the Theotokos is celebrated on the fifteenth of August, preceded by a two-week fast. Along the narrow alley-ways of the Holy City the funeral procession makes its way to Gethsemane. In pledge of this, the Archangel gave Her a palm branch. Instagram | Today flowers are blessed in church, and people keep them in their homes. The Fount of Life is placed in the grave, and the grave doth become the ladder to Heaven...” Here at the grave of the All-Pure Virgin, these words strike deep with their original sense and grief is dispelled by joy: “Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee, granting the world, through Thee, great mercy!”. One enters through the western doors, and exits at the northern doors. Seeing Her Son, the Mother of God exclaimed: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God My Savior, for He hath regarded the low estate of His Handmaiden” (Luke 1:46-48) and, rising from Her bed to meet the Lord, She bowed down to Him, and the Lord bid Her enter into Life Eternal. Seeing such a wonder, Athonios repented and with faith confessed the majesty of the Mother of God. All-merciful Virgin Theotokos, Mother of compassions and love for mankind, my most beloved hope and aspiration! The Most Holy Virgin Mary glorified God, because He had heard Her prayer and fulfilled Her heart’s desire, and She began speaking about Her imminent end. The Disciples greeted Her, and then they told her how they had been carried miraculously from their places of preaching. Most Holy Theotokos Rescuer of the Perishing – An Orthodox house of prayer and repentance for the elderly and infirm Most Holy Theotokos Rescuer of the Perishing is an Orthodox assisted living facility for Orthodox Christians nearing the end of life. In one such visit to Golgotha, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her and announced Her approaching departure from this life to eternal life. Then came the third hour (9 A.M.), when the Dormition of the Mother of God was to occur. The Dormition of the Theotokos is equivalent to the biggest celebration of summer in Greece, since every town and village has its own miraculous icon of the Theotokos. This entry was posted in Elder Thaddeus and tagged Dormition of the Theotokos, Healing, Intercession, Intercession of the Saints, Intercession of the Theotokos, Pray without Ceasing, Prayer, Protection of the Theotokos, Sickness, Theotokos on August 16, 2014 by Orthodox Church Quotes. The feast of the Dormition or Falling-asleep of the Theotokos is celebrated on the fifteenth of August, preceded by a two-week fast. But in spite of the destruction and the changes, the overall original cruciform (cross-shaped) plan of the church has been preserved. The procession, going along for about two hours, concludes with Lamentations at the Gethsemane church. The hymns are metered to be sung to the common melodies. Dormition رقاد والدة الله The Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Theotokos is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on August 15. for those following the Julian Calendar) as the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Dormition of the Theotokos The feast of the Dormition or Falling-asleep of the Theotokos is celebrated on the fifteenth of August, preceded by a two-week fast. Hebrews 2:11-18 (Annunciation to the Most-Holy Theotokos) Hebrews 9:1-7 (Entry of the Most-Holy Theotokos) The holy Ancestor-of-God Joachim had himself reposed at 80 years of age, several years after the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple (November 21). The pursuers heard the footsteps and the singing, but could not see any of those accompanying the procession. At the entrance to the church along the sides of the iron gates stand four marble columns. It was there in the Garden of Gethsemane that the Savior often prayed with His disciples. August 15 NS / 27 OS marks the last great feast of the Church year—The Dormition (falling asleep) of the Theotokos. Accompanying the pure soul of the God-betrothed and with reverent awe for the Queen of Heaven, the angels exclaimed: “Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee, blessed art Thou among women! After the prayer, the Most Holy Virgin offered incense, and John heard a voice from Heaven, closing Her prayer with the word “Amen.” The Mother of God took it that the voice meant the speedy arrival of the Apostles and the Disciples and the holy Bodiless Powers. According to Orthodox Tradition, Mary died like all humanity, \"falling asleep,\" so to speak, as the name of the feast indicates. A strict fast is followed on most of the days (no meat, dairy, oil, or wine), with the exceptions of fish on the Feast of the Transfiguration (August 6) and the day of the Dormition.

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