The meaning of the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Spiritual meaning and true meaning of the holiday
Information Department of the Khabarovsk Diocese
The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is the twelfth holiday dedicated to the remembrance of the death (dormition) of the Mother of God. According to church tradition, on this day the apostles, who preached in various countries, miraculously gathered in Jerusalem to say goodbye and bury the Virgin Mary.
After the ascension of Jesus, the Most Holy Mother of God remained in the care of the Apostle John the Theologian. When King Herod persecuted Christians, the Mother of God retired with John to Ephesus and lived there in the house of his parents.
Here she constantly prayed that the Lord would quickly take her to him. During one of these prayers, which the Mother of God performed at the site of the ascension of Christ, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that in three days her earthly life would end, and the Lord would take her to himself.
Before her death, the Blessed Virgin Mary wanted to see all the apostles, who by that time had dispersed different places preach the Christian faith. Despite this, the desire of the Mother of God was fulfilled: the Holy Spirit miraculously gathered the apostles at the bed of the Most Holy Theotokos, where she prayed and awaited her death. The savior himself, surrounded by angels, came to her to take her soul with him. The Most Holy Theotokos turned to the Lord with a prayer of gratitude and asked to bless all those who honor Her memory. She also showed great humility: having achieved holiness, which no other person can compare with, being the Most Honest Cherub and the Most Glorious Seraphim without comparison, she prayed to Her Son to protect Her from the dark satanic power and from the ordeals that every soul goes through after death. Having seen the apostles, the Mother of God joyfully surrendered Her soul into the hands of the Lord, and angelic singing was immediately heard.
After her death, the coffin with the body of the Most Pure Virgin was taken by the apostles to Gethsemane and buried there in a cave, the entrance of which was blocked with a stone. After the funeral, the apostles remained at the cave for three more days and prayed. The Apostle Thomas, who was late for the burial, was so saddened that he did not have time to venerate the ashes of the Mother of God that the apostles allowed the entrance to the cave and the grave to be opened so that he could venerate the holy remains. Having opened the coffin, they discovered that the body of the Mother of God was not there and, thus, were convinced of her miraculous bodily ascension to Heaven. In the evening of the same day, the Mother of God Herself appeared to the apostles gathered for dinner and said: “Rejoice! I am with you all the days."
The Church calls the death of the Mother of God the Dormition, and not death, therefore ordinary human death, when the body returns to the earth and the spirit returns to God, did not touch the Blessed One. “The laws of nature are defeated in You, Pure Virgin,” the Holy Church sings in the troparion of the holiday, “virginity is preserved at birth, and life is combined with death: remaining a Virgin at birth and living at death, You always save, Mother of God, Your inheritance.”
The event of the holiday and its eorthological dynamics
The Gospel says nothing about the earthly life of the Mother of God after the Ascension of the Savior. Information about Her last days has been preserved by church tradition, in particular such lengthy apocryphal tales as “The Word of John the Theologian on the Dormition of the Theotokos”, “The Word of John, Archbishop of Thessalonica”, as well as the oldest holiday word on the Dormition of the Patriarch of Jerusalem Modest († 632), words St. Andrew of Crete, Patriarch Herman of Constantinople and three words of St. John of Damascus. All these sources date back to the 8th century.
If we summarize all the available information, the information content and reliability of which varies, we can say that at the time of Her blessed Assumption, the Blessed Virgin Mary again arrived in Jerusalem. Her glory as the Mother of God had already spread throughout the earth and armed many envious and proud people against Her, which caused attempts on Her life. But God kept Her from her enemies. She spent days and nights in prayer. Often the Most Holy Theotokos came to the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord, burned incense here and knelt down. More than once the enemies of the Savior attempted to prevent Her from visiting the holy place and asked the high priests for guards to guard the Tomb of the Savior. But the Holy Virgin, unseen by anyone, continued to pray before him.
On one of these visits, the Archangel Gabriel appeared before Her and announced Her imminent transfer from this life to an eternally blessed life. As a pledge, the archangel gave Her a palm branch. With heavenly news, the Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with three virgins who served Her (Zipporah, Ebigea and Zoila).
Then She called righteous Joseph from Arimathea and the disciples of the Lord, to whom She announced Her imminent Dormition. The Blessed Virgin also prayed that the Lord would send the Apostle John to Her. And the Holy Spirit took him away from Ephesus, placing him next to the place where the Mother of God was reclining. After the prayer, the Blessed Virgin burned incense, and John heard a voice from heaven, concluding Her prayer with the word “Amen.” The Mother of God noticed that this voice meant the imminent arrival of the apostles and disembodied heavenly forces. The apostles, whose number cannot even be counted, flew together like eagles to serve the Mother of God. Seeing each other, the apostles rejoiced, but in bewilderment they asked each other: why did the Lord gather them in one place?
Saint John the Theologian, greeting them with joyful tears, said that the time had come for the Mother of God to depart to the Lord.
Entering the Mother of God, they saw Her sitting gracefully on a bed, filled with spiritual joy. During the conversation, the Apostle Paul also miraculously appeared with his disciples: Dionysius the Areopagite, Hierotheus, Timothy and others from among the 70 apostles. The Holy Spirit gathered them all so that they would be worthy of the blessing of the Most Pure Virgin Mary and arrange the burial of the Mother of the Lord more beautifully.
The 3rd hour came, when the Dormition of the Mother of God was supposed to take place. Many candles were burning. The holy apostles chanting surrounded the beautifully decorated bed on which the Mother of God was reclining. She prayed in anticipation of Her departure and the coming of Her longed-for Son and Lord. Suddenly the indescribable light of Divine Glory shone, before which the burning candles faded. Those who saw this were horrified. The top of the room seemed to disappear in the rays of an inexplicable light, and the King of Glory Himself, Christ, descended, surrounded by many angels, archangels and other heavenly powers with the righteous souls of the forefathers and prophets who once foreshadowed Holy Virgin. Without any bodily suffering, as if in a pleasant dream, the Most Holy Virgin gave up her soul into the hands of Her Son and God.
Then joyful angelic singing was heard. Accompanying the pure soul of the Bride of God as the Queen of Heaven, the angels cried out with reverent fear: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women! Behold, the Queen, the Mother of God, come, take the gates, and most peacefully raise up the Ever-Bearing Mother of Light; For the sake of all mankind, salvation will come quickly. We cannot look at Nyuzhe and weakly render that worthy honor” (the stichera of the holiday on Lord, I cried). The heavenly gates rose, meeting the soul of the Most Holy Theotokos, and the cherubim and seraphim joyfully glorified Her. The blessed face of the Mother of God shone with the glory of Divine virginity, and a fragrance spilled from her body.
Reverently and fearfully kissing the most pure body, the apostles were sanctified by it and filled with grace and spiritual joy. To further glorify the Most Holy Theotokos, the almighty power of God healed the sick who touched the sacred bed with faith and love.
Having mourned their separation from the Mother of God on earth, the apostles began the burial. Peter, Paul, James and others from among the 12 apostles carried on their shoulders the bed on which the body of the Ever-Virgin lay. Saint John the Theologian walked ahead with a heavenly luminous branch, and other saints and many faithful accompanied the bed with candles and censers, singing sacred songs. This solemn procession began from Zion and followed through all of Jerusalem to Gethsemane.
The unbelieving inhabitants of Jerusalem, amazed by the extraordinary grandeur of the funeral procession and embittered by the honors given to the Mother of Jesus, reported this to the high priests and scribes. Burning with envy and vengeance towards everything that reminded them of Christ, they sent their servants to disperse those accompanying them and burn the very body of the Mother of God. The excited people and warriors rushed furiously at the Christians, but the cloudy crown that accompanied the procession through the air sank to the ground and, as it were, surrounded it with a wall. The pursuers heard footsteps and singing, but did not see any of the mourners. Many of those who were malicious were struck by blindness.
The Jewish priest Authonius, out of envy and hatred of the Mother of Jesus of Nazareth, wanted to overturn the bed on which the body of the Blessed Virgin lay. But an angel of God invisibly cut off his hands that touched the bed. Seeing such a miracle, Avfonia repented and with faith confessed the greatness of the Mother of God. He received healing and joined the host of those accompanying the body of the Mother of God, becoming a zealous follower of Christ.
When the procession reached Gethsemane, there the last kissing of the most pure body began with crying and sobbing. Only in the evening could the holy apostles put him in a coffin and close the entrance to the cave with a large stone. For three days they did not leave the burial place, committing unceasing prayers and psalmody.
In the evening, when the apostles gathered in the house to strengthen themselves with food, the Mother of God Herself appeared to them and said: “Rejoice! I am with you all the days." This greatly delighted the apostles and all those who were with them. They picked up part of the bread supplied for the meal in memory of the Savior (“part of the Lord”) and exclaimed: “Most Holy Theotokos, help us.” This was the beginning of the rite of offering panagia - the custom of offering part of the bread in honor of the Mother of God, which is still observed in monasteries.
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It is not known for certain at what age the Mother of God reposed. You can think like this. Saint Dionysius the Areopagite was present at Her burial. He was converted by the Apostle Paul in 52, traveled with him for three years, visited the Mother of God in Jerusalem, then lived in Athens, where he accepted the bishopric. Consequently, he could have arrived for the burial of the Most Pure One no earlier than the year 57. It is believed that the Nativity of Christ followed in the 15th year of Mary’s life. This means that at the time of the Dormition She was 72 years old.
Based on the above, it becomes obvious that the holiday in honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary could not have arisen early.
The Church came to the idea of celebrating the day of the death of martyrs much earlier than the Assumption. It is significant that the Syrian Monthly Book of the 3rd–4th centuries, in which every day of the year commemorates a saint, does not contain a single feast of the Theotokos. The reason for this phenomenon is clear: the martyrs suffered and died before everyone’s eyes, and the days of their death were etched in the hearts of Christians. As for the Mother of God, a later theological deepening into the dogma of the Incarnation and the encroachment of heresies on Her dignity, which took place only in the 5th century, were needed in order to draw the reverent attention of Christians to the person of the Mother of God.
The Mother of God holidays, or, more precisely, one such holiday, which later broke up into several, must have arisen in connection with the Nativity of Christ (or the Epiphany, which previously coincided with and was even identified with the Nativity of Christ). Therefore, the current Council of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 26 is the eorthological prototype of the Mother of God feasts.
So, among the Nestorians, the feast of the Most Holy Mary is located in the calendar immediately after the Nativity of Christ. In the Coptic calendar of the 7th century, the birth of the Lady Mary falls on January 16 (shortly after the Epiphany), and in the monthly calendar of the 9th century, January 16 is marked as “the death and resurrection of the Virgin Mary.”
According to the ancient Armenian Lectionary, the “day of Mary the Mother of God” is celebrated on August 15 (cf. documents VII Ecumenical Council 787, which record that the Assumption is celebrated on August 15).
In a number of liturgical monuments for the Assumption, an extremely wide chronological amplitude is established - between January and August. In the ancient Roman pseudo-Jerome Martyrology (7th century), January 18 is shown as depositio(death) Beatae Mariae, a August 14 – as assumptiontio(taken to heaven). This division is significant. It demonstrates how the Church of that time already looked at the death of the Mother of God: without denying the bodily death of the Mother of God, she believed that this death was followed by a resurrection, although, apparently, she thought that it did not happen as quickly as later tradition suggests.
In the later Roman calendar (8th century), there is already one holiday - the Assumption, August 15 (cf. also the Sacramentary of Pope Gelasius in the 7th century edition). At the same time, the Gallic Church, according to the testimony of Gregory of Tours († 594), celebrated the Dormition in January (see Gothic-Gallican and Luxovien missals of the 7th–8th centuries).
In the Greek Church, reliable information about the holiday being analyzed is recorded only from the end of the 6th century. Nicephorus Callistus claims that the celebration of the Assumption was established by Emperor Mauritius (592–602). However, numerous facts cast doubt on such a late dating. In Constantinople there were many churches in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos, built by Constantine the Great and Pulcheria, which cannot but testify to the holiday in honor of Her.
In all likelihood, even before Mauritius, the Assumption in the capital of Byzantium was a local and optional holiday. The Emperor, in gratitude for the victory won over the Persians on August 15, made this celebration a church-wide celebration (see evidence from the Stish Prologue). This version acquires evidentiary force if we recall the eorthological history of the Presentation.
And in the West, the holiday of the Assumption was not widespread in this ancient time. It is remarkable that in the Papal Book of the 7th century, under August 15, the Greek name for the holiday is presented - Assumption. In the Gospel of 740 the inscription is given: Sollemnita de pausatione sanctae Mariae(Solemnity of the Repose of St. Mary).
However, in the Sacramentary, which Pope Adrian I (772–775) sent to Charlemagne, a different name for the holiday is already used - the Assumption of Mary into heaven.
It is possible that such variability in naming is associated, among other things, with the following circumstance: at least until the 12th century, this holiday in the West was inferior in solemnity to the days of especially revered saints.
Holiday in Orthodox worship
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Extremely detailed remarks in connection with the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary are given in the statute of Hagia Sophia of Constantinople. In this way, this celebration differs significantly from the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, which is merely designated.
According to the charter, on the eve of the holiday everyone gathered in the church and from there, with a litany, went to the square, where the usual prayers were performed. Upon return, the Divine Liturgy was served. Upon departure, the troparion was sung (tone 8) Bless you, give birth to all of you, that is, modern ipakoi.
There were three readings at Vespers. Next: troparion 1st tone You preserved your virginity at Christmas, litany of petition, great Lord have mercy; Wisdom- and the reading began, and after it followed a memorial service, the rite of which has been lost.
The Prokeimenon, Apostle and Gospel in the liturgy are the same as now (only the second alleluary has changed: not The Lord swears to David,A Remember Your host).
Thus, instead of the current rich variety of holiday hymnography, this charter contains only two songs. But he honors the holiday with a solemn litany ( procession of the cross around the city) the day before.
The modern Typikon preserved something similar only for the holidays of the Presentation, Annunciation and Easter. In addition, the charter of the Great Church allows us to consistently date the Assumption troparion and hypakoi - There's virginity at Christmas, We bless you all.
The Sophia Rite of Constantinople appoints only one day for the Feast of the Assumption, except that on the second day of the holiday a service is appointed in the Church of the Virgin Mary near Xirolof (just as the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary in Blachernae is appointed on the second day of the Nativity of Christ).
The next structural and content step in the liturgical development of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be considered the short charter of the Studite Monastery in Constantinople. In this typicon, the holiday in question goes beyond one day for the first time.
In the charter of the Constantinople Evergetid monastery with the practice of the 11th century (according to a manuscript of the 12th century), this line is continued. And for the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, a pre-celebration and a post-celebration are already codified, equal to the modern one, that is, until August 23 (eight days). However, both the pre-celebration and the post-celebration are distinguished by even less solemnity than at the present time. It is also significant that the festive vigil did not consist of vespers, which was always served separately, but of pannikhis and matins.
The Prologue to the Evergetid Typikon requires special consideration, where there is a chapter on the Assumption, which reads: “The Assumption should be celebrated among you lightly, lightly and solemnly, for it is a feast of feasts and a triumph of solemnities.” So, “for which (holiday) and the distribution of food ( diadosin- Greek) in the pylon (colonnade, porch) we command you to do it as much as possible and as much as your hand abounds.” Similar recommendations are contained in other typikons of the type under consideration, for example Nikolo-Kazolyansky.
Turning now to the numerous varieties of the Studio Rule and comparing them with the modern codification, changes can be found mainly in the ranking of the hymnography of the different parts all-night vigil, as well as holiday, pre-holiday and post-holiday chants.
A few words need to be said about the Assumption Fast, which lasts from August 1 to 14 and ranks first in holiness (the degree of abstinence adopted for it) after Great Lent, surpassing the Nativity Fast. During this period, eating fish and vegetable oil is prohibited (exceptions in the latter case are Saturdays and Sundays).
The Assumption Fast, naturally, like the holiday itself, is characterized by less antiquity compared to other fasts.
The history of this fast is extremely edifying, since it was established without the assistance of such a powerful force of Tradition in the Church, but is based on a solid foundation of reverent love for the Mother of God.
Turning to church monuments, the first indication (it must be said, very specific and not very clear) of the Assumption Fast can be found in the typicon of the South Italian Nikolo-Kazolyansky monastery, that is, in the 12th century. From now on, the need for fasting (in the Book of the Helmsman, in the works of Anastasius of Caesarea in the 11th–12th centuries, etc.) is justified by references to the Patriarchs of Antioch. From their evidence it is concluded that the Assumption Fast, being separated from the fast of the holy apostles, was observed even before the Emperor Leo the Wise, that is, until the 9th century.
Nikon Montenegrin says about the Assumption Fast that those who do not observe it have no basis for themselves in antiquity, however, those who observe it are established not on the apostolic tradition, but on the custom of subsequent times.
So, the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is currently the great twelfth feast, which has a stable calendar date and has one day of pre-celebration (August 14) and eight days of post-feast (the dedication takes place on August 23).
Following the repose of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In order for the picture of the Feast of the Assumption to be more complete, one should comment on the rite of burial of the Mother of God - Following to the repose of the Most Holy Theotokos. This service is established in Gethsemane. Here, at the burial site of the Mother of God, a richly decorated basilica was built, the main center of the Assumption celebrations.
So, on the morning of August 14, from 9–10 o’clock, a special service for the burial of the Mother of God is performed, consisting of the singing of the 17th kathisma with refrains - praises similar to those of Holy Saturday. The patriarch serves. After censing the bed with the shroud of the Mother of God in the cave of Her burial, after the usual start of the service ( Trisagion to Our Father), the bed with the shroud is carried out to the middle of the temple under the chandelier. The patriarch stands behind the bed, and on his sides to the royal doors are bishops, archimandrites and hieromonks. The High Hierarch enters the cave again to begin from there the censing of the entire temple, which is performed while singing the 1st article of funeral praises: Life in the grave is expected. The article, as on Holy Saturday, concludes with a litany with an exclamation from the patriarch. On the 2nd article - It is worthy to eat the greatness of You- the oldest bishop censes (only the cave and the bed) and utters an exclamation. Article 3 states: Give birth to all the songs of Thy burial, O Virgin, and the second bishop censes. Article 3, as on Holy Saturday, turns into singing Sunday troparions: Angelic Cathedral. After the litanies follow the exapostilary of the holiday ( Apostles from the ends of the earth), praise stichera and great doxology. on his Trisagion, sung protractedly, the bed with the shroud is carried by the priests to the upper platform of the basilica, where the litany is pronounced. Next, the bed moves again to the middle of the temple while the exapostilary and stichera are chanted. With thunder on the clouds, the Savior sends the apostles to the Mother of God. Then the patriarch administers the dismissal.
In Russia, the funeral rite for the Dormition was previously performed only in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, in the Kostroma Epiphany Monastery and in the Gethsemane monastery near the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Moreover, in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra he did not form a separate service, as in Gethsemane, but joined the polyeleos at the all-night vigil on the holiday itself.
Currently, following the repose of the Most Holy Theotokos is carried out everywhere.
In the Gethsemane monastery, Saint Philaret (Drozdov) established, in addition to the Assumption, the feast of the resurrection and ascension of the Mother of God, which is celebrated on August 17. Being a liturgical custom, the celebration, however, is not supported by generally accepted statutory recommendations. The day before, the rite of burial of the Most Holy Theotokos was performed, and in the morning a liturgy was established with a procession of the cross and the Ascension of the Virgin Mary icon.
Iconography of the holiday
The events of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary are also presented in detail in iconography, the full formation of which dates back to the post-conoclastic era.Two ivory plates date back to the end of the 10th century - for the setting of the Gospel of Emperor Otto III from the Bavarian Library in Munich and a plaque from the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The general composition of the Assumption scene in both monuments will become traditional for the art of Byzantium and Ancient Rus'. The Mother of God is depicted in the center on a bed, on either side of Her are the weeping apostles, behind the bed stands the Savior with the soul of the Mother of God, depicted as a swaddled baby.
The Dormition of the Mother of God, like the Resurrection of Christ, symbolized the trampling of death and the resurrection to the life of the next century. The images of the Assumption have a complex liturgical interpretation. Thus, the bed with the body of the Mother of God is clearly likened to the throne in the temple, and the arrangement of the apostles in two groups, headed by Peter and Paul, on either side of it - their presence at the Eucharist and communion under two types. Christ behind the bed was the image of a bishop at a meal. The image in some monuments of the Apostle Peter with a censer in his hand indicated, perhaps, the incense of the holy gifts in the liturgy, and the image of the Apostle John falling to the bed of the Virgin Mary indicated a priest kissing the throne. Often in the Assumption scene two or four bishops were depicted, together with the apostles, standing before the Mother of God. These images of saints Dionysius the Areopagite, Hierotheus, Timothy of Ephesus and James, brother of the Lord, who were present at the Dormition of the Mother of God, they symbolized the communion of the priests by the bishop in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The angels who fly to Christ in the scenes of the Assumption with their hands covered, as if to receive the holy gifts, seem to serve at the liturgy as deacons. According to tradition, the Dormition was depicted as an event taking place in the house of John the Theologian in Jerusalem - in the Zion Upper Room, where the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles had previously taken place.
Around the 11th century, an expanded version of the iconography of the Assumption, the so-called “cloud type,” became widespread. For example, a fresco from the Church of Hagia Sophia in Ohrid (Macedonia); an icon from the early 13th century, coming from the Novgorod Desyatinny Monastery, etc.
Most often, one or more burning candles are depicted at the bed of the Virgin Mary, symbolizing a prayer to the Lord. Often a jug-stamna inserted into a bowl is placed near the bed: this is one of the poetic symbols of the Mother of God, found in Byzantine and Old Russian hymnography.
In the 15th century, icons of the Assumption were widely distributed in Rus', depicting the miracle of the cutting off of the hands of the wicked Jew Avthonia by an angel in the foreground, in front of the bed. Perhaps the popularity of the plot at that time and in the 16th century was associated with the fight against heretical movements. For the first time this plot was recorded in the fresco of the Church of Panagia Mavriotissa in Kastoria (the turn of the 12th–13th centuries).
In the 17th century, monumental temple icons of the Assumption appeared, accompanied by stamps in which the “Tale of the Assumption” was illustrated. Thus, on the 1658 icon from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the stamps depict the prayer of the Mother of God before her death, the farewell of the Mother of God to her loved ones, the journey of the apostles, their conversation with the Mother of God and other scenes. The most detailed story about the Dormition of the Virgin Mary ends with the image of the Mother of God on a bed in the Garden of Eden. The same story about the Assumption is contained in the marks of the icon of the Assumption from the end of the 17th century.
It would seem that what is so festive about such an event as the Dormition (that is, death) of the Most Holy Theotokos? This question is often asked by worldly people who have just begun to become acquainted with Christianity. But in the Bible, the death of every righteous or holy person is not so much the sadness of separation from family and friends, but the joy of waiting for the ascension to heaven and the meeting with the Lord. The holiest of saints, the Most Holy Theotokos, also felt tremendous joy as she waited in prayer for her death and an early meeting with the Lord and Jesus Christ.
What date is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Most Orthodox churches celebrate this day on August 28, Catholics and Western Orthodox Christians celebrate it on August 15.
In the Orthodox tradition, the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated for only one day, but has another 9 days of after-feast.
History of the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
After the death of the Savior, the Most Pure Virgin often came to the Holy Sepulcher and prayed there. On one of these visits, the Blessed Virgin Mary saw the Archangel Gabriel. He told her the news about the imminent end of her earthly existence and the transition to eternal life, and handed her a palm branch.
Returning to Bethlehem, she told the angelic news to the righteous Joseph, as well as to the disciples of the Lord. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, the Lord soon sent Apostle John to the virgin, and then gathered many of the Apostles together. The news of the approaching hour of the Ascension of the Most Pure Virgin to the Lord was announced to them by the Apostle and Evangelist Saint John the Theologian.
When the Apostles entered the Mother of God, She was not sad, but was filled with spiritual joy. At the third hour, they surrounded the bed on which the Mother of God was reclining and prayed. Suddenly the Light of Divine Glory shone, eclipsing the numerous candles. Christ Himself descended to the bed, surrounded by the Heavenly Retinue, among whom were angels and archangels. The singing of angels sounded. Then the Heavenly Gates rose, and the soul of the Blessed Virgin ascended.
Year of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
We do not know the exact year in which the Most Holy Theotokos ended her earthly journey - this issue is controversial, because different sources indicate completely different dates. For example, Meliton of Sardis calls the 55th year after Christmas Nativity, Nicephorus Kallistos writes about the 44th. The Roman historian Eusebius of Caesarea points to the year 48.
We know that the Most Pure Virgin Mary was born in the suburbs of Jerusalem on the border of eras, during the reign of Herod the Great. When she gave birth to Jesus, she was a very young virgin. According to legend, at the time of the Dormition the Mother of God was 72 years old.
Church holiday of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
In the Orthodox tradition, this festival ends the Assumption Fast - strict, but
the shortest of the fasts (from the 14th to the 27th of the last summer month).
And the day after the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, August 29, believers already celebrate another important date- transfer of the Savior Not Made by Hands to Constantinople from the ancient city of Edessa (Greece). This day is known to many people as Nut Day.
In the Jerusalem suburb of Gethsemane (it is there, as legend says, that the tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located), on the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God a special burial service of the Mother of God is held. By the way, a basilica was built on the site of the tomb, underground. Interestingly, there are exactly fifty steps leading into it.
Special celebrations begin with an all-night vigil on the evening of August 27. In churches, the shroud with the image of the Mother of God is solemnly taken out from the altar.
Carrying the shroud, the clergy and believers walk around the temple building in a procession of the cross.
This is followed by the rite of anointing. Entering the church early in the morning on August 28, the believer finds himself at the festive Liturgy. The Patronal Feast is celebrated in many Temples of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.
The peculiarity of the celebration of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in the church is that the clergy wear blue vestments, symbolizing purity and purity.
Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary congratulations:
in prose
1. The fast has ended, the bright holiday of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is on the doorstep. May your heart be filled with grace and heavenly joy on this day.
2. Tomorrow is the Walnut Savior, and today we rejoice with the Mother of God, who defeated death and met Her Son in heaven. Joy, Love, Goodness!
3. The apostles came from far and wide to gather together on this day. May your soul be filled with joy on the bright Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary!
4. August means three Saviors. Fragrant apples, sweet honey, nourishing nuts... But the main thing is the Beautiful Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. May She cover you with her omophorion on all the roads of life!
5. Summer ends with wonderful holidays, among them the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Do not forget to pray to Her, intercessor and protector!
in verse
Day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary -
Bright Holiday Beautiful
Let goodness multiply
Have warm and clear days!
The Blessed Virgin has reposed
Came to the heavenly palaces
And she covered the world with an omophorion...
And with God all roads are bright...
Let prayer warm the house
And helps you along the way
Though the path is hard and the day is like a battle,
But with God it is easier to bear the cross.
And the birds fly away into the distance,
Taking summer with them...
Let the sadness leave your soul
Happy Dormition of the Most Holy Virgin!
Assumption Day: Harvest
And the bells are ringing in the temple.
I wish you with all my heart
Love, and I send you my regards.
We honor the Blessed Virgin,
We remember Her Dormition today.
Let adversity bypass your home,
Let everything shine with joy in him.
sms
1. This is the end of the post. Congratulations on the wonderful Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary!
2. Summer is leaving... But don’t be sad, forgive me for everything. With the Dormition of the Most Holy
Mother of God!
3. Grace in the soul! Happy Dormition of the Virgin Mary!
4. May the Mother of God protect you! Happy Dormition of the Mother of God!
5. I wish you heartfelt prayer. Happy Holidays!
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Icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Masters painted many icons depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. One of the most famous is Kiev-Pecherskaya. Her main feature is that there is a Gospel in front of the Mother of God's bed.
The icon is known for many miracles. Tradition says that the image was given to four Byzantine architects by the Mother of God Herself. In 1075, from them the icon fell into the hands of the Monks Theodosius and Anthony of Pechersk.
Balkans. Serbia. Sopochany. 13th century work
The Assumption of the Mother of God was often depicted on temple frescoes.
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Temple of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
There are many temples with this name all over the world. For example, in Moscow alone there are several of them. Among them is the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, located in the Pechatniki district.
The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on Goncharnaya Street, in the Tagansky Hill area (the temple in Gonchary) was built in the mid-17th century.
Another Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built in the 16th century on Uspensky Vrazhek. In the design of this ancient eclectic building you can also find Russian style motifs.
The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the Veshnyaki district was built in the mid-17th century by Fyodor Sheremetyev according to a vow made to the Lord.
Schedule of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Each Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary has its own schedule of Divine services. For example, the schedule of services of the temple in Veshnyaki can be found on its official website. However, since schedules are subject to change, it is best to find out the schedule of services for the nearest date directly from the temple.
The meaning of the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In the center of the icons of the same name is a bed. The body of the Mother of God rests on it. Most often he
covered with purple cloth. This color is an attribute of imperial power, because the Mother of God is the Queen of Heaven, the Lady. The Apostles are depicted around the bed - on some icons there are more of them, on others - less, but there is always John (mourning the Mother of God) and Peter (holding a censer and fumigating the bed with incense). Most often there is a candle in front of the bed. Sometimes Afonia is depicted with crippled hands, who wanted to overturn the bed, but was stopped by an angelic sword. 
What does the Icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary help with?
Many sources indicate that it is in front of this icon that believers pray to overcome the fear of death. After all, the Mother of God was not afraid of the Dormition, but, on the contrary, joyfully prepared to meet the Lord. They also ask this icon of the Mother of God for protection, healing, and help on the path of salvation.
Prayer of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On this holiday, the Troparion, Kontakion of the holiday, and also the Magnification are performed at services in Orthodox churches.
The Dormition of the Mother of God is a great Orthodox holiday of the twelve, which recalls the victory of eternal life over physical death. The symbolism of this day encourages everyone to fight passions and sins and strive for holiness.
Looking at the church calendar on August 28, you will notice this date highlighted in color. Looking at the description, it is easy to find out that the day of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is celebrated, but what does the word “dormition” mean? What is death and resurrection of the soul? Perhaps many do not know the answer to this, as well as the history of the holiday itself. Let's try to figure this out together.
Church traditions
From the words of Holy Scripture you can learn that the Mother of God, after the ascension of her son Jesus Christ into heaven, remained in the care of the saint
Many church traditions explain the Dormition in different ways, what the resurrection of the soul is, and the emergence of the celebration of death. The customs and rules for celebrating the Dormition are poorly covered in the scriptures, as are all the main points of the end of the earthly journey of the Mother of God.
Also from all sacred history Of the New Testament, everyone knows how highly the Mother of the Lord was revered among the apostles when she was with them in Jerusalem.
Unfortunately, very few manuscripts from that time have reached us. Basically these creations were collected in the Holy Gospel and the New Testament.
Thanks to new archaeological devices, after numerous excavations in Jerusalem, the works of the saint were finally found
These documents mention the life of the Mother of God, show her Dormition itself, what kind of event this was for the people and the whole history of that period.
This apocrypha (a secret written history that was not included in the canon of the Bible) says that after the massive persecution of King Herod Agrippa against the Church, the Mother of God, together with John the Theologian, moved for a while to the city of Ephesus.
When the persecution was stopped, the Mother of God, together with John, returned to Jerusalem, where she settled in his house on
The history of the holiday
As the legend says, when one day the Mother of God went to the Mount of Olives to pray, she met the Archangel Gabriel there, in whose hands was a branch of a paradise palm tree. He preached to the Virgin Mary that three days later she would repose into Heaven, and the Lord would lift her, his own mother, into the Kingdom of Heaven, in which she would remain with him forever.
Upon returning to the house, the Mother of God told Saint John about her meeting with the Archangel Gabriel and her future death.
In her will, she asked to be buried in Gethsemane, next to her parents and her betrothed, the righteous Joseph.
In addition, the will indicated that two of her robes should be given to poor girls, who served her with great affection and hard work.
Presentation of the Virgin Mary to the Lord
The presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos itself was supposed to occur on the 15th day of August at the third hour of the day. At this time, candles were lit in the temple, and Mary lay on a beautiful decorated bed. In an instant, a sea of light flooded the Temple, in which Jesus Christ himself appeared with the angels, archangels and all the heavenly powers, and he approached the Virgin Mary.
Seeing the Son, the Most Holy Virgin joyfully spoke to him, and the Lord with trepidation and pride took her to Himself, and she, hearing his approval, gave her most pure soul to Her only Son.
According to church beliefs, after the death of the Mother of God, the apostles placed her body in a tomb and blocked the entrance to it with a large stone. Three days after his death, they were joined by the Apostle Thomas, who tearfully begged and begged for a chance to say goodbye to the Blessed Virgin Mary. At his request, the apostles rolled away the stone and entered the cave with it, but what was their surprise when they found only the Virgin’s robe, and she herself was not there, and a pleasant fresh smell of herbs came from the cave itself.
Celebration in temples
Since ancient times, it was customary to celebrate this holiday with a morning service, to which believers brought cereal seeds for illumination and blessing. This happened after the night service at sunrise.
People call the Most Holy Theotokos the Lady, and this is why the Feast of the Assumption bears another name, Lady of the Day, Lady of the Day. Among the people it is customary to call the feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God the Second Most Pure, and the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos the First Most Pure.
This holiday was celebrated with a great feast, with home-brewed beer, sweet dishes and pies.
So, one of the great and last of the twelve feasts of the church calendar in August is the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The spiritual meaning of the celebration
Such a phenomenon as death has always caused fear, hesitation, surprise and awe in the soul of every person.
On the path to eternal life, everyone needs to go through the path of learning, experiencing and joy in ordinary worldly life. It is the righteousness of today's life, our actions and deeds that influence the future eternal life of peace and happiness. This concept of death is the basis of the Christian faith.
If we remember the Holy Scripture, then death is not something noble, but, on the contrary, a process of the Fall, the disobedience of the human soul to the will of God.
According to the teaching of the Church, the concept of death is the Assumption. What is death and why is it needed? We can say with confidence that our Creator did not want human death at all, but people predicted it for themselves through constant falls and disobedience.
But even in such a situation, the gates to Paradise are opening before us, where those who to this day do not violate the laws of God, who constantly strive to do good and bring joy and help to others, will be next to the Creator.
Celebration of the death of the Virgin Mary
On icons depicting the Dormition of the Mother of God, Christ always rises next to her bed, in whose hands is a small figurine of a baby, symbolizing the soul of the deceased Mother of God. This child’s figurine is the prototype of the rebirth of the Soul after death, which its Son came to accept.
Historical information
In writings about the liturgical practices of the ancient Greek Church, the first references to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary appeared at the end of the 6th century.
Emperor Mauritius, who ruled at that time, made this day a general church day. In most churches, this day was celebrated on January 18, but according to some experts who study the writing of that period, it was Mauritius that moved its celebration to August, on the Day of Victory over the Persians.
It falls just at the end of the Dormition Lent, which lasted from August 1 to 15 according to the old style and from August 14 to 28 according to the new style, and the 28 itself is the Assumption.
Preparatory period and celebration itself
As mentioned earlier, the Feast of the Assumption begins with a very strict two-week fast. This is one of the four annual fasts, and it is considered one of the most ancient and strict. Even eating fish is allowed once during the entire fast and on a certain day.
The clergy celebrate in blue robes. The church liturgy begins in the evening and lasts all night, and from the very morning the Liturgy of the Assumption itself is celebrated. On the third day, the shroud is brought out, symbolizing the robe of the Virgin Mary, similar to the shroud of Christ. The only difference here is the image on it of the Mother of God lying in a coffin.
According to the custom of the Church, at the morning liturgy before the burial of the shroud, prayers of praise are read, a kontakion and troparion are sung, and then a solemn procession with the shroud follows around the temple.
As can be seen from everything that has been said, the significance of the holiday is very great. From his story we can conclude that the righteous path of life is always rewarded by our Creator. All the incredible miracles of the ascension give hope to every believer to find eternal life after death.
All the prescribed canons and stichera of the holiday emphasize the greatness and joy of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. There is no place for grief and sorrow about death, but there is great happiness of victory over it.
People spend the entire day of August 28 (Assumption) in prayer and joy, eating cooked dishes at the family table after a long night liturgy
In this article we will talk about the Holiday Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.
What does the word "Assumption" mean?
"Assumption"- this is an outdated word. Translated into modern Russian it means “death, demise.”
What is the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
The full name of the holiday is Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. This is one of the twelve Orthodox holidays. The twelfth holidays are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God). Dormition - Feast of the Theotokos.
The holiday, which is celebrated in the Russian Orthodox Church on August 28 in the new style (August 15 in the old style), was established in memory of the death of the Mother of God. Christians are led by a two-week Dormition Fast, a severity comparable to Great Lent. It is interesting that the Assumption is the last twelfth holiday of the Orthodox church year (ending on September 13, new style).
When is the Assumption of the Virgin Mary celebrated?
The Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 28 in the new style. He has 1 day of forefeast and 9 days of afterfeast. Forefeast - one or several days before a major holiday, the services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, post-feast days are the same days after the holiday.
What can you eat at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary?
On August 28, the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, if it falls on Wednesday or Friday, you can eat fish. In this case, breaking the fast is postponed to the next day. But if the Assumption falls on other days of the week, there is no topost. In 2016, the Feast of the Assumption is a non-fasting day.
Events of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
Everything that we know about the death of the Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ is gleaned from Church Tradition. In the canonical texts we will not read anything about how and under what circumstances the Mother of God departed to the Lord and was buried. Tradition is one of the sources of our faith, together with the Holy Scriptures.
From the New Testament we learn that the Savior, crucified on the cross, asked his closest disciple, the Apostle John the Theologian, to take care of Mary: Seeing the mother and the disciple standing here whom he loved, he said to His Mother: Woman! Behold, your son. Then he says to the disciple: Behold, your Mother! And from this time this disciple took Him for himself (John 19:26-27). After the crucifixion of Christ, the Mother of God, together with the disciples of her Son, remained in prayer and hypostasis. On the Day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles (Pentecost), she also received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In written monuments starting from the 4th century we find references to how the Mother of God lived further. Most authors write that she was bodily caught up (that is, taken) from earth to heaven. It happened like this. Three days before her death, Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Mother of God and announced the upcoming Assumption. At the time she was in Jerusalem. Everything happened exactly as the Archangel said. After the death of the Most Pure Virgin, the apostles buried her body in Gethsemane, the same place where the parents of the Mother of God and her husband, the righteous Joseph, rested. Everyone was present at the ceremony except Apostle Thomas. The third day after the burial, Thomas wanted to see her coffin. The coffin was opened, but the body of the Mother of God was no longer in it - only her shroud.
History of the celebration of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
Reliable information about the history of the Feast of the Assumption begins only at the end of the 6th century. Most church historians believe that the holiday was established under the Byzantine Emperor Mauritius, who reigned from 592 to 602. Most likely, before this time, the Dormition was a local, that is, non-church, holiday in Constantinople.
Icon of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Beginning of the 13th century, Novgorod. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Traditionally, icon painters depict the Mother of God in the center of the image - she lies on her deathbed, with the weeping apostles to her sides. A little behind the bed stands the Savior with the soul of the Mother of God, depicted as a swaddled baby.
In the 11th century, an expanded version of the iconography of the Assumption, the so-called “cloud type,” spread. We can see it, for example, in a fresco from the Church of Hagia Sophia in Ohrid in Macedonia. The upper part of such a composition depicts the apostles flying to the deathbed of the Mother of God on the clouds. The oldest example of a “cloud Assumption” in Russia is an icon from the early 13th century, which comes from the Novgorod Desyatinny Monastery. The upper part of the icon depicts a blue semicircular segment of the sky with golden stars and figures of angels carrying away the soul of the Mother of God. Now this image is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Often, when placing the Virgin Mary, icon painters depict one or more burning candles, which symbolize a prayer to God.
Divine service of the Assumption
The Feast of the Dormition has one day of pre-feast and 9 days of post-feast. Forefeast - one or several days before a major holiday, the services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, post-feast days are the same days after the holiday.
The celebration of the holiday takes place on September 5th in the new style. The Dormition of the Mother of God is preceded by a two-week Assumption Fast. It lasts from August 14 to August 27.
There is a special service for the burial of the Mother of God. It is performed in the same way as the Matins service on Holy Saturday; During this time, the 17th kathisma is read - “Blessed are the Immaculate.” Currently, the Rite of Burial of the Mother of God can be seen in many cathedral and parish churches on the second or third day of the holiday. The service begins with an all-night vigil. With great praise, the clergy of the temple comes out with the image of the Mother of God lying in the middle of the temple; burns cense to her, and then carries her around the temple. After this, all worshipers are anointed with oil (blessed oil). Finally, litanies (a series of prayer requests) and dismissal (blessing of those praying as they leave the temple at the end of the service) are read.
The verses of the Assumption were written in the 5th century by Patriarch Anatoly of Constantinople. In the 8th century, Cosmas of Mayum and John of Damascus wrote two canons for this holiday.
Prayers of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
Troparion of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
At the Nativity you preserved virginity, at the Dormition you did not abandon the world, the Mother of God, you reposed in the life, Mother of the Being of the Life, and through Your prayers you delivered our souls from death.
Translation:
At the birth of Christ, You, Mother of God, preserved your virginity and did not leave the world at His death; You have crossed eternal life, Mother of Life, and through Your prayers You deliver our souls from death.
Kontakion of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
In the prayers of the never-sleeping Mother of God and in the intercessions, the immutable hope/coffin and the mortification of incontinence: like God, the Mother of the Belly, left the belly in the womb, the Ever-Virgin One.
Translation:
The Mother of God, with tireless prayers and unchanging hope in intercessions, the grave and death were not restrained, for He brought Her to life, as the Mother of Life, Who dwelt in Her eternally virgin womb.
The Majesty of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
We magnify You, Most Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, and glorify Your Dormition.
Translation:
We magnify You, Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, and glorify Your Dormition.
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Sermon on the Dormition of the Mother of God (August 28, 1981):
“Today we celebrate our patronal holiday; we all stand before the one and only Throne that exists: the throne on which our God sits; but, as it is said in the Holy Scriptures, God rests in the holy places: not only in holy places, but in the heart and in the mind purified by deed and grace, in the life and very flesh of the saints.
Today we celebrate the day of the Dormition of the Most Holy of all saints - the Mother of God. She fell asleep in the sleep of the earth; but just as She was alive to the very depths of Her nature, so She remained alive: a living soul ascended to the throne of God, alive and with Her resurrected body, with which She now has to pray to us. Verily She is the throne of grace; The Living God dwelt in Her, He was in Her womb as on the throne of His glory. With what gratitude, with what amazement we think of Her: the Source of life, the Life-Giving Source, as the Church calls Her, glorifying Her watery icon, - the Life-Giving Source, the Mother of God, ends Her earthly life, surrounded by the reverent love of everyone.
But what does She leave us? There is only one commandment wonderful example. The commandments are the words that She spoke to the servants in Cana of Galilee: Whatever Christ commanded, do it... They did it; and the waters of washing became the good wine of the Kingdom of God. She leaves this commandment to each of us: understand, each of us, the word of Christ, listen to it and do not just be a listener, but fulfill it, as a result, everything earthly will become heavenly, eternal, transformed and glorified...
And She left us an example: it is said about Her in the Gospel that She put every word about Christ and, of course, every word of Christ in Her heart as a treasure, as the most precious thing that She had...
Let us begin to learn to listen as one listens with all love and all reverence, to listen attentively to every word of the Savior. Much has been said about the Gospel; but the heart of each of us responds one way or another; Otherwise, my or your heart responded - this is the word spoken by the Savior Christ to you personally... And we need to preserve this word as the path of life, as a point of contact between us and God, as a sign of our kinship and closeness with Him.
And if we live like this, listen like this, put the word of Christ in our hearts like one sows seed in plowed ground, then what Elizabeth said to the Mother of God when She came to her will be fulfilled in us: Blessed is she who believed, for everything that was said to you from the Lord will be fulfilled... Let it be this is isnami; may the Mother of God be our example; let us accept Her only commandment, and only then will Her glorification in this holy temple, which is given to Her as a dwelling, be true, because we will then worship God in Her and through Her in spirit and in truth. Amen."
Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin
In the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin, for six centuries, bishops, metropolitans and patriarchs were erected, state acts were read out, prayers were served before military campaigns and in honor of victories.
The first stone building of the cathedral was laid in 1326. This was done personally by the first Moscow Metropolitan Peter and Prince Ivan Kalita. At the end of the 15th century Grand Duke Ivan III Vasilyevich ordered the cathedral to be rebuilt; in 1479, the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti worked on this project.
The modern appearance of the cathedral was determined in the mid-17th century. It was then that the paintings and iconostasis that have survived to this day were created. In front of the iconostasis are the prayer places of the king, queen and patriarch. Also in the XIV- XVII centuries The Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin was the tomb of the metropolitans and patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church.
After the 1917 revolution, the temple became a museum. Divine services began to be held there again in 1990.
Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir
The Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was built in 1158–1160 by order Prince of Vladimir Andrey Bogolyubsky. Initially, the cathedral was built from white cut stone; it had a single-domed stirrup with small porches and towers at the western corners.
In 1185–1189 under Prince Vsevolod Big Nest the porches and towers were dismantled and replaced with high galleries. The cathedral was rebuilt; in particular, it became five-domed.
The paintings of the cathedral have survived to this day only in fragments. Cross-paintings of 1161 include figures of the prophets between the columns of the vernacular gallery, and cross-paintings of 1189 include figures of Artemy and Abraham in the southwestern corner of the ancient part of the cathedral.
In 1408, the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was painted by the Monk Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny. Individual images of the large composition of the Last Judgment, which occupied the entire western part of the temple, and several more frescoes have been preserved. It was for the iconostasis of this cathedral that the icon painters created the grandiose Deesis tier and the icons of the festive series, which are now kept in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
Folk traditions of celebrating the Assumption
The Orthodox holiday of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary coincided with the compressed time. At this time of year, Russian peasants were busy harvesting. That is why, in the popular consciousness, the church traditions of the Assumption overlapped with agricultural customs.
The Eastern Slavs celebrated the Dormition with the so-called “Ozhinki”. Obzhinki is a holiday of the grain harvest. In addition, this day was called “Gospodzhinki”, “Mistresses”, “Mistress Day” - these words reflected the veneration of the Mother of God, whom believers address as the Lady, the Lady.
The day following the Assumption, August 29, was celebrated as the “Nut (or Bread) Savior.” It was named after the tradition of collecting nuts at this time of summer. Towards the end of August they also began to collect mushrooms and made vegetable and fruit preparations for the winter. They tried to sow winter crops: “Winter this three days before the Dormition and three days after.”
"Nut, or Bread, Spas"
“Nut, or Bread, Savior” - this is how the common Russian people called the holiday of the Transfer from Edessa to Constantinople of the Image of the Lord Jesus Christ Not Made by Hands, which is celebrated on August 29 (new style). This holiday fell on the first day after the end of the Dormition Fast, that is, the day after the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“Nut (or Bread) Spas” was named after the tradition of collecting nuts at this time of summer to complete the grain harvest.
Sermon on the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.Saint Theophan the Recluse:
“After the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, His Most Pure Mother lived for about fifteen years in Jerusalem, in the house of the holy Apostle John the Theologian, to whom the Lord Himself entrusted Her with the Cross. Now the time has come for her to move to the heavenly abode of her Son. When the Mother of God prayed to the Mount of Olives, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her, bringing a date branch, and informed Her of Her death three days later.
The Most Pure One was incredibly happy when she heard this news and began to prepare. At the time of Her repose, at the command of God, all the apostles, scattered to preach throughout the world, miraculously appeared in Jerusalem, except for the Apostle Thomas. They witnessed her peaceful, quiet, holy and blessed death. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, in heavenly glory, surrounded by countless angels and righteous spirits, appeared to receive the soul of His Most Pure Mother and lifted Her up into heaven.
This is how the Most Holy Virgin Mary ended her earthly life! With burning lamps and singing psalms, the apostles carried the body of the Mother of God to Gethsemane, where Her parents and Joseph were buried. The unbelieving high priests and scribes, amazed by the grandeur of the funeral procession and embittered by the honors given to the Mother of God, sent servants and warriors to disperse the mourners and burn the very body of the Mother of God.
The excited people and the warriors rushed towards the Christians with fury, but were struck by blindness. At that time, the Jewish priest Athos passed by, who rushed to the grave with the intention of throwing him to the ground; He had barely touched the bed with his hands when an Angel cut off both his hands: their severed parts hung on the bed, and Athos himself fell to the ground screaming.
The Apostle Peter stopped the procession and said to Athos: “Make sure that Christ is the true God.” Athos immediately confessed Christ as the true Messiah. The Apostle Peter ordered Athos to turn to the Mother of God with earnest prayer and apply the remains of his hands to the parts hanging on the side. After doing this, the hands grew together and were healed, and instead of being cut off, only signs remained. The blinded people and the warriors touched the codrus with repentance and received not only physical but also mental sight, and everyone joined in the procession with reverence.
The third day after the burial of the Mother of God, the Apostle Thomas, who had been absent, by the will of God, arrived and wished to see Her tomb. According to his wishes, the coffin was opened, but the body of the Mother of God was not found. In the evening of the same day, during their meal, the apostles saw the Most Holy Virgin in the air in heaven, alive, with a multitude of Angels. Standing and illuminated by ineffable glory, the Mother of God said to the apostles: “Rejoice! I am always swami" ; The apostles exclaimed: “Most Holy Theotokos, help us.” This appearance of the Mother of God completely convinced the apostles, and through them the entire Church, of Her Resurrection. In imitation of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, who often visited the places that Her Son and God sanctified with the feet of His most pure feet, a custom arose among Christians to visit holy places.”
