The feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 15/28 each year. The feast commemorates the repose or “falling-asleep” of the Mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord. The feast also commemorates the translation of her body into heaven.
The holy Scriptures tell us that when our Lord was dying on the Cross, He saw His mother and His disciple John, and said to her, “Woman, behold your son!” and to John, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:25-27). The Virgin Mary had no other sons to care for her – Joseph’s sons were from his previous marriage and had no obligation to her – so from that hour, the Apostle took care of the Theotokos in his own home. Along with the biblical reference in Acts 1:14 that confirms that the Virgin Mary was with the holy Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the tradition of the Church holds that she remained in the home of the Apostle John in Jerusalem, continuing a ministry in word and deed.
At the time of her death, the disciples of our Lord who were preaching throughout the world returned to Jerusalem to see the Theotokos. Except for the Apostle Thomas, all of them including the Apostle Paul were gathered together at her bedside. At the moment of her death, Jesus Christ himself descended and gathered her soul into heaven.
Miraculous was the life of the all-pure Virgin, and wondrous was her repose, as the holy Church sings: “In thee, O Queen, the God of all has given thee as thy portion the things that are above nature. Just as in the birth-giving He preserved thy virginity, so also in the grave He preserved thy body from decay” (Canon 1, Ode 6, Troparion 1).
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. Through the great glorification of the most-holy Theotokos, the almighty power of God healed the sick, who with faith and love touched the holy bed.
The body of the Theotokos was carried in procession and laid in a tomb near the Garden of Gethsemane. For three days they did not depart from the place of burial, praying and chanting Psalms. Through the wise providence of God, the Apostle Thomas was not present at the repose of the Mother of God. Arriving late on the third day at Gethsemane, he lay down at the tomb and with bitter tears asked that he might be permitted to look once more upon the Mother of God and bid her farewell. The Apostles out of compassion for him decided to open the grave and permit him the comfort of venerating the holy relics of the Ever-Virgin Mary. 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.
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! 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!” (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 sash of the Mother of God, and Her holy robe, preserved with reverence and distributed over the face of the earth in pieces, have worked miracles both in the past and at present. 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. Her body was not left to the vicissitudes of the transitory world, but was incomparably exalted by its glorious ascent to the heavens foreshadowing the same resurrection that is to come to all the faithful.
The Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated with special solemnity at Gethsemane, the place of her burial. Nowhere else is there such sorrow of heart at the separation from the Mother of God, and nowhere else such joy, because of Her intercession for the world.
Hymns of the Feast
Troparion, Tone 1
In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity; in falling asleep thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. Thou wast translated to life, O Mother of Life, and by thy prayers, thou deliverest our souls from death.Kontakion, Tone 2
Neither the tomb, nor death could hold the Theotokos, who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. For, being the Mother of Life, she was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.
