Today is the 21st day of the month of Tir. In the Tewahedo and Coptic Orthodox Churches, we celebrate the feast of St. Mary’s Dormition (Latin: dormitio; viz., a falling asleep).
The Orthodox Church teaches that at the very end of St. Mary’s life, and after many years of praying before the empty tomb of her beloved Son and God Jesus Christ, she was promised a glorious death. This eventually took place in the presence of Our Lord, His Angels, and the Apostles in her 60th year with the exception of St. Thomas who was preaching in India. The apostles who were present buried her body in Gethsemane, per the command of what they heard from the Holy Spirit. By the Divine intervention, St. Thomas was transported on a cloud before her deceased body in Gethsemane. He later saw the angels of God carrying St. Mary’s Body into heaven; placing her under the Tree of Life in the Eternal Garden of Paradise (c.f. Rev 22:1-5) that it may be united with her soul that was clothed in a veil of light by her Son. When he revealed what he saw to the rest of the apostles, they opened her tomb to not find her body; but to only smell a sweet fragrance. They rejoiced in this as this confirmed their faith in the Christ’s Resurrection by which we will all share in per the promise of our Lord. This is what the Apostles prayed for, hoped in, and preached to the world; despite the persecutions which came with it as they took comfort in what is to come.
But where is this event of the Assumption in the Holy Bible? Some hold to the opinion that perhaps the four gospels and the epistles were completed prior to this event. I happen to agree with this theory, especially given the Church’s Tradition which references the deaths of certain apostles — who were resurrected following their martyrdoms just to be present with the Theotokos for this moment.
“And straightway the voice of the Holy Spirit from heaven was heard, saying, “At this time all the angels shall come from heaven, and the Apostles from all the ends of the earth, riding upon the clouds, and they shall come to Bethlehem, for the sake of the holy and blessed Virgin Mariyam, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And straightway all the Apostles came, for those who were dead rose up from their graves, and they stood before our holy Lady the Virgin Mariyam, and said unto her, ‘Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace, for our God was born of thee.’”
– The Ethiopian Synaxarium, Tir 21 (January 29)
However, there are biblical prophesies which do hint to St. Mary’s Assumption. For instance:
“The queen stood at Your right hand in apparel interwoven with gold, And adorned and embroidered with various colors.”
– Psalms 44:10
The Synaxarium states the obvious that St. John was present given that he was one of the apostles. Perhaps he spoke of the assumption of St. Mary when he wrote: “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.” (Revelation 12:1)? This is debatable and open to interpretation since some fathers see this as referencing the Church; but a double meaning is also plausible since St. Mary is the perfect image of it.
It is worth mentioning that this would not be the first case scenario where a body of a righteous person was assumed into heaven; even while still being alive! This was a sign of God’s favor with them. Take for instance the following verses:
“So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Thus Enoch was well-pleasing to God, and was not found, for God translated him.” (Genesis 5:23-24).
“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him” ; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (Hebrews 11:5).
“Thus it came to be, as they walked and continued to talk, behold a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and the fire separated them one from the other; and Elijah was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind.” (4 Kingdoms 2:11).
“Then Elijah the prophet rose up like fire, And his word burned like a lamp… So by your wonders you were honored, O Elijah, And who can boast like you? You were taken up in a fiery whirlwind, In a chariot of flaming horses.” (Wisdom of Sirach 48:1, 4, 9).
Though Moses died in old age, the Bible suggests that his body was indeed taken into heaven:
“So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab by the word of the Lord. Then He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day.”(Deut 34:5-6).
“Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’” (Jude 1:9).
With all these matters considered, would not our Lord also honor His mother in the same fashion? Was not St. Mary also highly favored (Luke 1:28)? If she was used as a ladder by which the Eternal Word would descend into our realm through His Incarnation, would He not also transport her to Eternal Bliss with Him? There are also ancient records from the early church which suggest that St. Mary’s assumption was indeed apart of the church’s living oral tradition:
Pseudo – Melito: If therefore it might come to pass by the power of your grace, it has appeared right to us your servants that, as you, having overcome death, do reign in glory, so you should raise up the body of your Mother and take her with you, rejoicing, into heaven. Then said the Savior [Jesus]: “Be it done according to your will” (The Passing of the Virgin 16:2-17 [A.D. 300]).
Obsequies of the Holy Virgin: Our Lord made a sign to Michael, and Michael began to speak with the voice of a mighty angel. And angels descended on these clouds; and the number of angels on each cloud was a thousand angels, uttering praises before Jesus. And the Lord said to Michael: ‘Let them bring the body of Mary into the clouds.’ And when the body of Mary had been brought into the clouds, Our Lord said to the Apostles that they should draw near to the clouds. And when they came to the clouds they were singing with the voice of angels. And Our Lord told the clouds to go to the gate of paradise. And when they had entered paradise, the body of Mary went to the tree of life; and they brought her soul and made it enter her body. And straightway the Lord dismissed the angels to their places (Fourth Century).
Timothy of Jerusalem: “Therefore, the Virgin is immortal to the present time through Him who had His abode in her and who Assumed and raised her above the higher regions” – (Homily on the Prophet Simeon and the Blessed Virgin Mary, (ca. 350-390 A.D.)).
St. John the Theologian: The Lord said to his Mother, “Let your heart rejoice and be glad. For every favor and every gift has been given to you from my Father in heaven and from me and from the Holy Spirit. Every soul that calls upon your name shall not be ashamed, but shall find mercy and comfort and support and confidence, both in the world that now is and in that which is to come, in the presence of my Father in the heavens”. . . And from that time forth all knew that the spotless and precious body had been transferred to paradise (The Dormition of Mary [A.D. 400]).
Assumption of Mary: and for three days the voices of invisible angels were heard glorifying Christ our God, who had been born of her. And when the third day was ended, the voices were no longer heard; and from that time forth all knew that her spotless and precious body had been transferred to paradise (A.D. 400).
In conclusion, St. Mary’s Dormition is an example of hope for us all, as the Lord promised that through Him we shall rise in our bodies on the Last Day (John 6:54). St. Mary was assumed into heaven because she was pure, holy, and carried the Incarnate Word in her Womb: and gave birth to Him and kept His Law — being without any stain. We shall likewise, by His Grace, be carried to the abodes of heaven through baptism (if we have not yet received it to be born again), regular repentance, growing in holiness through reading His words in the scriptures with attention and applying it to our lives, and carrying the Word within ourselves through not only what we heard or read in the scriptures; but by regular and worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist.
“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me”
– John 6:54-57.
+++ Glory to Jesus Christ the King of Kings.
Faith Unto Ages 