The Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos is celebrated by the Holy Orthodox Church, as one of the great holidays, on August 28, according to the new style. We are preparing for this holiday with a two-week fast. The holiday is called Assumption (“falling asleep”), because the Mother of God died quietly, as if falling asleep, and, most importantly, it is called so for the short stay of Her body in the tomb, since after three days She was resurrected by the Lord and ascended into heaven.
The Most Holy Mother of God, after the Ascension of Jesus Christ, lived on earth for several more years (some Christian historians say 10 years, while others say 22 years). The Apostle John the Theologian, according to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, took Her into his house and with great love took care of Her, like her own son, until Her death. The Blessed Mother of God became a common Mother for all the disciples of Christ. They prayed together with Her and with great joy and consolation listened to Her instructive conversations about the Savior. When the Christian faith spread to other countries, many Christians came from distant countries see and listen to her.
Living in Jerusalem, the Mother of God loved to visit those places where the Savior often visited, where He suffered, died, resurrected and ascended into heaven. She prayed at these places: she cried, remembering the sufferings of the Savior and rejoiced at the place of His resurrection and ascension. She often prayed that Christ would soon take Her to Himself in heaven.
Once, when the Blessed Mary was praying like this on the Mount of Olives, the archangel Gabriel appeared to Her, with a heavenly date branch in his hands, and told Her the joyful news that in three days Her earthly life would end and the Lord would take Her to Himself. The Most Holy Mother of God rejoiced unspeakably at this news. She told her betrothed son, John, about it, and began to prepare for her death. The other apostles were not in Jerusalem at that time; they went to other countries to preach about the Savior. The Mother of God wanted to say goodbye to them, and so the Lord miraculously gathered all the apostles to Her, except for Thomas, transferring them with His almighty power. It was sad for them to lose their Lady and their common Mother, when they found out why God had gathered them. But the Mother of God comforted them, promising not to leave them and all Christians after Her death, and to always pray for them. Then she blessed them all.
At the hour of her death, an extraordinary light shone in the room where the Mother of God lay; The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, surrounded by angels, appeared and received Her most pure soul.
The apostles buried the most pure body of the Mother of God according to Her desire, in the garden of Gofsemane, in the cave where the bodies of Her parents and the righteous Joseph were buried. Many miracles happened during the burial. From touching the bed of the Mother of God, the blind received their sight, demons were cast out and every disease was healed. Many people followed Her pure body. The Jewish priests and leaders tried to disperse this holy procession, but the Lord invisibly guarded it. One Jewish priest, by the name of Athos, ran up and grabbed the bed on which the body of the Mother of God was carried in order to overturn it. But an invisible angel cut off both his hands. Athos, struck by such a terrible miracle, immediately repented and the Apostle Peter healed him.
Three days after the burial of the Mother of God, the absent Apostle Thomas arrived in Jerusalem. He was very sad that he did not say goodbye to the Mother of God and with all his soul he wanted to bow to Her most pure body. The apostles, taking pity on him, decided to go and roll away the stone from the grave cave in order to give him the opportunity to say goodbye to the body of the Mother of God. But when they opened the cave, they did not find Her most holy body in it, but only one burial shroud. The astonished apostles all returned together to the house and prayed to God to reveal to them what had become of the body of the Mother of God. In the evening, at the end of the meal, during prayer, they heard angelic singing. Looking up, the apostles saw in the air Mother of God, surrounded by angels, in the radiance of heavenly glory.
The Mother of God said to the apostles: “Rejoice! I am with you all the days; and I will always be your prayer book before God. The apostles exclaimed in joy: “Most Holy Theotokos, help us!”
Thus the Lord Jesus Christ glorified His Most Holy Mother; He resurrected Her and took Her to Himself with Her holy body and placed Her above all His angels.
We add that the circumstances of the Assumption of the Mother of God are known in the Orthodox Church from the time of the apostles. In the 1st century, the Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite wrote about Her Dormition. In the 2nd century, the legend of the bodily migration of the Blessed Virgin Mary to heaven was preserved in the writings of Meliton, Bishop of Sardis. In the 4th century, Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus points to the tradition of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
Information about her last days also preserved church tradition, in particular such lengthy apocryphal tales as "The Word of John the Theologian on the Assumption of the Virgin", "The Word of John, Archbishop of Thessalonica", as well as the most ancient holiday word on the Assumption of the Jerusalem Patriarch Modest (+ 632), the words of 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.
The list of holidays in Russia on August 28, 2018 will acquaint you with state, professional, international, folk, church, unusual holidays that are celebrated in the country on this day. You can choose an event of interest and learn its history, traditions and rituals.
Holidays August 28
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a great holiday in Orthodoxy. It is dedicated to the representation (death) of the Mother of God and her ascension to heaven. Every year on August 28, Orthodox believers go to church to touch the origins. Why shouldn't you mourn? Because death is just a transition to another world. The soul of the deceased who led righteous image life, ascends into the kingdom of heaven for eternal life in happiness and peace.
So the Virgin Mary, having completed her earthly journey and having fulfilled her destiny, gave her soul to the Heavenly Father, Jesus. On the icons of the Assumption of the Blessed One dedicated to this event, one can see angels and archangels next to the deathbed of the Mother of God and in the center - Her Son with a baby in her arms. The baby symbolizes the soul of the deceased Virgin Mary. After death, there is a rebirth for eternal life. Therefore, the holiday is joyful and bright. It signifies the victory of life over death.
History of the Miraculous Day
Unbelievers do not understand the joy of believers celebrating this holiday. "Assumption" means both death and sleep. For followers of Jesus, death is the first step to meeting Christ. The gospel of John speaks in the name of Jesus that those who believe in Him will be given eternal life.
On August 28, on the day of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Orthodox world remembers the miraculous events in the life of the Holy Virgin that preceded and after her departure from life.
Jesus, being on the cross in terrible torment, did not forget about His Mother. At His request, the Apostle John took over the further care of the Mother of God. In the house of his parents, the Virgin lived until she met the Archangel Gabriel. God's messenger announced to the Mother of God the joyful news for Her that in 3 days Her life on earth would come to an end.
During this time Holy Virgin she tidied up the room and expressed only one wish before God - to see the apostles who remained on earth, scattered all over the world, before leaving.
Miraculously, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the faithful disciples of Jesus gathered at the bedside of the Mother of God, who was awaiting her death. The Savior Himself appeared near the bed of the Mother of God and received her soul, embracing her, like a baby, with His hands.
Before leaving for Heaven, the Most Pure Virgin, with great humility and faith, asked the Son to grant a blessing to all people who revere her as the Mother of God.
As soon as her soul was in the hands of the Son, the singing of the angels filled the room. The coffin with the body of the deceased Mother of God was taken to the Garden of Gethsemane for burial in a cave.
The Apostle Thomas did not have time to say goodbye to the Blessed Mother, he arrived after her burial three days later. All this time the apostles prayed at the Holy Grave.
At the great request of Thomas, the apostles moved the stone of the cave to allow the faithful disciple of Jesus to say goodbye to His Mother. Great surprise and joy awaited the apostles - the tomb turned out to be empty. The Most Holy Theotokos was taken up by angels to heaven.
The day the Mother of God went to Heaven became a clear proof that the Kingdom of Heaven awaits faithful worshipers in spirit and truth.
Holiday traditions
See off the Assumption, and meet autumn - it is after the Assumption that the Indian summer begins, which will last for the entire first month of autumn.
On the day of the Assumption of the Virgin in Russia, a holiday was timed harvested crop. On this day, the farewell to summer took place - the meeting of autumn - the first autumn. Since the Assumption was considered the last summer day, the holiday ended with the fact that on that evening in the huts for the first time they “blew a fire” - they lit a torch, a lamp or a candle and sat down to dine in the light.
From the Assumption, the preparation of various supplies for the winter began. From that day on, they began to gather mushrooms and nuts for the winter in the forests.
It was also a good tradition on Assumption to engage in salting cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables for the winter.
Roasting
The harvest is a folk festival for the completion of the harvest, which is celebrated on August 28, 2018. By church calendar on this day they celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
After the ascension of Jesus near his mother, the Virgin Mary, only the apostle John remained. He took her to his home in Zion. The Mother of God spent all the time in prayers, asking to quickly connect her with her son. God heard the prayer and sent the Archangel Gabriel to her with a message that in three days her dream would come true.
Before the end of her earthly journey, Mary expressed only one desire - to say goodbye to the disciples of Jesus. The Holy Spirit helped them to be transported from different places and appear at the bed of the Blessed Virgin.
Three days after the burial of Mary, the Apostle Thomas arrived, who was kept on the road by a special dispensation of God. He grieved so much that the rest of the brothers decided to open the entrance to the cave where the grave was and let him say goodbye. When they opened the coffin, they did not find a body in it. There were only funeral clothes that exuded fragrance. The apostles rejoiced at this phenomenon. Not death, but dormition, what happened is called precisely because the body of the Mother of God became incorruptible and, together with her spirit, was transferred to heaven.
Traditions and rituals
On this day, reapers rode through the harvested field, asking the earth to return to them the strength spent on harvesting.
The traditional rite was the curling of the "beard" ("goat"). A few ears were left on the field and tied with a ribbon. It was believed that this would help the earth recover.
The last sheaf was dressed up and carried to the village, where festivities began with tables full of food, dances, and songs.
In Russia, it is customary to celebrate a large number of holidays, which can be conditionally divided into several types: state, professional and church. Due to the fact that there are a lot of them throughout the year, some Russians are lost and want to know the answer to the question: what holiday is today?
We will try to do this in today's material, in which we will focus on those holidays that fall on August 28, 2017. Today, in particular, the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated. Any other significant holidays from the point of view of our country, this day is not necessary. It will be possible to dwell in more detail only on folk holiday, which is inextricably linked with the Assumption, but only the narration about it comes from folk positions, traditions and prohibitions.
What is the Orthodox holiday today, 08/28/2017: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The celebration of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is dedicated to the remembrance of two successive events. The first is the end of Her earthly life. The second event is Her resurrection and bodily ascension into Heavenly Kingdom. Hence the duality in the names of the holiday - "Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos", adopted in the everyday life of the Orthodox Church, and "Ascension of the Mother of God", common in the Latin West.
This is one of the twelve main holidays of the Orthodox Church, which is preceded by the Assumption Fast, the only one dedicated to the Mother of God, the end of which, among the people, marks the onset of the autumn season.
The Mother of God is the most revered and most sacred person after the Savior, to whom all Christians give special honor and worship. Numerous churches and monasteries were erected in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos throughout the world.
The whole life of the Most Holy Theotokos on earth was unusual - the Virgin Mary was chosen by God for the birth of the Savior coming into the world. Modesty and simplicity in everything, She radiated love and beauty, as contemporaries testify about Her.
According to Church Tradition, after the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, the Mother of God lived in Jerusalem in the house of the Apostle John, who took care of her like her own mother and revered her as the most tender son.
The Mother of God spent days and nights in prayer, received everyone who came to her, healed the sick, comforted the suffering and the lost. The Mother of God often came to pray at the Holy Sepulcher in the Garden of Gethsemane.
On one of these visits, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that in three days her earthly life would end, and presented a luminous branch of paradise - a symbol of victory over death and corruption. The Blessed Virgin rejoiced unspeakably at this news and began to prepare for her death.
Through the prayer of the Mother of God, when the time came for Her to pass from earthly life to eternal life, all the twelve and seventy apostles who preached the Gospel in different parts of the world were miraculously gathered to the bed on which the Mother of God was reclining.
And when the hour of Her Assumption came, the Savior Himself, surrounded by angels, descended to her in order to take her soul with him. Without any bodily suffering, the Blessed Virgin gave her soul into the hands of Her Son and God, and immediately angelic singing was heard.
The Feast of the Dormition of Our Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, simply called the Assumption by the people. And this day is dedicated to the date of the death of the Mother of God.
The following is known about her life from the New Testament. The crucified Jesus instructed the Apostle John to take care of Mary, which was faithfully fulfilled - after the execution of Christ and his resurrection, Mary and John began to live in Jerusalem. Often, Mary went up to Golgotha to pray, and here the archangel Gabriel himself somehow descended to her, informing Mary: in 3 days she was destined to "depart to Christ God." And on the day of Mary's death, the apostles were miraculously transferred to Jerusalem, who had previously been in other countries, where they preached sermons.
The apostles buried Mary near her parents, and the entrance to the tomb was blocked with a large stone. On the third day after the death of Mary, Thomas came to Jerusalem, and the apostles went with him to the tomb, so that Thomas could also say goodbye to Mary.
But when they moved the stone away and entered the tomb, they did not find the body of the Mother of God there, only her fragrant funeral clothes. And soon, before the next day came, Mary visited the apostles, they saw her among the angels, and she said: "Rejoice, for I am with you all the days."
Dormition is one of the earliest Christian holidays. In the 6th century, it was celebrated wherever Christianity was, and the date of its official establishment is considered to be 582. The Orthodox Church considers the Assumption to be one of the dozen most important holidays after Easter. The Dormition ends the Dormition Fast, stricter than which is only the Great Fast.
In the popular mind, the image of the Mother of God is fancifully united with the Mother of the Raw Earth - one of the most ancient Slavic deities, and therefore the name day of the Earth was also celebrated on the Dormition. For her veneration on this day, one should not walk on it without shoes and, moreover, poke it with something sharp, like shovels or even sticks.
The Assumption was sometimes also called Dozhinok, because the grain harvest was ending.
Women worked more in the harvest, and therefore, after the Dormition, the young Indian summer set in, the time of rest for the entire weaker sex, who did so much hard work, and this time dragged on until September 11, that is, until Ivan the Lenten. Entering the field for the last time, the women rolled over the ground and asked the stubble to return their strength, which took a lot of harvesting, and also tied the sickles with straw. The sheaf, compressed last, was dressed in a kokoshnik and a bright sundress, and with honors, accompanied by songs, they carried it to the village. On this day, grain ears and grain were consecrated and blessed in the church.
Everything ended with feasts, to which everyone threw money, some with food, and so they covered long tables with roast lamb, pies, other treats and fresh beer, and those who were poor came to the feasts, they were revered as a duty to treat the more prosperous villagers.
Salting was another name for the holiday, as it was time to pickle cabbage and pickle cucumbers, in winter time were an integral part of peasant food. Cucumbers and cabbage went to pickles and cabbage soup, ate them and simply - with bread and potatoes.
Feasts dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary Orthodox Christianity quite a bit of. However, among them there is the main one - this is the Assumption. It is celebrated on August 28th.
The Assumption of the Virgin is included in the list of 12 most important Orthodox holidays. This day marks the end of the two-week Assumption Fast, dedicated to the Mother of God. A lot of folk traditions are associated with the holiday of August 28, take and church rules that every believer should be aware of.
The secret meaning of the Feast of the Assumption
This day is dedicated to the departure from the earthly life of the Virgin Mary. This day is considered joyful, since the Mother of God was finally able to meet with her son after his painful death on the cross. And the church tells believers to share this joy of reunion, because when a mother loses her son, this is the worst day in her life. But the Mother of God was not a simple mother, and therefore she knew that the next meeting was just around the corner.
Before her death, God's messenger, the Archangel Gabriel, appeared to her. She lived in Jerusalem. During another prayer, the angel told her that her earthly journey was coming to an end. He announced that Jesus Christ, and all the angels, and other creatures of God would receive her into their kingdom, so that she would rule Heaven forever with her Son, Father and Holy Spirit.
Dormition is translated as “death”, but in fact it was not death, but a transition to that world in which the Virgin Mary was prepared a place a long time ago. Jesus Christ received her better world where there is no persecution, no evil, no disorder.
There is one thing associated with this holiday. interesting event. In her prayers, the Mother of God asked for a meeting with the apostles. They miraculously gathered around her to bury the body from different parts of the world. As the legend says, then the Mother of God died when she saw a bright light and the angels standing in front of her and her beloved son. Most notably, the body was never found. It is believed that Jesus Christ took his mother without leaving her body to the world, immediately ascending to heaven.
The holiday itself began to be celebrated only in the 5th-6th centuries, initially becoming a day of memory and sorrow, but later the meaning of the festival was changed.
Traditions and signs of the Assumption of the Virgin on August 28
From year to year, church and folk traditions of this holiday are unchanged. It is always celebrated on the same day, ending the Dormition Fast (August 14-27). In addition, it ends summer period, so many traditions are associated with the approach of autumn:
- If on the Assumption of the Lord on the street good weather, then a pleasant winter awaits us and good harvest on the next year. Bad weather is a very negative sign that next year will be inclement in terms of weather.
- On this day, it is forbidden to insert sharp objects into the ground, because the ground is the personification of Mother Intercessor.
- People on this day do not overeat and do not abuse bad habits. They honor the memory of the Mother of God and lead a humble life, avoiding everything bad.
- Of course, all believers try to visit the temple of God to participate in the liturgy. Many light candles for the repose and health of loved ones on August 28 every year. It is also customary to confess sins and take communion.
- At home, people read prayers in front of the icons of the Virgin, thus paying tribute to the memory of the brightest mother of all. Women try to become better, asking God in prayers to give them strength and patience.
- Indian summer opens this day - the last notes of warmth will be in the air for about a couple of weeks.
- After the Assumption, the remaining crop is usually harvested and preparations for the winter period begin.
All these traditions are more than a thousand years old. Assumption is one of the most ancient holidays in Christianity along with Christmas and Easter. People are always waiting for August 28, because on this day the soul blossoms and eyes are opened to the world around us.
If you can’t visit the temple, read the prayer called “ Mother of God, virgin, rejoice" in front of any icon of the Virgin. Clear your mind and devote a couple of minutes to God by giving your attention. At the end, say the magnificence: "We magnify Thee, Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, and gloriously glorify Thy Assumption."
It is best to pray in front of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan. Naturally, this is not a strict and even not a rule at all, but the rest of the icons have a narrowly focused meaning, and the Kazan one is more familiar and universal for Orthodox Christians. Honor the traditions of this holiday. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and
On Monday 28 August 2017 Orthodox Church celebrates the great twelfth holiday - which was anticipated.
According to Tradition, the Mother of God received the news of her repose from the archangel Gabriel in advance. After that, She prayed intensely and kept fasting, joyfully waiting for the hour appointed for Her.
Related material
The Great Feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God may seem very strange to a non-church person. How can you celebrate someone's death? Everything is with Christians, but not with “people,” someone will say. For them, joy is what for others is grief.
All the apostles witnessed the Dormition of the Mother of God Christ, Besides Thomas, which were miraculously collected in Jerusalem especially for this purpose.
At the hour of His Mother's departure, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared before Her bed, surrounded by angelic powers and accompanied by the souls of the holy forefathers, prophets and righteous. The Savior took the soul of the Mother of God into His hands, which is reflected in the iconography of the holiday.
After the Dormition of the Mother of God, the apostles prepared Her body for burial, and then, with the singing of sacred psalms, they took it to the Gethsemane cave, where they buried it.
Three days later, the Apostle Thomas came to Jerusalem. Learning that he did not have time for the day of burial, the apostle was saddened.
Having met with other disciples of Christ, Thomas asked them to show him the tomb of the Most Pure Mother of God. When they showed him the place and rolled away the stone, it turned out that the body of the Mother of God was no longer there, and only Her shroud lay.
The apostles were surprised and began to pray that the Lord would reveal to them what had happened.
In the evening, after a common meal, during prayer, they heard the singing of angels.
Looking up, the apostles saw the Mother of God in the air, Who, surrounded by angels, was all in the radiance of heavenly light.
According to the teaching of the Church, Christ raised Holy Mother of God in the flesh into His Heavenly Kingdom and placed above all angelic powers.