Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God

  This  year  the  Armenian Church  celebrates  the  Feast of the Assumption  of  St. Mary, the Holy  Mother of God, on August12.  In the Calendar of the Armenian Church,  this  feast is the fourth of  five  major  feasts  that are commemorated,  and is the  oldest one dedicated to St. Mary. The feast is usually  celebrated  on the  Sunday closest to the  date of August 15 ( on  august 12-18).  The feast  starts  on the eve, in the  evening  of August  16 is preceded by a 5-day  fasting  period  ending  on the eve of the feast, and the Monday  following  the feast day is a  Memorial Day.

  According  to the Sacred  Tradition  of the Apostolic  Church,  following the crucifixion  of Jesus Christ, the Holy Virgin  remained in Jerusalem, and lived  under the care of St. John the Evangelist.  For nearly 12 years,  St. Mary lives by  praying, fasting,  and  often  visiting the empty  tomb  of  her  beloved  Son. During  one such  visit to the  tomb,  the Archangel  Gabriel  appeared  and gave  her the  news of her imminent assumption to  heaven.  St. Mary  relayed the news to her relatives and all  Christians,  asking  them to  bury her  in  the valley  of Gethsemane.  St. Mary  also asks the Apostle  John  to  celebrate  a Divine  Liturgy,  so  she  could  receive  Holy Communion  one final  time. After  receiving  Holy Communion,  St. Mary  returned  to her room. As the Apostles prepared to  mourn her death, St. John asks the Mother of God to leave an image of her face on a board of wood.  St.  Mary  tode  the board,  crosses  herself  and brought  it close to her face.  Moistening the  board  with her tears,  she asked  God  that by  means of the board, people  would  be  cured from  disease.  As  the Apostles  surrounded St. Mary, an indescribable light  appeaed. The   Son of God and the angels  of heaven  appeared in the room.  Seeing  Christ,  St.  Mary  died. The   Armenian Apostolic  Church  uses the word « sleep»  instead  of the  word « death» in relation to the end of St. Mary's  earthly  life  thus emphasizing  her being  taken to the heaven. 

  St.  Bartholomew  the Apostle was  absent  and  did not participate in the burial  service of St. Mary. Upon  his return to Jerusalem,  he  wished to see  St. Mary  for the last time. Per his  request,  the  Apostles  opened  the tomb,  yet  they do not  find the  remains  of St. Mary.  According  to His  promise,  Jesus  Christ  had delivered  His mother  to  His heavenly  kingdom.  The   Apostles  gave  the  board  of St.  Mary  to  st.  Bartholomew   for  consolation.

  According  to  Moses  of Khoren,  st.  Bartholomew  brought  the board  to  Armenia. It  is  kept  in the  Province  of  Andzav,  in a location  called  Darbnots.  Years  later,  a  church  is  built  there in honor  of St. Mary,  and  a convent  is  opened. 

  Over  the  centuries  the  traces  of the  icon  have  been  lost,  however,  the feast  has   been  preserved  and  each  year,  on  the day  of  the  feast,  the  faithful  make  pilgrimages  and  go the  churches  bearing  the name  of St.  Mary,  and  offer  sacrifice  ( Matagh).

    The  Armenian  Church  has a deep  and  abiding  respect  towards  St. Mary.  Special  emphasis  is  placed  on her  being  a mother, her honesty,  her  unique  spirit  of  humility,  her  virtuous  behavior  and  her  unselfish  dedication.  For Armenian  woman,  the Holy  Virgin  is the   embodiment  of  virtue,  pious  motherhood,  and  the protector  of   family  sacredness.

   One of the  peculiarities  of the  feast  is  that on the  day  of the feast  the  Ceremony  of the Blessing  of the Grapes  is  conducted,  and the harvest for the entire  year is  blessed in  that  day.

 

 

 

 This material has  been  courteously  provided by the press service of the  Ararat Patriarchal  Diocese at       www.qahana.am