The Dormition of the Theotokos

For many years after the death and glorious resurrection of Christ, Mary remained on this earth, amongst the Apostles. This was her Son's desire so that His disciples could continue to be nourished, guided and comforted by her during their many difficulties and persecutions. In these years, Mary would, daily, visit His place of crucifixion as well as his tomb to pray and shed tears. She longed to be re-united with her Son and prayed that he would take her from this vile world to be with Him.

Around the age of seventy, while praying at the Mount of Olives, her prayers were answered when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and announced to her that her Son wished to take her up into the heavens to be with him. She was told the very hour that this would happen which was three days later. The Archangel handed her a palm branch from Paradise and instructed that the branch was to be carried before her bier when the time came. She fell in prayer and thanksgiving to her Son and her God. During this time, the olive trees bent as she bent down to pray and straightened when she would straighten. Thus, even the trees of God's creation showed their respect to her who is higher than all the angels.
She returned to her home that she shared with John the Theologian whom Christ, in his last moments from the Cross, had instructed to care for His mother as his own. She made arrangements for her repose. She informed Saint John and the rest of the people of their house of the situation. John went immediately and informed James and the faithful of Jerusalem of the pending event. Many gathered around the Theotokos and she explained to them all that was said to her by the Archangel. She instructed that she should be buried at the garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives. In response to Mary's request of her Son to have the Apostles with her at the time of her repose, angels gathered them (with the exception of Thomas) from all ends of the earth and delivered them within a cloud to the home of Saint John and the Theotokos. Joyful at seeing one another, they were yet confused as to the meaning of the gathering. Upon learning the situation, they became mournful and wept. They asked of the Theotokos how it was that they would manage on this earth without her. She assured them that this event was a festive one, for she would soon be at the right hand of her God and son. She went further to explain that, from there, she could better mediate on their behalf. She told them that just as she had directed them and consoled them on the earth, so much more so would she continue to do so from Heaven. Three days later, at the third hour (9 a.m.), the Theotokos held her hands up to the heavens from her ornately decorated bed surrounded by many burning lamps and prayed to her Son. At this time, Christ descended upon a cloud of angels to her. Those who were granted the ability to witness the event, stood in awe. Upon seeing Him, Mary cried with happiness, "My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior." Jesus spoke laudatory words to her and beckoned her to come without fear to join him in the heavens. The All-Praised Lady rose and gave a blessing to the apostles and requested that they bury her body in Gethsemane once her soul had departed. Then she spoke and said, "Be it unto me according to Thy word" (Luke 1:38). After which, Jesus accepted her blameless soul from her body. The host of all the angels that were gathered around sang hymns to honor her as her soul, in the arms of Christ, ascended with them into the heavens.

The face on the body of the Theotokos that remained lying there amidst the apostles shone like the sun and a sweet fragrance came from her body. All of the many people who had gathered around her with the apostles, kissed her body and were sanctified by it. Healings of body and soul occurred as they were filled with joy.

The Apostles, as instructed, took up her bed upon their shoulders and all present followed them in a procession to Gethsemane. Upon being laid there, a Jewish priest, Athonios, in a mad fury rushed to overturn the body of the Theotokos. At the moment that he touched the bier, his hands up to his elbows, were cut off by an invisible angel who was protecting the Virgin's body. Instantly he repented and became a believer and begged for forgiveness, at which all of the faithful onlookers rejoiced. The apostles and the faithful rolled the stone in front of her tomb and remained there for three days, singing and praising her along with the angels. Now Thomas, who was the only apostle not gathered to witness the Dormition with the rest, was preaching in India. On the third day after her falling asleep, Thomas was caught up in a cloud and taken into the air above the Virgin's tomb in Gethsemane. From there he witnessed her translation into the heavens as God had willed for him to do. He spoke to her and asked her where she was going and she removed her cincture and gave it to him and said, "Receive this, my friend" as she disappeared into the heights. Upon descending back to the earth, Thomas found the other apostles gathered around her tomb. He was distressed at learning that he was not allowed to have witnessed her death as were the others. He begged for the stone to be rolled away that he too may look upon her. Out of pity, the apostles rolled away the stone to find that her body had disappeared and all that had remained were her clothes which gave off a beautiful fragrance.
The faithful to this day find much comfort in knowing that we have Our Lady, the Ever-Virgin Mary, the Theotokos who is above all the angels, standing at the right hand of our Savior -- always interceding for, protecting, aiding and comforting those faithful who call upon her holy name. Most Holy Theotokos, save us!