THE FEAST OF THE DORMITION OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS (AUG 15TH)
A 12th Century Western Icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin from a French Latin Manuscript By Bp. Joseph ( Ancient Church of the West ) The Dormition of the Theotokos, celebrated by the Western Orthodox Tradition, honors the moment when the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, fell asleep in the Lord and was taken into heavenly glory by her resurrected and glorified Son. This feast, deeply rooted in ancient Christian tradition, emphasizes St. Mary's role as the first Christian and the Queen of all Saints. However, it also firmly places the focus on Christ as the sole Redeemer and Savior of humanity. Holy Scripture records that while our Lord was on the Cross, He entrusted His mother to His beloved disciple, saying, "Woman, behold your son!" and to John, "Behold your mother!" (John 19:25-27). From that moment, the Apostle John took the Theotokos into his home, where she continued to live in faith and service. The Acts of the Apostles (1:14) confirms that St. ...
