Sermon on the Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

After the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, His Most Pure Mother lived for about fifteen years in Jerusalem, in the house of the holy Apostle John the Theologian, to whom the Lord Himself entrusted Her from the cross. Now the time has come for her to move to the heavenly abode of her Son. When the Mother of God prayed on the Mount of Olives, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her, bringing a date branch, and announced Her death three days later. The Most Pure One was incredibly happy when she heard such news and began to prepare. On the day of Her repose, at the command of God, all the apostles, scattered to preach throughout the world, miraculously appeared in Jerusalem, except for the Apostle Thomas. They witnessed Her peaceful, quiet, holy and blessed death. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, in heavenly glory, surrounded by a countless multitude of Angels and righteous spirits, appeared to receive the soul of His Most Pure Mother and gloriously ascended Her to heaven. This is how the Most Holy Virgin Mary ended her earthly life! With lighted lamps and singing psalms, the apostles carried the body of the Mother of God to Gethsemane, where Her parents and Joseph were buried. The unbelieving high priests and scribes, amazed by the grandeur of the funeral procession and embittered by the honors given to the Mother of God, sent servants and soldiers to disperse the mourners and burn the very body of the Mother of God. The excited people and warriors rushed furiously at the Christians, but were struck by blindness. At this time, the Jewish priest Athos passed by and rushed to the tomb with the intention of throwing him to the ground; but as soon as he touched the bed with his hands, an Angel cut off both his hands: their severed parts hung by the bed, and Athos himself fell to the ground screaming. The Apostle Peter stopped the procession and said to Athos: “Make sure that Christ is the true God.” Athos immediately confessed Christ as the true Messiah. The Apostle Peter ordered Athos to turn to the Mother of God with earnest prayer and apply the remains of his hands to the parts hanging by the bed. After doing this, the hands grew together and were healed, and only signs remained at the place of cutting off. The blind people and soldiers touched the bed with repentance and received not only physical, but also spiritual sight, and everyone joined the procession with reverence. On the third day after the burial of the Mother of God, Apostle Thomas, who was absent by the will of God, arrived and wished to see Her coffin. At his request, the coffin was opened, but the body of the Mother of God was not found in it. In the evening of the same day, during their meal, the apostles saw the Most Holy Virgin in heaven in the air, alive, with many Angels. Standing and illuminated by ineffable glory, the Mother of God said to the apostles: “Rejoice! I am always with you"; The apostles exclaimed: “Most Holy Theotokos, help us.” This appearance of the Mother of God completely convinced the apostles, and through them the entire Church, of Her resurrection. In imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who often visited the places that Her Son and God had sanctified with the feet of His most pure feet, a custom arose among Christians to visit holy places. You might be interested in: