The Evangelist John narrates that when Jesus Christ, crucified on the cross, saw His Mother and him, His beloved disciple, near the cross, he said to His Mother: “Woman, behold, Thy son!” Then, turning to him, John, he said: “Behold, your Mother.” And from that time on, this disciple took Her to himself (John 19:26-27).
Adopted by the Divine Teacher, John served the Mother of God like a son until Her death. According to deep ancient legend, the hour of Her death was foretold by an Angel. Her body was buried by the Apostles gathered from everywhere in the tomb of Her parents, in the village of Gethsemane, near Jerusalem. On the third day after Her death, when the Apostle Thomas, who was not at the burial, opened Her burial cave, he did not find Her body. According to the general belief, the Lord resurrected Her and took Her to heaven before the general resurrection.
Troparion.
At Christmas you preserved your virginity, at your Dormition you did not forsake the world, O Mother of God: you reposed to the belly, Mother of the Being of the Belly, and through your prayers delivered our souls from death.
Kontakion.
In prayers, the never-sleeping Mother of God, and in intercessions, immutable hope, the grave and mortification cannot be restrained: like the Mother of the Life, repose to the life, into the ever-virgin womb.
Zadostoynik.
The angels, having seen the Dormition of the Most Pure One, were amazed at how the Virgin ascended from earth to heaven.
9. The laws of nature are conquered in You, O pure Virgin: for the Nativity is virgin, and the belly precurses death. The Virgin is born after birth, and alive after death, forever saving, O Theotokos, Thy inheritance.
The laws of nature are defeated in You, pure Virgin: virginity is preserved in birth, and life is combined with death. By birth - a Virgin and by death - alive, You, Mother of God, always save your people.