“the Roman Catholic dogma regarding Mary’s departure was promulgated as recently as November 1, 195
Similar quotes
“the Church’s embrace of the Virgin Mary’s passage into the eternal Kingdom of God also represents an acknowledgement of humanity’s own destiny
“What does the Orthodox Church officially teach about the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary? Was she taken bodily into Heaven or was she not?
“Although the Mother of God was humble throughout her life, she was not absent. Just as the Ascension of the Lord did not mean, and did not remain, an absence from the midst of the Church, so too the passing of the Mother of God from this life into eternity did not result in an absence
“the Mother of God received with joy the news of her departure from earthly life and then fell asleep in the Lord
“that the Mother of God could have chosen not to die and could have been taken bodily into heaven by her Son
“the Dormition should not be understood simply as the conclusion of the earthly life of the Mother of God.
“Tomorrow we transit from the Fast to the Feast of the Dormition, our solemn observance of her passage from death to eternal life. Our cessation from fasting is more than an occasion for feasting. Our embrace of the Virgin’s crossing over into the infinite Kingdom of God is an acknowledgment of our own destiny. She traverses perfectly the Way, the Truth, and the Life, pointing us in the direction of eternity. She is the model for every one of us, for within her holy womb, she bore the Lord Incarnate, and in our lives, we are also called to bring forth the Lord Christ through our thoughts, our intentions, and our actions. May our celebrations of her Holy Dormition be a renewal of our own journey heavenward, with the Panagia as our guide, our protector, and our most loving Mother. Χρόνια Πολλά!
“We learn many things from the discreet way in which the Mother of God lived her life, but through her Dormition, the Church teaches us that, although she has departed, she has nevertheless not abandoned us