“the Dormition is not simply a translation to heaven, but a passage from earthly, perishable life to an incorruptible existence

Patriarch Daniel ›

Direct quote

“the Feast of the Dormition, celebrated during the final month of the ecclesiastical year, reminds Christians both of the final days of earthly life and of the end of history

“The Dormition is not the end; it is a passage into the fullness of life in Christ,

“the Dormition is a celebration of hope, consolation, and joy

Archbishop Makarios ›

Archbishop of Australia

Reported

“Today, the Church does not mourn a death, but celebrates a translation from death to life; the Church does not lament a separation, but rejoices in the passage from the temporal to the eternal, from earth to heaven, from corruption to incorruption, and from the vanity of this world to the true life. For this reason, the Dormition of the Theotokos is for all of us a feast of hope, consolation and joy, since we feel that, through her translation from death to life, Panagia is even closer to us and remains beside us. As the Apolytikion of the feast proclaims: ‘In your Dormition, O Theotokos, you did not abandon the world.'

“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!

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America ›

His Eminence Archbishop

Direct quote

“Tomorrow we transit from the Fast to the Feast of the Dormition, our solemn observance of her passage from death to eternal life

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America ›

Archbishop

Direct quote

“The Dormition of the Mother of God is also the feast of our hope