“the Archbishop reflected on the message of the Dormition of the Theotokos, emphasizing that, through pain and trial, the Panagia teaches us to place greater trust in God and to face fear with faith and hope
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“he also encouraged the faithful to pray to the Theotokos with trust, confident that she knows human suffering and understands their concerns
“Most Honourable Brother Bishops and my beloved children, The great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos gathers us once again around the venerable person of our Panagia, the Mother of the Lord and the Mother of all Christians. 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.” On the occasion, therefore, of this great Feast of the Mother of God, I encourage you all to turn your gaze towards her with trust amid the difficulties, trials and concerns of your lives. Panagia knows human suffering. She experienced exile, anguish, silence, contempt, injustice and slander, and, above all, the sorrow of beholding her Son upon the Cross. For this reason, she can understand every tear, every fear and every wound of the human heart. Panagia can hear the silent scream of every suffering soul. Let us beseech her today to shelter our families, our children and young people, the sick, the lonely and all those undergoing trials. Let us ask her to protect the whole world and always guide us towards her Son and God. May you all be granted many blessed years.
“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.'
“The Holy Fathers who spoke about the Dormition of the Mother of God did not try to conceal the reality of death. On the contrary, it was precisely in her death that they saw the power of Christ’s Resurrection revealed.
“the Dormition is a celebration of hope, consolation, and joy
“the Dormition calls every Orthodox Christian to prepare for the passage from earthly life to heavenly life
“The Dormition of the Mother of God is also the feast of our hope
“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