August 28
Dormition of the Theotokos,
Russian Orthodox Church
Orthodox and Catholic churches share the belief that the Mother of God did
not suffer bodily decay and celebrate a major feast in honor of her entrance
into heaven on August 15. But Orthodox churches using
the Julian liturgical calendar (Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, and Macedonian)
celebrate the feast on the corresponding "New Style" date of August
28. Preceded by a two-week fast, the Feast of the Dormition marks the end of
summer harvest. Although "dormition" means "falling asleep,"
Orthodoxy is somewhat more certain than Catholicism of Mary's natural death and
bodily resurrection three days later. And although conveyed to heaven, her
body's persistence implies a unique ability to continue helping believers on
earth. Russian Orthodox liturgy on this day proclaims:
In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity,
and in thy falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world, O Theotokos.
Thou hast been translated to life, as thou art the Mother of Life,
and by thy supplications thou dost deliver our souls from
death.
Sources include:
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marian
calendar august
Dormition icon, Novgorod, early 1200s, State Tretyakov Gallery,
Moscow. Surrounded by angels and mourning apostles, Christ receives his
mother's
soul.
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Also commemorated this date:
 | Pühtitsa Mother of God, Kuremäe, Illuka, Ida-Viru, Estonia. Miraculous
Dormition icon in Orthodox convent church. |
| Notre-Dame de Grâce, Maillane, Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence-Alpes-Côte
d'Azur, France. Cholera epidemic
stopped after community prayer, 1854. |
| Khakhuli Icon of the Virgin Mary, Tblisi, Georgia |
| Beata Vergine Madre del Buon Consiglio, Curtatone, Mantova, Lombardy,
Italy, Buscoldo district. Livestock healed, 1746. |
| Madonna della Salute di Monteortone, Abano Terme, Padova, Veneto, Italy.
Church consecrated, 1435; reconsecrated, 1495. |
| Santa Maria di Siponto, Manfredonia, Foggia, Apulia, Italy. Byzantine icon
crowned, 1955. Festa Aug. 31. |
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Matka
Boża Pani Raciborza, Racibórz, Silesia, Poland. Icon
crowned, 1932. |
| Matka
Boża Pocieszenia, Górka Duchowna, Lipno, Leszczyński,
Wielkopolskie, Poland (Consoling Mother of God). c1300s icon crowned, 1976. |
| Matka Boża
Pocieszenia, Pasierbiec, Limanowa, Lesser Poland, Poland. 1700s painting
crowned, 1993. |
| Matka
Boża Pocieszenia, Czermna, Szerzyny, Tarnów, Lesser Poland, Poland.
Painting crowned, 2011. |
| Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Barrancos, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal. Mass
and procession open three-day festa with bullfights each day. |
| Mother of God of Great Remeta, Irig, District, Vojvodina, Serbia. Feast of
miraculous icon in Orthodox monastery (Aug. 15 Julian). |
| Zosnutia
Presvätej Bohorodičky, Šašová, Bardejov, Prešov, Slovakia (Death
of the Virgin). Greek Catholic church feast on a near Sunday. |
| Virgen de los Caballeros, Villavieja de Yeltes, Salamanca, Castile-Leon,
Spain (Virgin of the Knights). Procession, dances. |
| Virgen de la Fuensanta, Huelma, Jaén, Andalucía, Spain. Napoleon spared
town, 1811. Fiesta 1st Sun. in May, romería 1st Sun. in Sept. |
| Virgen de Tíscar, Quesada, Jaén, Andalucía, Spain. Last day of romería;
statue returns to sanctuary. |
| Virgen de la Aurora, Monturque, Córdoba, Andalucía, Spain (Virgin of the
Dawn). Procession. Fair nearest weekend. |
| Unsere Liebe Frau, Werthenstein, Entlebuch, Lucerne, Switzerland. Chapel
inaugurated, 1520. Pilgrimage Aug. 15. |
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