~Pastor’s Message of August 15, 2021~

“In thy birth-giving, O Theotokos, thou didst keep and preserve virginity; and in thy falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world; for living thou wast translated into life, being the Mother of Life. Wherefore, by thine intercessions, deliver our souls from death.” (Troparia of the Dormition)

Dear to Christ,

Glory to Jesus Christ. Glory forever.

Happy Feast to all of you who are called by the name Mary. Happy Feast Day to everyone of you.

Here is the story about the Dormition of Mary: “The final feast of the Church year is the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. At this feast, we celebrate the “falling asleep” (dormition) of the Theotokos. The disciples were miraculously brought together with the Theotokos in Jerusalem, and they were with her when she fell asleep in the Lord. Only Thomas was not present for her falling asleep and her burial. When he arrived a few days later and they opened her tomb so that he could see her body for one last time, they discovered that it was no longer there! Our Lord had taken her body to Heaven, giving all of us hope of eternal life!”

Here are some quotes from the Fathers of the Church:

“I cannot describe to you how much our Panagia likes chastity and purity. Since she is the only pure Virgin, she wants and loves everyone to be like that. As soon as we cry out to her she rushes to our help. You don’t even finish saying, ‘All-holy Theotokos, help me’ and at once, like lightning, she shines through the nous and fills the heart with illumination. She draws the nous to prayer and the heart to Love.” ~ Elder Joseph the Hesychasty

“When you are about to pray to our Lady the Holy Virgin, be firmly assured, before praying, that you will not depart from her without having received mercy. To think thus and to have confidence in her is meet and right. She is, the All-Merciful Mother of the All-Merciful God, the Word, and her mercies, incalculably great and innumerable, have been declared from all ages by all Christian Churches; she is, indeed, an abyss of mercies and bounties, as is said of her in the canon of Odigitry..” ~ St. John of Kronstadt

Come early to church this Sunday, come to Orthros/morning prayer at 9 AM and enjoy the hymns of the Church. We will have the lamentation before her tomb and the procession around the church at the end of the Liturgy. Bring candles with you.

“Verily, the Theotokos, who is ever watchful in intercessions, and whose prayers are never rejected, neither tomb nor death could control. But since she is the Mother of Life, He Who dwelt in her ever-virgin womb did translate her to life.” (Kontakion of the Feast)

In Christ,