Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary c. Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary - what can and cannot be done on the holiday. How to properly celebrate the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary - what not to do on a bright day

On August 28, Orthodox believers celebrate the holiday - the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017. On this day, the Dormition Fast ends in honor of the passage of the Virgin Mary from one life to another. tells about the history and main traditions of the holiday.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017: holiday traditions

According to church legend, the Mother of God knew exactly the time of her death and prepared for this day with prayer and fasting. Subsequently, the fast was called Assumption, and all believers adhere to it every year, paying tribute to the Virgin Mary.

According to legend, on this day the apostles gathered in Jerusalem to perform the rite of burial of the Virgin Mary.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary: holiday traditions

On this day, you must attend a liturgical service in the church, and also light a candle.

The harvest ended on the Assumption. In honor of the holiday, it was customary to bake pies and gather guests in the house.

There is a sign that on this day it is easy for young girls to find a betrothed with whom she will spend her whole life. Traditionally, on the Assumption, guys went to woo those they would like to marry.

On the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, people went to church to bless the ears of corn and seeds, and then baked bread, which they distributed to the poor and needy.

Also on this day, housewives began making preparations for the winter.

An important and solemn day in the Orthodox world is the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For believers, this is truly a holiday, since the Mother of God was accepted into heaven.

For Orthodox people, death is not the end of life, but the liberation of the soul from sins, resurrection, purification, therefore the Dormition is truly a holiday and every believer should know its date. The Virgin Mary prayed that she would see her son as soon as possible and be near him all the time. Her prayers were answered and one day she was taken to heaven. We invite you to find out the history of the holiday, its traditions and find out the answer to the question: what date is the Assumption in 2017.

When will the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary take place in 2017?

The holiday is celebrated annually on August 28 and this year there will be no exception. The day precedes the Assumption Fast, which lasts 14 days. This fast was considered easier, because on its days you can afford potatoes, fresh vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms. At the same time, the Assumption Fast is no less strict. Within its framework, no festivities, folk shows or other fun were held.

If you carefully study history, you can understand that a lot was written and said about the Virgin Mary in the period before the conception of Jesus Christ and before his crucifixion. When he was crucified on the cross, his mother did not leave his side, held his hand and felt all his suffering. The Virgin Mary believed that only the body died and that very soon she would meet her son.

Years passed, Mary lived in the care of John's family, but Mary had no peace. She often came to the place where her son suffered, visited the cave where he ascended and asked for death in order to meet her son. And the Lord heard Mary and instantly all the disciples of Jesus Christ gathered around her from all over the world, they suffered, feeling that the Virgin Mary would soon leave. Mary promised to pray for everyone and protect them.

Suddenly the room became too bright, Christ appeared with the angels and symbolically took her soul to take her to heaven. Maria died falling asleep. For her it was a joyful event, she fell asleep, and hence the “dormition.” Mary was taken to the tomb, where her husband also rested. The apostles remained near the tomb for three days and prayed. The Apostle Thomas did not have time for burial and was very saddened by this. Then the other apostles allowed us to worship the Mother of God and opened the entrance to the tomb. Opening the coffin, they saw that Mary’s body was not there. She, like her son, ascended to heaven. It is believed that Mary did not die, but fell asleep and awakened to eternal life. The apostles raised their heads to the sky and saw a smiling Mary there, who once again promised to pray for everyone. It was a miracle, just like the virgin birth.

It is worth noting that the holiday itself was previously called not the Assumption, but “Memory of the Blessed,” later it was called the “Feast of the Death of the Mother of God.”

Feast of the Dormition - signs, customs, traditions

In Orthodoxy, the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is one of the twelve and has certain rules and traditions. On this day, as on other main church holidays, you cannot work, although there are some points that we will talk about later.

Before this day arrives, it is necessary to fast, attend church, receive communion, and repent. On the day of the Assumption, they pray to the Mother of God, asking for health, well-being, and family happiness. The girls asked the Virgin Mary to send them a good groom and a child. If Assumption falls on Friday or Wednesday, then you can try some fish. Breaking the fast will be postponed to the next day. If the date of the holiday falls on some other day, then you can do whatever you want.

On this day, it is customary for the whole family to gather and spend time with their mothers. It is not customary to be sad, swear, or be offended on the Assumption; on the contrary, on this day they give each other happiness, kindness, smiles, and good mood.

On this day, according to custom, the harvest ended, thus the end of a successful harvest was also celebrated on the Assumption. They thanked the Mother of God for a good harvest and prosperity in the house. Seeds and ears of corn are brought to church for the Assumption to be blessed. There was a tradition of dressing the sheaf in a dress and placing it under the icon.

Previously, it was believed that the Indian summer began with the Assumption, so they carefully monitored weather changes. If a rainbow appears on August 28, then expect a warm autumn. But if the weather is good on this day, then Indian summer will not be very warm.

If you notice a lot of cobwebs in a house or barn, this means that the winter will be snowless and frosty.

We looked at the Dormition for water: if it is agitated, then expect a windy autumn and a snowy winter. If you notice frost already on August 28, then expect early frosts, autumn will be short.

From the Assumption they began to prepare various nuts and mushrooms for the winter. By the way, if it’s foggy on Assumption, then expect a good mushroom harvest. Housewives at the Assumption always pickled cucumbers for the winter. It was believed that they would not become moldy and would be well preserved.

The girls had a superstition that if you didn’t look for a groom on Assumption, you could spend the entire winter married to your suitor. The guys tried to propose to the chosen girl as quickly as possible in order to have time to get married.

The Church does not support all kinds of fortune telling, but on this day young women used sand and wax to tell fortunes to see their future. On this day, women lay down on the ground and rolled on it, asking for strength and good spirits to be returned.

After the Dormition, the Nut Savior is celebrated on August 29. They also call it bread. It is by this day that the nuts are fully ripened and can be collected. In addition, on this day they baked bread and pies from the new harvest.

What don't they do on Assumption?

As with many church holidays, there are certain prohibitions on Assumption Day.

Firstly, on this day you should never quarrel with loved ones, especially mothers.

It is believed that you cannot go to the Assumption with bare feet. People noticed that this could lead to illness. On this day, they wore comfortable shoes that would not rub or put pressure on their feet.

According to different sources, there is different information about whether it is possible to work on this day. Some sources say that it is strictly forbidden, while others say that, on the contrary, all important matters are completed on this day. Especially, you can work if the activity is related to helping people.

They do not take piercing objects on this day - it was believed that this could lead to trouble. Thus, no knives, no scissors, no needles were used at the Assumption. And on this day it was forbidden to stick a knife into the ground.

On this day, it was considered a serious sin to drop bread or crumbs of bread that was consecrated in the church.

There was a belief that girls were not supposed to cut their hair on the Assumption, much less throw it away. It was believed that such actions could evoke the tears of the Mother of God.

In order not to attract various misfortunes and diseases to your home, you should not light a fire on this day.

Interesting facts about the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary

Many icons, paintings, poems, and songs are dedicated to the Feast of the Assumption. Temples, settlements, and streets are named in honor of this day. By the way, Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, is named precisely in honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, because the word is translated from Spanish as “dormition.”

Michelangelo da Caravaggio painted The Death of Mary commissioned by the papal lawyer Laerzo Cherubini. It was intended for the family church of Santa Maria della Scala. The clergy rejected the painting because of the inappropriate pose of the Virgin Mary, and also because she was depicted dead, and not as a woman who was miraculously ascended to heaven, beautiful and peaceful. But Rubens saw in the painting one of Michelangelo’s best works.

The largest altar painting in Venice is the work of Titian - “The Assumption of the Virgin”. The painting consists of several levels, has bright colors, unusual poses and actions of the apostles and the Virgin Mary. This work immediately attracted the attention of many people, and Titian became very popular.

The classic icon dedicated to the Dormition looks like this: in the center of the canvas there is a bed covered with a purple veil, on it lies the body of the Mother of God, with the apostles standing around. Behind the bed is Jesus, who holds the holy soul of Mary in his hands. In addition, angels fly over the Virgin Mary and the Savior, witnessing this important event. It is believed that this is the simplest ancient image of the Assumption. Later, the creators of the icons began to expand the storyline.

Descriptions of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary are written in the form of apocrypha. Such information is completely absent from the Bible.

The Catholic Church tells the story of the Assumption with an emphasis on the Ascension of the Virgin Mary into heaven and her coronation as Queen of Heaven. At the burial site of the Mother of God in Jerusalem, ceremonial events are held on the day of the Assumption.

Every Orthodox people knows that the Dormition Fast is a multi-day fast that was established in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary back in the days of early Christianity. The first mentions of him date back to 450, and they can be found in St. Leo the Great. Every year, including 2017, The Assumption Fast begins on August 14 and ends on the 27th. The first day is the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and the last day is the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Despite the fact that he is not as popular as the Great, people close to the church try to observe all his canons. Don’t think that fasting is something difficult to accomplish. Quite the opposite. Every year, more and more people prefer to take such short breaks in their lives, abstaining from certain dishes and products.

It is believed that during such food “respites” a person merges even more with nature, tunes in to a harmonious existence and gets closer to God. Bad thoughts, sins and actions fade into the background, and a happy life begins to appear on the horizon.

During any fast, you should devote less time to preparing various dishes, let go of gluttony and indulge in pure thoughts. Eating modest food for several weeks can become a real test for the housewife. But even these sufferings will be rewarded with spiritual purity and peace.

Although the Assumption Fast is considered strict, in reality it is not so terrible. The end of summer is a pleasant period when you always have fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs at home. Therefore, you can combine business with pleasure, significantly expand your diet with delicious lean dishes and saturate your body with vitamins.

People often associate the Assumption Fast with Honey, Bread and Apple Spas, because it is at this time that they are celebrated.

Nutrition calendar by day

This fast is as severe as Lent, so it has certain rules that must be followed.

Based on the monastic charters:

  • on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - dry eating;
  • on Tuesdays and Thursdays – boiled food (meat excluded);
  • on Saturdays and Sundays – wine and vegetable oil are allowed;
  • On the first day of Lent, the Feast of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord is celebrated. This day is popularly known as the Honey Savior. It is allowed to eat honey gingerbreads, pancakes with poppy seeds and honey, rolls, buns and pies.
  • August 19 – Transfiguration of the Lord or Apple Savior. Those who are fasting can eat fruits and vegetables that are ripe for this time, as well as fish products.
  • The Dormition Fast ends with the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 28) and it is necessary to try to break the fast smoothly. If this day falls on Wednesday and Friday, then the breaking of the fast will only take place on the next day. And if on any other day, then for the holiday you can treat yourself to fish dishes.

You should not get carried away with permitted foods, because fasting is, first of all, humility (even about food) and repentance. Due to the fact that the Assumption Fast takes place at the end of summer, many farmers harvest their crops, so it is very easily tolerated. Even those people who do not own land can please themselves with ripe fruits and vegetables bought in the store, because they are all on store shelves in pleasant abundance.

How to diversify your menu in Lent

Very often people are mistaken, thinking that fasting is expensive and tasteless. It is much more expensive to buy sausage or sausages every day. Even Lenten dishes can be tasty, the main thing is to show a little imagination. It is for Lent that you need to prepare in advance, thinking through each dish, and the Assumption Lent has never caused problems with the menu.

For example, you can prepare a nutritious and tasty dish - porridge. Cereals have always been considered a healthy product, you just need to know how to cook them. Using spices and seasonings, you can easily treat yourself to aromatic porridge with vegetables.

Due to the fact that during this period there is a lot of vegetables and herbs, any housewife can prepare an appetizing vegetable soup, and the abundance of seasonal vegetables will significantly diversify the diet of the whole family and eat a new dish every day. Don’t forget about mushrooms, because they are healthy and rich in protein and microelements.

Apples are the star of this post. You can bake them, make pies and bagels with apples, salads, compotes, jelly... In general, a skilled cook can prepare a tasty and lean dish from this fruit.

Fasting is a wonderful time that allows a person to forget about earthly joys for a few days and remember spiritual feelings. During such abstinence, many of us understand the true meaning of our life and try to convey this thought to loved ones.

Traditions of the Dormition Fast

  1. Among the main traditions of the Dormition Fast one can highlight the blessing of honey. It is taken to church for the first Honey Savior and only after the Savior is over can this honey be eaten.
  2. During the Assumption of the Savior, they also bring a fresh harvest of apples and grapes to the church and bless these gifts of nature.
  3. Traditional dishes of Uspensky Spas are mushroom dishes. At this time, it was customary to go to the forest to pick mushrooms, and then cook healthy dishes from them.

Video section

The Day of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is included in the category of especially revered twelve holidays of the Christian church calendar. This celebration is preceded by a difficult two-week Dormition Fast, symbolizing the voluntary refusal of the Mother of God from food on the threshold of her death. Initially called "Blessed Memory", today's feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017 is shrouded in dozens of ceremonies, traditions, signs, rituals, strict rules (what can and cannot be done). The history of the date, although it contains a tragic event, is surprisingly beautiful and touching. And even thousands of years later, people congratulate each other in their own words in prose, beautiful poems and pictures on the magical transition of the “God-chosen girl” to eternal life.

What date is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated in 2017?

A true Christian, even without visiting church weekly, is obliged to navigate the most important church celebrations. For example, what date is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated in 2017? After all, the holiday of the Virgin Mary’s permission from earthly life and her transition to the Kingdom of the Never-Evening Light falls annually on the same day - August 28 according to the Gregorian calendar or August 15 according to the Julian calendar. It was during this period, almost 2 thousand years ago, that the death of the Mother of God, called the “Assumption,” occurred. This name was given to the event because the Virgin “seemed to fall asleep for a short time, and, as if from sleep, rose to eternal life.”

History of the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2017

But it is not enough to know what date the Dormition of the Virgin Mary falls on in 2017; it is also important to be aware of the historical overtones of the holiday, its symbolism and meaning for modern people.

After the crucifixion of Jesus, the Mother of God did not leave the Holy Sepulcher. The virgin prayed from her heart and asked the Almighty to take her and her son. The sincere prayers of the Mother of God were heard. One day, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and informed her of her imminent death. Before leaving for another world, Mary wanted to say goodbye to the disciples of Jesus. Dispersed throughout the world, as if at the behest of the Lord, the apostles appeared at Mary’s deathbed on the last day of her life. After her Assumption, the Mother of God was placed in a cave and the entrance was covered with a heavy stone. The apostles spent another three days at her tomb, reading prayers for her repose. Then Thomas appeared, upset by the delay. When the apostles moved the stone to let Thomas in to the tomb of the Mother of God, the cave turned out to be empty. A few hours later, the Spirit of Mary appeared to them.

That is why it was decided to call the celebration the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos: the Virgin Mary did not rest forever, but ascended to heaven. Only the body was consigned to the earth, and the soul went to God's Kingdom.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary: traditions, signs and rituals

In ancient times, on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, peasants brought various ears of corn and individual seeds to the temple to consecrate. The last uncut handful of spikelets was left in the field, tied with a ribbon and spoken for a successful harvest in the new year. On the day of the First Most Pure Mistress, they completed the harvest, baked bread and pies, and invited guests to a festive dinner.

Today, the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated by Orthodox believers in many countries of the world: Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia, Armenia, Belarus, etc. On this day, people pray to the Mother of God, asking for everything that is missing for complete happiness: health, peace, peace in the home, children and prosperity. The celebration is celebrated with family, certainly with parents. Delicious treats that were prohibited during the Dormition Lent are put on the table.

On the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, traditions, signs and rituals are observed not only within home walls, but also in city and village churches, churches, cathedrals, and monasteries. On the day of the First Most Pure Mother of God, the clergy anoint parishioners with oil, conduct hymns, read certain prayers, dismissals, litanies, and troparia.

Folk signs for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In addition to traditions and rituals for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, signs are also held in special esteem. Thanks to observation of the environment on the day of the First Pure Mother of God, superstitious people from ancient times determined the quality and quantity of the future harvest, the weather for the coming winter, marriage, wealth, and illness. Eg:

  • Farewell to the Assumption - Meet Baba. It is after August 28 that Indian summer begins;
  • If a rainbow is visible at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the whole autumn will be dry and warm;
  • On the First Holy Day the weather will be warm - Indian summer will be cold;
  • On August 28, all swallows fly south;
  • If there is a cobweb spread on the branches of bushes and trees, the next winter will be snowless and cold;
  • On August 28, potato harvesting is to begin, and winter crop sowing is to be completed;
  • If you make jam for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and pickle cucumbers for the winter, you won’t be hungry in the cold;
  • Whoever manages to plow the land before the First Mother of God will have time to reap another hay.
  • If you don’t have a groom in sight since the Assumption, you’ll have to spend the whole winter as a wench;

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary: signs for marriage for girls

For a long time before the onset of the First Pure Mother, all young people hurried to perform the folk matchmaking ritual in order to take the most beautiful, intelligent and economical girl as their wife. It was believed that marriage omens for girls and boys came true more accurately than usual on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And if you get married on this day, your future family life will certainly be happy, peaceful, rich, and successful. It is not surprising that on the feast of the Blessed One, not only invited relatives, but also admirers and matchmakers appeared on the doorstep of the house. And those girls who were not lucky enough to find matchmakers in their house at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary had to watch for signs and perform traditional rituals that attracted suitors.

How to predict marriage on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In order to attract a betrothed for at least the next year, girls at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary performed special rituals and followed the signs for marriage. Most often, unmarried girls on the First Most Pure Day washed their bodies clean before going to bed, sat in front of the mirror, lit candles and combed their hair. Observing your reflection, you said the following words:

I'm a beautiful girl

I have a long braid.

Let the evil spell go away

Marriage is not interfered with.

Come to me, betrothed,

Come quickly - I’ll take a nap.

There is no me more beautiful for you.

There is no me better for you.

There is no me more desirable for you.

After this, the candles were blown out and hidden until the next holiday. The comb was placed under the pillow so that the future groom would dream about it at night. They turned the mirror away and did not look at it for three days.

What not to do on the day of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Most holidays in the Orthodox and Catholic calendars involve prohibitions on any physical labor, gardening, and even small household tasks, including cooking. In this sense, the First Most Pure Church is radically different from other religious celebrations. What you should not do on the day of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, read in detail in the next section.

Church prohibitions on the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for religious or superstitious reasons, you cannot do the following:

  • It is prohibited to use knives, scissors and other cutting and stabbing objects. It was believed that any cuts were harmful to the body of the Mother of God;
  • You cannot eat borscht, tomatoes and other red foods;
  • You shouldn't walk barefoot. On the First Most Pure Dew - the tears of the earth for the dead Mary. Getting your feet wet can cause you to get seriously ill;
  • Any calluses from uncomfortable shoes on the Dormition of the Virgin Mary are a signal of impending troubles;
  • You cannot quarrel with your relatives on the First Most Pure Day;
  • It is not recommended to refuse work. On the contrary, if someone asks for physical help, one must certainly agree.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017: congratulations in verse for family and friends

In Orthodox commemorations, death, in principle, has no place. Any ending to life’s journey is associated with holy resurrection, the liberation of the soul from a sinful body. This means that the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017 is a holiday of light, joy, blessing and holy honor, why not give your family and friends the kindest congratulations in verse on such a day. Wish all family members, friends and colleagues good life changes, new discoveries, success, and fulfillment of dreams. For the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017, select congratulations in verses for family and friends in advance from our next section.

Examples of beautiful congratulations in verse for the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Our Lady of the Assumption,
Light of Divine Glory,
There are great signs in it,
Life's important chapters.

May the Virgin Mary
Always protects you
Peace to both heart and home
Definitely carries it.

To you on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
I want to sincerely wish from my heart,
To heavenly blessing
Always accompany you in everything.

May the Virgin's holy prayer have the power
Will protect you from all adversity.
So that there is a lot of joy in life,
What the heart yearns for and calls for!

Long life, good health
In honor of this holiday, I wish you -
Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary,
Virgins, who gave God to us all.

I wish that for long days
You were surrounded by family and friends,
So that peace and tranquility reign in the soul,
You don't have to be bored alone!

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2017: congratulations in prose “in your own words”

Following the Assumption Fast and the First Most Pure Lady itself comes Myasoed - a warm autumn “non-Lenten” time, during which weddings most often took place. All these good events, including the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017, are an excellent occasion to congratulate friends and family “in your own words” in prose. To do this, you can compose a beautiful speech yourself in advance or use our short preparations.

We have collected the best congratulations in prose “in your own words” on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary below.

A selection of heartfelt prose congratulations on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On the day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, I would like to sincerely wish you to always appreciate everything that you have in your life, not to waste time on insults and stupid quarrels with loved ones, to cherish every moment of happiness and joy, to give your heart the opportunity to sincerely love and hope.

Today is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let this day become a bright, wide road to faith. May the life path of the Mother of God and holy prayers warm and fill souls with grace. May they grant patience, understanding and kindness of thoughts to all people on the planet.

Today the Catholic and Orthodox Church commemorates the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary! Let us also remember our intercessor mother on this holiday. Let us remember with quiet, joyful prayer. Let us ask her for blessings in our deeds and labors, and I believe that she will not leave her children in darkness, without her blessing. Hallelujah!

Congratulations-pictures for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2017

Congratulations-pictures for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2017 are no less popular among young people. They can be easily sent to the recipient via a mobile or Internet network on a phone, tablet, or computer. In addition, a wide selection of all kinds of congratulatory pictures with the Dormition of the Virgin Mary allows you to select the best one for a particular age category: for grandparents - icons with images, for mothers and fathers - illustrations with temples or biblical events, for brothers and sisters - funny gifs with poems and wishes.

The best congratulatory pictures with the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary








Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017 is a holiday of light, joy and goodness. Even despite the tragic history, the First Most Pure Day is celebrated cheerfully, observing all traditions, rituals, and signs. Both adults and children should definitely remember what date the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is in order to congratulate everyone around with beautiful wishes in poetry, prose, and pictures.

On August 28, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the day of her transition from one life to another. This holiday, dedicated to the Mother of God, ends the August two-week Dormition Fast.

When is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2017?

The Orthodox Church celebrates on August 28, 2017 one of the twelve main holidays of the year - the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day, Christians remember the death of the Virgin Mary, and the word “dormition” here does not mean death, but ascension to God.

History of the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

After Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, the Virgin Mary remained in the care of the Apostle John. The beginning of King Herod's persecution of Christians forced the Mother of God and John to settle in Ephesus. There the holy Virgin knelt in prayer, asking God to take her to him, and then one day the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and told her that her earthly life would end in three days.

Before her death, the Virgin Mary gathered all the apostles. They gathered near her bed, where she accepted death. The coffin with the body of the Mother of God was buried in a cave, and the apostles remained at its foot for three more days and prayed. The Apostle Thomas was late for the funeral. He was allowed to go into the tomb and worship the body of the saint, but there was nothing inside, which marked the ascension of the spirit and body of the Mother of God.

The meaning of the holiday

The Slavic word “dormition” means sleep. As they say, perhaps the meaning of the Feast of the Assumption is in the understanding that there is no final death, and, accordingly, no fear of it. There is life on Earth in a physical body, and life in another space and dimension. Each life has its own laws of existence. Every person on Earth has everything necessary to create his life the way he wants to see it. And each of us has a choice of what to fill our lives with, what to acquire, what to be happy about and in what direction to move. The main thing is to be honest with yourself and your desires.

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a special holiday for all Christians, since it is dedicated to the Mother of God. Namely: her dormition. It is celebrated every year on August 28th. People also call this holiday the First Most Pure One.

What you definitely need to do on the Assumption

Go to church for a service

In the old days, on these days, ears of wheat from the new harvest were brought to church for consecration. This is not practiced now. But the service on this day is special - solemn and festive. You should also definitely light a candle, remembering all your family and friends.

Pray for the children

The Mother of God, as our ancestors believed, listens especially sensitively to prayers for children on this day. Therefore, you need to ask the Virgin Mary for health for the children, and for a happy fate for the girls of marriageable age.

Giving alms and feeding the poor on this day is considered a rule. Because on a day like the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, all people, including those who do not have financial stability, should feel joy and protection.

Making preparations for the winter is not only possible, but also necessary! It was believed that in the near future the garden would no longer have the variety of vegetables that could be prepared in reserve. Particular attention was paid to pickling cucumbers.

And, of course, on this day you can get married. Receiving matchmakers and discussing the details of the upcoming wedding is a very good omen that promises a happy married life.

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a very important and revered holiday. Therefore, it is not surprising that a huge number of different traditions, beliefs, and, of course, prohibitions are associated with it.

What not to do on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On this day, you should never walk barefoot in the dew: it is believed that this way you can only collect illnesses.

You should not wear uncomfortable shoes: this can lead to misfortunes and misfortunes.

Our ancestors believed that on this day you should not stick anything sharp into the ground, because it should rest.

On this day you should also not cut food with a knife. Therefore, housewives even tried not to cook anything in the kitchen that day. They prepared festive dishes on the eve of the Dormition, and broke bread with their hands.

And especially on Assumption, you cannot quarrel with anyone: otherwise there will be squabbles in the house all year long.

Traditions for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary coincides with the end of the Dormition Fast, which is considered strict.

Anyone who has fasted for two weeks can begin to eat a variety of foods. But if the Dormition of the Virgin Mary falls on Wednesday or Friday, then you need to wait one more day.

On this day, believers go to church to honor the memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary. People will ask for help and protection from the Most Holy Theotokos.

Prayer for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“Oh, great Virgin Mary, we pray to you, please hear us, deliver us from fears and horrors, from all evil spirits and evil. Save our house, our city and our country. All the righteous call on your name and pray to you. Save us from troubles, from illness, from floods, from the invasion of our enemies, from fires and misfortunes. Have mercy on us and forgive all our sins. Let us glorify your name and your Son Jesus Christ. Deliver us from torment, O Holy Virgin Mary. Let us rejoice in Your reunion with Your Son in Heaven! May there be peace on earth and may Your name be glorified! In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. From now on and forever. Amen!"

Folk signs for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

  • After the Assumption, Indian summer begins, which will last throughout September. In ancient times they said: “See off the Dormition, and welcome autumn.”
  • If a rainbow appears in the sky on this day, autumn will be warm. And the weather is good for the holiday - Indian summer will be cool.
  • A lot of cobwebs symbolize that the winter will be frosty and with little snow.
  • During this period, Ukrainians complete the harvest: the last sheaf was left in the fields for the Assumption, and seeds and ears of various breads were brought to the church for consecration.
  • After the Feast of the Assumption, they began to collect mushrooms and nuts in the forests and stored them for the winter.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017: pictures, postcards with congratulations

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017: pictures, postcards. One of the greatest Orthodox holidays has arrived - the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The holiday is celebrated annually on the same day - August 28. The holiday is dedicated to the glorification of the Mother of God.

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is preceded by a strict Dormition Fast, which lasts for two weeks; on the eve of the holiday, an all-night vigil is held in churches.

On this bright and important day for the entire Orthodox world, believers congratulate each other on the holiday. We invite you to familiarize yourself with a selection of congratulations on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the form of postcards and pictures in electronic form.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2017: pictures, postcards with congratulations