Canterbury Tales by Taylor Marshall: Did you know the 7 Sorrows of Mary conform to the ...

Canterbury Tales by Taylor Marshall: Did you know the 7 Sorrows of Mary conform to the ...: The Seven Sorrows of Mary are one of the most fruitful topics of mental prayer. On Fridays especially, the Seven Sorrows are a way to bette...

CEAP-Press Release: ‘AND THEY SPAT AT HIM’ A Statement of CEAP on the Exhibit ‘Politeismo’

CEAP-Press Release: ‘AND THEY SPAT AT HIM’ A Statement of CEAP on the Exhibit ‘Politeismo’

Some Facts about the Feast of the Assumption

Today is the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the 1962 Missal, this feast has a rank of first class. On the other hand, the 1970 Missal gives it a rank of solemnity. Here are some facts about this feast:

1. On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII, infallibly and dogmatically declared that “the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”[1]

2. Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox calls this feast the Dormition of the Theotokos (the falling asleep of the Mother of God).

3. The Eastern Church started to celebrate the feast on August 15 since the 6^th century.[2]

4. “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”.[3]

5. There is one variation to the story of Mary’s Assumption. According to which one of the apostles, often identified as St Thomas, was not present at the death of Mary, but his late arrival precipitates a reopening of Mary's tomb, which is found to be empty except for her grave clothes. In a later tradition, Mary drops her girdle down to the apostle from heaven as testament to the event.[4]

6. This feast confirms us in the virtue of hope, whereby we seek holiness of life in the midst of our ordinary duties. At the same time, it exhorts us to see heaven as our final home.[5]

7. “Our Lady assumed into heaven is the guarantee of the Lord's fidelity to his promise: he reserves a munificent reward for his humble Servant because of her faithful cooperation with the divine plan, which is a destiny of fulness, happiness, glorification of her immaculate soul, her virginal body, perfect configuration to her Risen Son.”[6]

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[1] Cf. Pius XII, Constitution Munificentissimus Deus.

[2] Cf. Holweck, F. (1907). The Feast of the Assumption. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved August 8, 2011 from New Advent: Retrieved August 8, 2011 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm

[3] Cf. Rev. 12:1 (DRV)

[4] Cf. Ante-Nicene Fathers - The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325, vol. 8 page 594

[5] Cf. 2011 Ordo of the Philippines

[6] Cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Marialis cultus.

[7] Cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_Mary