Among all the holidays celebrated by the Orthodox Church, the Virgin Mary is probably the most touching. Believers call the Mother of God holidays when they recall some event related to the Mother of God. This is the Introduction to the temple of the Mother of God, the Annunciation, the Assumption and the order of burial, the Nativity of the Mother of God, the Veil. This list is the milestones of the life of the Virgin Mary. True, she took part in some other events that are now celebrated by the holidays: Christmas, the Present, but these days are considered master holidays.
Assumption
The gospel describes only one event that corresponds to the Annunciation.
The Mother of God was very modest and, although it is reliably known that the Gospel of Luke was practically written from her words, she never mentioned other events concerning her. All other events were preserved not in the Holy Scriptures, but in the Holy Tradition of the church. The Russian Orthodox Church reveres Tradition as a reliable and important source. It was from him that the story of the Assumption of the Mother of God was taken.
history of the holiday
Shortly before her death, the Virgin Mary wished to see all the apostles. They were brought to her in a cloud so that the Mother of God could say goodbye to the disciples of Christ on earth with the hope of meeting in the High dwellings.
Only one apostle did not arrive at the meeting, it was the apostle Thomas. But, as it becomes clear later, this was a special Providence of God.
The Mother of God was very afraid of the ordeal, and the Son Himself came to take her pure soul to heaven, the next day the rank of burial of the Most Holy Theotokos was appointed. Many people gathered for the funeral, Jews and persecutors of Christians even wanted to make riots. But the wicked, who reached out to the bed of the Most Holy Theotokos and wanted to knock him over, immediately lost them. The angel cut off the hands that touched the coffin.
After such a mutilation, the Jewish priest believed in Christ, repented, was healed, and began to continue the rite of burial of the Most Holy Theotokos with all the disciples. Many miracles and healings took place while the coffin was carried to Gethsemane ...
The Apostle Thomas arrived in Jerusalem three days later. He was very upset that he was not present at the death of the Mother of God and missed the order of the burial of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Thomas went to Gethsemane and, wishing to bow to the remains of the Mother of God, opened a funerary cave. The body of the Virgin Mary was not there. The Lord took Mother to heaven, only the veils remained in the cave.
Modern holiday
Now the Assumption of the Mother of God is preceded by a two-week fast. The holiday itself is celebrated on August 28 in a new style, and on the 29th or 30th of August the rank of the burial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is assigned.
On this day, the solemn and touching All-night Vespers are served. All prayers and the canon are dedicated to the Mother of God. Believers seem to remind her that, despite the Assumption, she promised to help Christians. At the end of the service, the order of the burial of the Most Holy Theotokos takes place.
From the day of the Assumption, the shroud of the Mother of God has been standing in the church, and now the priests take it with singing, prayers, solemnly ringing around the church under the ringing of bells.
The rite of the burial of the Virgin is one of the most impressive services; a lot of people always flock to it.