Church Services
August 15, 2004 - The two week Dormition Fast comes to a conclusion with the observance of the Feast of the Dormition (Falling-Asleep) of the Mother of God. The Virgin Mary lived in Jerusalem for several years after the Ascension of her Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. She lived with the Apostle John the Theologian. You will recall that among the last words spoken by Jesus on the Cross was the instruction to John that he should care for the Virgin Mary as he would his own mother. In turn, she would regard John as her son, as is recounted in the Biblical passage: "When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!' And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." (John 19:26-27)
The Virgin Mary spent the remaining years of Her life on earth teaching the Apostles, greeting visitors to Jerusalem from the known world, and visiting as well those sites which were significant to her Son during His Ministry on earth. She prayed at these places, weeping, remembering the suffering of the Saviour, and rejoicing at the places of His Resurrection and Ascension. She often prayed that Christ would soon take Her to Himself in Heaven.
 |
 |
One day when the Virgin Mary was praying on the Mount of Olives, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her and told Her that in three days She would finish Her earthly life. Mother Mary wanted to bid farewell to all of the Apostles who were dispersed throughout the world preaching. At her repose, all of the Apostles, save Thomas, had been miraculously reunited in Jerusalem. At the hour of Her death, an extraordinary light shone in the room where the Mother of God lay. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, surrounded by angels, appeared and received Her pure soul (depicted as a small child held by Christ - please see icon above). The Apostles buried the pure body of the Mother of God according to Her instructions, in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the body of Her parents and the righteous Joseph were buried. At Her funeral, many miracles were performed. Three days after the burial of the Mother of God, the Apostle Thomas arrived in Jerusalem, wishing to venerate Her remains. The stone guarding Her tomb was rolled away by the Apostles but all that remained in the tomb was a portion of the Virgin Mary's burial shroud. Later that evening, She appeared to the Apostles in the radiance of heavenly glory saying, "Rejoice! I am with you always, and will pray for you before God." Thus, our Lord Jesus Christ glorified His Most-Holy Mother, resurrecting Her and taking Her most holy body to Himself, setting Her higher than all the ranks of His angels.
Clerics wear blue vestments on this day, the color associated with all Holy Days of the Mother of God. On this Feast, flowers are blessed at the completion of the Divine Liturgy.
You may click on the two photos immediately below to view enlargements.
As the Divine Liturgy reaches its conclusion, Father David comes to the table in the center of the Church where parishoners have laid the flowers at the beginning of the Liturgy. He first censes the flowers (above left) and then prays over them (above right), reading from a book of services known as "The Great Book of Needs". Below left, Father David blesses the flowers with Holy Water and then the parishoners receive a similar blessing (below right).
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Charley had threatened heavy rain early Sunday morning, however, the storm did not materialize in our area and one can see from the two photos below that Divine Services were well attended.
Above and below left, parishoners depart Church for home with their newly-blessed flowers in hand.
return to photos menu
Copyright © 2004, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ
