Assumption of the Body of St. Mary

Background

The high reverence for the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, by the Copts is best expressed in the Coptic synaxarion where she is described as "the sovereign of the universe, the queen of all womanhood, through whom we have grace." Thus the Copts celebrate seven feasts for her.

The Dormition of the Virgin Mary is on the 21st of Tobe (29th of January). The Virgin slept in the Lord at the age of fifty-eight years, eight months, and sixteen days, attended by the disciples and her female companions. In an effulgence of divine light, Christ appeared, with angels and archangels, received her soul, and entrusted it to the archangel Michael.

The bodily taking up into heaven of the Theotokos occurred three days after her burial, on the 24th of Tobe (1st of February). The Coptic Orthodox Church, however, celebrates this feast on the 16th of Mesore (22nd of August), at the end of the fifteen-day fast devoted to the Theotokos. The only apostle who had witnessed the assumption of the Virgin's body was St.Thomas.

According to a Coptic tradition, on his way back from India to Jerusalem, Thomas saw the Theotokos' body carried on the wings of angels, above the mountain of Akhmim in Upper Egypt. The other apostles, desirous of seeing it as well, kept a fast with prayers and were promised by Christ to have their wish granted. This came to pass on a day that was adopted by the Coptic church to be the Feast of the Assumption of the Theotokos, the 16th of Mesore (22nd of August).

Referenced to the Late Bishop Gregorios, the General Bishop of Theological Post Graduate Studies, Coptic Culture and Scientific Research.

Spiritual Application

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God”

Luke 1:35

Some people have difficulty with the concept of the intercession of saints. The church supports the concept of intercessions for many reasons:

- Praying for one another is biblical, and the church believes that the saints are alive.

- It is humbling, along with praying directly to God, to ask the saints to pray to God on our behalves.

- The church believes that God hears the pleas of those who please Him, as seen with Abraham’s pleads with God on behalf of those who are in Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:16-33).

- Venerating the saints and remaining close to them as our patrons in Heaven gives us practical role-models that inspire us to live like them so that we may please God as they do.

- Taking the blessings of the saints does not imply that they are the source of their own blessings, but rather that through their hard work toward the Kingdom of God, God has filled them with His grace. Thus, the church receives the blessings of God imparted onto His saints.

St. Mary is revered above all of the angels and saints, first and foremost because she gave birth to God. This is why icons, rather than showing her alone, show her carrying Christ as a Child in her arms. She is the Theotokos (Mother of God), meaning that Christ was not just fully human when He was given birth to, but rather He was also fully Divine. The key to this title is that Jesus Christ was always fully divine even inside of a human womb, not that St. Mary is the source or mother of divinity. It is a great honor to be filled with Grace through such a magnified event; a degree of Grace that no other creation has ever reached.

Spiritual exercise

Take this time to open your heart to St. Mary as a mother and supporter in your spiritual journey. Contemplate on the various blessings and virtues she has attained, such as obedience, humility, and purity. Take her as an example in your own life and ask her to pray to God on your behalf so that you may also attain those virtues as well. Also, contemplate on the deep love she has for Christ, not just as a worshiper to her God but also as a mother to her Son. Finally, try to keep this fast and attend her venerations as often as you can during these two weeks.

Rites

Overview

This season is chanted with the standard tune. The church fasts with seafood except on Wednesdays and Fridays, however, out of love for St. Mary, often times people will abstain from seafood. The main change from the standard season here is the veneration for St. Mary.

Veneration

The veneration for St. Mary is prayed after the priest prays “God have mercy on us..” during vespers. One view that is held is that venerations should not be prayed during the Holy Communion as this is the epitome of the liturgy and a time of reverence and focus on Christ Himself.

Hymns

introduction to the veneration

Blessed are You indeed with Your good father and the Holy Spirit for you have come and saved us.

o come

O come all you peoples to see the archangel proclaim unto her Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you

O come all you peoples that we may see the archangel saying “Hail to you O Mary for you have found; the Lord is with you.”
Hail Theotokos the palace adorned with Logos of the Father Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you
Hail Theotokos the palace adorned with the Logos of the Father Hail to the bride hail to the wise full of grace the Lord is with you.
Hail to the Theotokos to whom the Holy Spirit came and filled with gracer O mother of the Bridegroom the God of glory the Logos took flesh and was born of you. The heavenly angels always give honor to you among mankind. The joy of all peoples, the archangels rejoice. O Mary full of grace the Lord is with you.
Hal to the Theotokos hail to all-holy virginity. Hail to the mother of our Savior. Rejoice O mary you who begot God. Rejoice O holy Virgin rejoice O mother of Christ.
Hail to heaven Hail to the chase Hail to the mother of Christ Hail to bride Hail to the wise Rejoice O mother of our Savior. Rejoice O light of the world. Hail to the one honored by the archangels.
Rejoice O you who are honored in the sight of the angelic choir. Rejoice O Mary full of grace the Lord is with you.
Blessed is your delivery and blessed is your rejoicing heart Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women and blessed is your fruit in which your heart rejoices O Mary full of grace the Lord is with you.

intercede

Intercede on our behalf O Lady of us all the Theotokos Mary the mother of Jesus Christ that He may forgive us our sins.

rejoice o theotokos

Refrain: Rejoice O Theotokos Mary the mother of Jesus Christ. Rejoice O daughter of Zion rejoice O mother of the King. Rejoice O God our helper shout to the God of Jacob
Jacob will be glad Israel will rejoice.
They will rejoice forever Indeed and we are buoyed with hope.
Rejoice O vine that is ripe and blossoming.
My heart has rejoiced for this my tongue is glad.
The dew the rain and the rejoicing are due to your name.

many are all your wonders

Refrain: Many are all your wonders and precious is your glory the pride of all virgins O Mary the fair dove.
O Lord our Lord how wondrous is Your name in all the earth.
Glory and honor to your mother the high crown.
Precious are all your wonders your gladness and joy.
Precious are all your wonders and glorified is all your greatness.

hymn of joy - venerations

Amen...

O King of Peace, grant us Your peace, establish for us Your peace, and forgive us our sins.
Disperse the enemies of the Church, and fortify Her that She may not be shaken forever.
Emmanuel our God is now in our midst, with the glory of His Father and the Holy Spirit.
May He bless us all, and purify our hearts, and heal the sicknesses of our souls and bodies.
We worship You O Christ with Your good Father and the Holy Spirit, for You have come and saved us.

in the name

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit the Holy and coessential Trinity worthy worthy worthy is Saint Mary the Virgin.

conclusion to the veneration

O our Lord Jesus Christ who carries the sin of the world count us with Your sheep who shall stand upon Your right.
And in Your awesome Second Coming may we never hear with trembling “I do not know you.”
Rather, may we be worthy to hear Your tender voice which is full of joy, proclaiming and saying
“Come unto Me O blessed of My Father and inherit the life that endures forever.”
All the martyrs shall come bearing their afflictions and the righteous shall come bearing all their virtues.
The Son of God shall also come in His and His Father’s glory to reward everyone according to his works.
O Christ the Logos of the Father the Only-Begotten God grant us Your peace which full of every joy.
As You have given to Your holy apostles likewise say unto us “My peace I give to you.”
“My peace which I have taken from My Father I leave unto you from now and forever.”
O angel of this night flying up to the heights with this hymn remember us before the Lord that He may forgive us our sins.
The sick O Lord heal them those who slept repose them and all our brethren in distress help us my Lord and all of them.
May God bless us and let us bless His holy name and may His praise be always on our lips.
Blessed be the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit the perfect Trinity we worship Him and glorify Him.
O Lord, hear us. O Lord, have mercy. O Lord, bless us. Lord have mercy (x3).

rejoice o mary

Rejoice O Mary handmaiden and mother for the angels praise Him who is in your arms
And the cherubim worthily worship Him the seraphim too without ceasing
We have no boldness before our Lord Jesus Christ apart from your prayers and intercessions O our Lady the Lady of us all the Theotokos
We ask you O Son of God to keep the life our patriarch Abba Tawadros the archpriest Confirm him upon his throne
And his partner in the aposotolic liturgy our holy righteous father Abba Youssef the bishop Confirm him upon his throne.
That we may praise You with the cherubim and the seraphim proclaiming and saying
Holy holy holy O Lord the Pantocrator heaven and earth are full of Your glory and your honor.