Every year on August 15, our parish gathers to celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos—the “falling asleep” of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and the one in whose honor our church is named.
In the Orthodox tradition, the Feast of the Dormition is not about death as a final end, but about the transformation of death through Christ. We believe that the Virgin Mary, having lived her life in profound communion with God, “fell asleep” in the Lord—a peaceful death marked by holiness. But because of her unique role in salvation history, her body did not remain in the grave. She was taken up—body and soul—into the heavenly Kingdom. This is what we call her “Assumption” or “Translation” into heaven. Her Dormition is both a sign of hope and a foretaste of what is promised to all who are united to Christ: resurrection, transfiguration, and eternal life in God’s presence.
We call her the Theotokos, which means God-bearer in Greek, because she carried Christ in her womb and gave Him to the world. She is honored not for her status, but for her deep faith, humility, and unwavering “yes” to God.
At Assumption, this feast is like a spiritual homecoming. The church fills with flowers and hymns. We prepare through fasting and prayer, then gather in joy to remember that—like the Virgin Mary—our true life is hidden with Christ in God.
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