home Pregnancy and children Icon “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” - how to ask for help? Iconography of the Dormition of the Mother of God.

Icon “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” - how to ask for help? Iconography of the Dormition of the Mother of God.

There are a huge number of icons on which the Mother of God is represented, and each image has its own history and meaning. The icon “Assumption” is especially revered Holy Mother of God”, which contains the important meaning that death is not a dead end and not the end of life for a person.

Icon “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – description

The image represents the transition (dormition) of the Mother of God from the world of the living to heaven. This episode is clearly described in the Bible, where it is said that she for a long time turned to the Lord with prayers, asking to take her to heaven. One day he came to her and told her that she would soon find peace. At the hour of her dormition, a divine light appeared surrounding her deathbed. The icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose significance for believers is enormous, is present in almost all churches.

Who is depicted in the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

The image is unique in that it contains almost all the moments indicated in the story of the Assumption. The iconography of the “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” includes the following details:

In the center is a bed on which the body of the Mother of God is located. In most images, it is covered with crimson-colored material, which indicates the royal dignity of the Queen of Heaven. The purple sandals also testify to the majesty of the Mother of God.
The icon of the Dormition depicts the apostles seated around a bier. The number of upcoming figures depends on the size of the image, but the obligatory participants are Peter (he has a censer with which he fumigates the bed) and John (mourns the Virgin Mary). People who have a connection with the Mother of God can also be depicted together with the apostles.
A candle is often depicted in front of the bed. On some icons you can see severed wrists on the edge of the bed, and next to the bed you can see the man himself with mangled hands. This is Aphonius, who attempted to overturn the bed, but was stopped by an angel with a sword.
Behind the bed stands the Savior, who is surrounded by a huge halo, symbolizing divine glory. In his hands he holds a swaddled baby, who personifies the soul of the Mother of God.
On some icons of the “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” you can see another detail - a free field in the upper part of the image, which is covered with clouds, and on them are figures of people and angels. Icon painters represented the apostles in this way, who were unable to arrive in Jerusalem for forgiveness.

Ancient icons of the Assumption

The depiction of the death of the Virgin Mary was very ancient, its composition was developed around the 9th century. At this time the church was experiencing important times, since the most significant theological positions were being fixed. During the same period, the Feast of the Assumption with its traditions and rules was formed and introduced. Initially, the icon of the “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” was laconic and small-figured, but over time the image was revealed more clearly.

How does the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary help?

You can pray before the image of the Mother of God every day to gain confidence in your abilities. In addition, prayer texts eradicate the fear of physical death. The icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God gathers before itself millions of believers who ask for forgiveness of their sins in order to enter the Kingdom of the Lord. Regular prayer requests help not only heal the soul, but also the body, relieving various diseases. The icon "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary" can be used.

Icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary - meaning for the home

It is believed that Orthodox images are the most powerful protection that helps protect the house and all residents from different problems. The icon of the “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” will surround everything with positive energy and will repel negativity in any of its manifestations. The Feast of the Dormition falls on August 28 (15), and on this day it is recommended to pray before the image in church or at home, atonement for your sins and asking for strengthening of faith. There is a main prayer to the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

history of the holiday

Information about recent years The earthly life of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be gleaned from a number of apocrypha and some pious traditions.

The events of the Dormition and burial of the Virgin Mary are known from such sources as “The Tale of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary” by Pseudo-John the Theologian (mid-5th century), “On the Exodus of the Virgin Mary” by Pseudo-Meliton of Sardinia (not earlier than the 4th century), the work of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite , “Word of John, Archbishop of Thessalonica.” One of these apocrypha is placed in the “History of the Church” by Nicephorus Xanthopoulos. The history of the appearance of the Feast of the Assumption is also described by St. John of Damascus in the work “Second Word of Praise on Dormition of Our Lady", where the words of the Jerusalem Bishop Juvenal are quoted. All of the listed apocrypha are fairly late works (V-VI centuries) and differ from each other in content.

Most researchers agree that the Virgin Mary lived on earth for 72 years and died around 57 AD.

At the time of Her Dormition, the Mother of God lived in Jerusalem, visiting Golgotha and the Holy Sepulcher for prayer. One day, during prayer, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her, saying that in three days She would go to Christ God. Calming Mary so that She would be ready for this hour, the archangel announced to Her: “...Thy Son and our God, with the archangels and angels, cherubim and seraphim, with all the heavenly spirits and souls of the righteous, will receive You, His Mother, into the heavenly kingdom, so that You may live and reign with Him for an infinite time.” In commemoration of his words, the archangel presented the Virgin Mary with a branch of the tree of paradise, instructing her to carry it in front of the coffin of the Virgin Mary during burial.

Before her death, the Mother of God wanted to gather at Her bed the apostles, who by that time were preaching the Christian faith in different countries. Through the prayer of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Holy Spirit miraculously, as legend says, on the clouds, gathered the apostles from different parts of the earth so that they could worship the Most Holy Virgin before Her Dormition.

Having seen the apostles, the Mother of God joyfully surrendered Her soul into the hands of the Lord. This is how he describes it last minutes Saint Demetrius of Rostov: “Suddenly in the upper room the indescribable light of Divine glory shone, darkening the lamps. Those to whom this vision was revealed were horrified. They saw that the roof of the upper room was open and the glory of the Lord was descending from heaven - the King of glory Himself, Christ, with tens of angels and archangels, with all the heavenly powers, with the holy forefathers and prophets who once foretold about the Blessed Virgin, and with all the righteous souls was approaching to His Most Pure Mother."

The apostles buried the Mother of God in the tomb of Her parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna, in which the ashes of Her husband, Joseph the Betrothed, rested, at the very foot of the Mount of Olives, or the Mount of Olives, near the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ so loved to talk with his disciples and where He was taken by the Jews .

Tradition tells the story of how the Jewish priest Afonia, who was passing by, tried to overturn the bed with the body of the Virgin Mary, but his hands were immediately cut off by an unknown force. After Athonia’s deep repentance, his hands became whole again with divine power, and he himself accepted the Christian faith.

According to the apocrypha, the Apostle Thomas was the only one of Christ’s disciples who did not make it to the funeral of the Mother of God (he came to Jerusalem on the third day after the burial). Then the apostles led him to the tomb so that he could also venerate the body of the Mother of God. As St. Demetrius of Rostov narrates, “when the holy Apostles, having rolled away the stone, opened the coffin, they were horrified: there was no body of the Mother of God in the coffin - only funeral shrouds remained, spreading a wondrous fragrance; The holy Apostles stood in amazement, wondering what this meant! Kissing the funeral shroud remaining in the tomb with tears and reverence, they prayed to the Lord to reveal to them where the body of the Most Holy Theotokos had disappeared.”

In the evening of the same day, when the apostles all gathered together at a meal, and the Apostle Peter, raising the ukruh as usual in memory of Christ, said: “Great is the name of the Holy Trinity,” Christ’s disciples saw the Most Holy Theotokos in the air, surrounded by angels. Our Lady blessed the apostles with the words “Rejoice! “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Your mother's blessing Holy Virgin spread through the apostles and to all Christian believers until the very last times.

Establishment of a holiday

Until the 4th century, the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary was not celebrated among Christians as a general church holiday. The final establishment of the church celebration of the Dormition in all parts of the Christian world occurred only around the 8th century. The day of the celebration of the Assumption on August 15/28, according to the “History of the Church” by Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulos, was established by Emperor Mauritius, who issued a special edict (second half of the 6th century).

The event of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary was glorified by the canons of St. Kozma Mayumsky and etc. John of Damascus in the 8th century, and the stichera of the holiday were written in the 5th century by Patriarch Anatolius of Constantinople. The holiday has long been preceded by fasting, which was approved in the 12th century. at the Council of Constantinople under Patriarch Luke. The celebration of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos was always held with special solemnity in Gethsemane at the site of Her burial, where a temple was erected in which the funeral shrouds of the Mother of God were kept. In the 4th century. the sacred cover was transferred to the Blachernae temple.

In monasteries and some churches, for the sake of special honoring of the holiday, a special service is performed for the burial of the Mother of God. This service is known from manuscripts of the 15th century and is performed in the likeness of the Matins service on Great Saturday. In the 16th century, this service was very common in the Russian Church, but in the 19th century it was practically forgotten and was performed only in a few places. Currently, the rite of burial of the Mother of God is performed in many cathedral and parish churches on the second or third day of the holiday. The service begins with an all-night vigil; during the Great Doxology, the clergy goes to the shroud with the image of the Mother of God lying in the middle of the church; Its incense is performed, and then the shroud is carried around the temple. After this, the believers are anointed with oil, litanies and dismissal are read.

In Orthodoxy, the holiday is one of the twelve holidays and lasts 9 days - from August 15/28 to August 23/September 5. The holiday is preceded by a two-week Assumption Fast from August 1/14 to August 14/27, which is the strictest after Lent.

The spiritual meaning of the holiday

The Church calls the death of the Mother of God the Dormition, and not death, therefore the usual human death, when the body returns to the earth, and the spirit to God, did not touch the Blessed One: “The rules of nature are conquered in You, O Pure Virgin,” the Holy Church sings in the troparion of the holiday, “ For the Nativity is virgin, and the belly is betrothed to death: after the Nativity the Virgin, and after death is alive, saving ever, O Mother of God, Thy inheritance"(irmos 9 songs of the canon).

The feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also called the “Second Easter”.

This name is evidence that the Dormition of the Mother of God, like the Resurrection of Christ, is salutary for the entire human race as the trampling of death and resurrection to the life of the next century. Like the ascended Savior, the Most Holy Theotokos, in Her appearance to the apostles, promised to be with the human race “all the days until the end of the age.”

Iconography

The composition of the iconography of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary dates back to the post-iconoclastic era. Two ivory plates date back to the end of the 10th century - the setting of the Gospel of Emperor Otto III from the Bavarian Library in Munich and a plaque from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The general composition of the Assumption scene in both monuments will become traditional for the art of Byzantium and Ancient Rus'. The Mother of God is depicted in the center on a bed, on either side of Her are the weeping apostles, behind the bed stands the Savior with the soul of the Mother of God, depicted as a swaddled baby.

Some of the earliest mural images of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary that have survived to this day belong to the 10th-11th centuries. The painting of the Assumption Church in Ateni (Georgia) dates back to the beginning of the 10th century. On this early monument, in addition to the apostles at the bed of the Mother of God, the saints are depicted, who, according to Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, were present at the Assumption. These are James of Jerusalem, brother of the Lord, Dionysius the Areopagite, Hierotheus of Athens and Timothy of Edessa.

A fresco from a cave church in Goreme (Cappadocia, Turkey), dating back to the 11th century, testifies to a fairly well-established composition. In the center, on a purple bed decorated with gold carvings and a white ornamented cover, the deceased Mother of God is depicted. Behind the bed is Christ, who accepted the soul of His Mother in the form of a swaddled baby. The Lord hands Her to one of the two angels, who must ascend Her to the heavenly abodes. On both sides of the bier are the apostles, whose figures have been preserved in fragments. On the left in front of the bed is the Apostle Peter, performing incense, on the right he falls at the feet of the Virgin Mary apostle paul, behind the bed, John the Theologian crouched close to the head of the bed.

Throughout the 10th - 11th centuries, the compositional scheme of the Assumption remains virtually unchanged. Only a few details are added to it, such as, for example, architectural scenes in the background, indicating the historical place where the event of the Assumption took place - the upper room on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. In the window niches of buildings, virgins and wives of Jerusalem are often depicted, to whom, according to the “Word of John, Archbishop of Thessalonica,” the Apostle Peter preached.

Sometimes the soul of the Mother of God is depicted not in the arms of Christ, but in the covered hands of an angel carrying Her to heaven. If there is enough free space for the image (as, for example, in the painting of the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Sopočany Monastery), then the artist places above the bed of the Mother of God a whole host of heavenly forces hovering around the figure of the Savior.

At the end of the 13th - first half of the 14th century, the version of the “cloudy Assumption” became widespread. In this iconographic version, wonderfully admired from different countries the apostles are depicted not only at the bedside, but also in the upper part of the composition flying on clouds towards Jerusalem. In Rus', such an image is first found on an early 13th-century icon from the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary of the Tithe Monastery near Novgorod.

On the temple icon from the Pskov Church of the Assumption “on Paromenye” (first quarter of the 14th century) in front of the bed of the Mother of God, instead of a traditional candle, a vessel is depicted complex shape. The jug-stamna inserted into the bowl here recalls the ancient prototype of the Mother of God - the golden stamna with manna, kept in the Ark of the Covenant. On this Pskov icon, the figure of Christ is inscribed in a dark blue mandorla, which appears in the iconography of the Assumption no earlier than the end of the 12th century.

At the turn of the 12th - 13th centuries, the iconography of the Assumption was supplemented by a plot with the cutting off of the hands of Athos, depicted in the foreground of the composition in front of the bed of the Mother of God. At the same time, the figures of Athonia and the angel cutting off his hands are deliberately reduced as secondary elements of the composition. This plot was first recorded in the fresco of the Church of Panagia Mavriotissa in Kastoria (the turn of the 12th-13th centuries), and in Rus' the episode with the “Miracle of the cutting off of the hands of Athos” appears in the paintings of the cathedral of the Snetogorsk Monastery (1313), the Church of the Assumption on Volotovo Field (1360- e years), the Church of Fyodor Stratelates on the Stream (around 1380) and is present on many icons of the 15th - 16th centuries.

The secondary subjects of the composition of the Dormition can also include the depiction of the episode with the Mother of God presenting her belt to the Apostle Thomas, as can be seen on the icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God from the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery of 1497. According to one of the legends about the Assumption, the Apostle Thomas, who did not have time for the funeral of the Mother of God, witnessed Her ascension into heaven and received a belt from Her hands. Having joined the rest of the apostles, he told them about his meeting with the Mother of God, thereby testifying to Her bodily ascension.

In the 17th century, large-scale icons of the Assumption with stamps appeared, which illustrated the “Tale of the Assumption.” Thus, on the 1658 icon from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the stamps depict the prayer of the Mother of God before her death, the farewell of the Mother of God to her loved ones, the journey of the apostles, their conversation with the Mother of God and other scenes. The most detailed story about the Dormition of the Virgin Mary ends with the image of the Mother of God on a bed in the Garden of Eden.

A similar story about the Assumption is written on the stamps of the Assumption icon of the late 17th century from the Andrei Rublev Museum. In the last mark of this image, not only the apostles stand before the bed of the Mother of God - in the lower right corner the bowing Old Testament righteous are depicted, among whom are the prophets David and Daniel, and behind the bed of Mary is written the figure of a prudent thief with a cross, indicating that the event depicted on the icon is taking place not on earth, but in heaven. In this regard, it is especially noteworthy that the subject of the stamp in question is written on a white background. It was this color that, from the very birth of Christian art, symbolized paradise (A. N. Ovchinnikov: “Every image on a white background should be understood as participation in paradise”).

When talking about the iconography of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is important to note that many of the visual elements that make up this composition have a hidden liturgical meaning. Thus, the bed with the body of the Mother of God is undoubtedly likened to the throne in the temple, and the arrangement of the apostles in two groups, headed by Peter and Paul, on either side of it - to their presence at the Eucharist and communion under two types. Christ behind the bed represents the image of the bishop at the meal. The image in some monuments of the Apostle Peter with a censer in his hand indicates the incense of the holy gifts in the liturgy, and the image of the Apostle John falling to the bed of the Virgin Mary indicates a priest kissing the throne. The images of the four saints, according to legend, who were present at the Dormition of the Mother of God, symbolize the bishop's communion of the priests in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The angels flying to Christ in the Assumption scenes with their hands covered, as if to receive the holy gifts, are images of deacons.

Miraculous and revered icons

Among the numerous miraculous and locally revered images of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a number of the most famous icons can be distinguished.

One of the oldest miraculous icons The Dormition of the Mother of God was written in 1147 and is now in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery. She is known for the miraculous salvation of the city of Pskov in 1581 during the invasion of the Polish king Stefan Batory, as well as in 1812 during Napoleon's invasion of Russia.

The Icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Kievo-Pecherskaya) is one of the oldest revealed Russian icons Orthodox Church. According to legend, the Mother of God Herself presented this icon to four Byzantine architects, who in 1075 brought the image to Saints Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk. The icon was glorified by many miracles. Its iconographic feature is the Gospel standing in front of the bed of the Mother of God.

The Icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Ovinovskaya) became famous in 1425 in the Kostroma province.

The Icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Pskov-Pecherskaya), together with the image of “Tenderness,” showed a miracle in 1581 during the siege of Pskov by the Polish king Stefan Batory. The chronicle recorded the first healing from the image in 1473.

The Icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Pükhtitsa) appeared in the 16th century on Estonian soil. She was found by simple shepherds at the roots of an oak tree after the appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos at the holy spring.

The Icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Semigorodnaya) was painted by the Monk Dionysius of Glushitsky, the founder of the Glushitsky monastery, located in the Kadnikovsky district of the Vologda province. It is believed that from the monastery he founded, this icon of the Mother of God was transferred by some hermits to a distance of 20 miles from the monastery, to impenetrable forests beyond the Dvintsa River in the Semigrad volost.

The Icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Dalmatian) is named after the monk Dalmat, the founder of the Dormition Dalmatovsky Monastery in the Perm province.

Notes

1. The holiday in honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary was originally called “Blessed Memory.” It was under this name that it began to be celebrated in Syria in the 5th century. In the 6th century, the name of the holiday was changed to “Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God.”

2. Until the 13th century, in Byzantine art, the soul of the Virgin Mary, lifted up by angels, was depicted as a baby in white shrouds. The first Byzantine monument, where the ascending soul of the Mother of God is depicted not as a baby, but as an adult Virgin, was the “Golden Gate” of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Suzdal (1230). This image has allowed some researchers to believe that in this case not only the ascension of the soul of the Mother of God into heavenly glory is represented, which happened immediately after separation from the body, but her bodily resurrection by Christ after burial.

3. Rare iconographic detail Novgorod icon are red shoes standing on the foot in front of the bed of the Virgin Mary, which in this context may be an image of leaving the earthly path. It is known that, according to the ceremonial customary in the Roman Empire, red shoes could only be worn by persons of royal blood, including the Mother of God, as she came from the family of King David. Also to interesting features The icons include two tall candlesticks with candles standing behind the bed.

4. A lighted candle is written in front of the bed of the Mother of God according to the own instructions of the Mother of God, who wished for a candle to burn in the upper room (according to the account of John of Thessalonica).

Troparion, tone 1

At Christmas you preserved your virginity, / at the Dormition you did not forsake the world, O Mother of God; / You reposed to the belly, / Mother of the Beings of the Belly, // and through Your prayers you delivered our souls from death.

Kontakion, tone 2

In prayers the never-sleeping Mother of God / and in intercessions the immutable Hope / the grave and mortification cannot be restrained: / like the Mother of the Life / placed to the life // in the womb of the ever-virgin.

Greatness

We magnify You, / Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, / and glorify the all-glorious // Your Dormition.

Prayer

O Most Holy Theotokos, Virgin, Lady, the highest Angel and Archangel and all creatures, the Most Honest, angelic great surprise, prophetic high sermon, apostolic glorious praise, fair adornment of saints, strong affirmation of martyrs, saving instruction for monks, inexhaustible abstinence for fasters, virgins in purity and glory, mothers quiet joy, infants wisdom and punishment, widows and orphans to the Nurse, naked clothes, sick in health, deliverance of captives, floating on the sea in silence, overwhelmed by a calm refuge, wandering not difficult for the Mentor, traveling easy passage, toiling good rest, in the troubles of the present Intercessor, the offended Protection and refuge, hope for those who do not hope, those who require a Helper, those who are sad, ever-present consolation, those who are hated, loving humility, salvation for sinners and appropriation to God, firm protection for the faithful of all, invincible help and intercession! By You, Lady, we see the Invisible One, and we offer a prayer to You, Lady, Thy sinful servants: O Most Merciful and Most Wonderful Light of the intelligent Queen, who gave birth to the King Christ, our God, the Life-Giver of all, glorified from heavenly and praised from earthly, angelic mind, radiant star, the Most Holy One, the Lady of all creatures, the Godly Maiden, the Undefiled Bride, the chamber of the Most Holy Spirit, the fiery Throne of the Invisible King, the heavenly ark, the carrier of the Word of God, the fiery chariot, the chamber of the Living God, the ineffable composition of the flesh of Christ, the nest of the Heavenly Eagle, the God-voiced Turtle, Dove meek, quiet and gentle, Mother of the child-loving, an abyss of mercy, dispelling the cloud of God’s wrath, immeasurable depth, inexpressible in secret, an unknown miracle, opened without hands to the Church of the One King of all ages, fragrant censer, honest scarlet, God-woven purple, spiritual paradise, life-giving garden branch, beautiful flower, heavenly joy that has blossomed for us, the grape of our salvation, the cup of the Heavenly King, in which the wine of inexhaustible grace has dissolved from the Holy Spirit, Intercessor of the Law, conceived the true faith of Christ, an unshakable pillar, the sword of God’s wrath against those who oppose God, intimidation of demons, victory in battle , the unfaithful Guardian of all Christians and the known salvation of the world! O All-Merciful Lady, Virgin Lady, Mother of God, hear us praying to You, and show Your mercy to Your people, pray to Your Son to deliver us from all evil and preserve our monastery and every monastery, and the city, and the country of the faithful, and people, piously running and calling on Your holy name, from all adversity, destruction, famine, cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and civil wars and wounds, from all illness and every situation, and neither wounds, nor reprimand, nor pestilence, nor any Your servants will be humbled by the righteous wrath of God. But observe and save with Your mercy, O Lady, praying for us, and grant us the beneficial dissolution of the air during the time of fruitful offering. Ease, uplift and have mercy, O most merciful Lady, the Mother of God, in every trouble and need that exists. Remember Your servants and do not despise our tears and sighs, and renew us with the goodness of Your mercy, so that we may be comforted with thanksgiving, having found You as a Helper. Have mercy, O Most Pure Lady, on Your weak people, our Hope. Gather those who are scattered, guide those who have gone astray to the right path, bring back those who have fallen away from the pious faith of their fathers, support old age, bring the young to reason, raise children and glorify the glorifying Thee, and most importantly, preserve the Church of Thy Son and preserve the length of days. O Most Merciful and Most Merciful Queen of Heaven and Earth, Ever-Virgin Mother of God! Through Your intercession, have mercy on our country and its army and all Orthodox Christians, preserving them under the roof of Your mercy, protect us with Your honest robe and pray from You, who was incarnate without the seed of Christ, our God, that He may gird us with strength from above against all our visible and invisible enemies. Save and have mercy, O Lady, on our Great Lord and Father Alexy, His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', your Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops of the Orthodox, priests and deacons and the entire clergy, and the entire monastic rank, and all the faithful people who worship and praying before Your honorable icon. Look upon all of us with the gaze of Your merciful intercession, raise us from the depths of sin and enlighten the eyes of the heart to the vision of salvation, be merciful to us here and at the Last Judgment of Your Son, pray for us, having reposed in piety from this life, Your servant in eternal life with the Angels and Archangels and with all the saints, come in rank, so that God may appear at the right hand of Your Son, and through Your prayer grant all Orthodox Christians to live with Christ and enjoy the joys of angels in the Heavenly villages. For You are, Lady, the glory of Heaven and the hope of the earthly, You are our Hope and Intercessor of all those who flow to You and those who ask for Your holy help. You are our warm prayer book for Your Son and our God. Your Motherly Prayer can do much to implore the Lord, and through Your intercession we dare to approach the Throne of Grace of His Most Holy and Life-Giving Mysteries, even if we are unworthy. Moreover, seeing Your all-honorable image and Your hand holding the Almighty on the icon, we rejoice, sinners, falling with tenderness, and kissing this love, hoping, Lady, with Your holy, God-pleasing prayers to reach Heavenly endless life and shamelessly stand on the day of judgment at the right hand of Your Son and our God , glorifying Him together with the Originless Father and the Most Holy, Good, Life-Giving and Consubstantial Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Just like many holy people, the Virgin Mary knew in advance about her own death. Three days before this, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her, the same one who once brought the good news, and told the Mother of God about the upcoming Dormition and Ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary tells exactly about this event and does not describe it comprehensively, offering viewers the opportunity to see not only the obvious world, but also hidden details.

So, in the center, the icon of the Assumption always has the Most Pure Virgin, who is located on the bed. Face with eyes closed, expression calm and serene. Also, most often the body itself is depicted as a little ephemeral, as if slightly transparent, and this artistic device hints at the Resurrection of the Virgin Mary, which happened on the third day after her Dormition.

At the head of the table are the apostles whom the Mother of God wanted to see and who, by the will of the Holy Spirit, ended up there. John the Theologian is always present, because it was to him that Christ said from the cross: “Behold your mother,” pointing to the Most Pure Virgin. He also said to his mother: “Behold your son.”

These phrases have both practical and symbolic meaning. On a practical level, the Savior commanded them to take care of each other, and indeed the Mother of God subsequently went to Ephesus, where she lived in the house of the parents of John the Theologian. At the symbolic level, in this way Christ accepted into his own family not only John, but also every person in his person, that is, he gave everyone the opportunity for salvation and the acquisition of holiness.

In addition, Dionysius the Areopagite and Ignatius the God-Bearer, who are saints, are depicted at the bedside. They left written evidence of this event, so almost every icon of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary depicts these people with scrolls.

Christ is located at the top and in the center, usually in a blue sphere, which symbolizes Heavenly Kingdom. There are cherubs in the sphere, and a fiery seraphim on top. In his hand, Christ holds a small baby with a halo and this symbol indicates the soul of the Mother of God.

The Savior appeared in order to transfer the soul of the Virgin Mary to the Kingdom of Heaven.

The symbolic image of this act, in turn, echoes in an interesting way the composition of the icon of the Mother of God and Child.

Many of those who look at the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary are interested in the meaning of the two figures that are often depicted under the bed of the Blessed Virgin. It depicts an angel with a sword and a man raising his hands in a pose similar to prayer. In fact, this symbol is more than interesting; it combines a description of the events of the earthly and heavenly worlds.

One of the Jewish priests, who participated in the burial ceremony, wanted to turn over the bed of the Mother of God, but an angel appeared with a sword, who cut off his hands. After this, the priest fell into horror and was ashamed of himself and the angel healed him. Then the priest joined the funeral procession and believed.

However, this plot is not always fixed; for example, the icon of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary by Theophanes the Greek is written in the so-called compressed version. The composition includes only the main figures, the main emphasis is on Christ and the Mother of God.

That's how it is short description icons of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and interpretation of the main symbols and figures in the image. Now you should understand how to use this icon for prayer and contemplation.

What do they pray for in front of the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

According to Orthodox tradition, The Most Pure Virgin managed to reach the highest limit of holiness on earth. In apocryphal evidence there are many references to miracles associated with her, but, most importantly, to the enormous faith that she possessed. Now the Queen of Heaven prays for everyone in Heaven and helps people on earth, interceding for everyone from sinners to ascetics.

That is why one should pray in front of the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary on various occasions; the believer will immediately understand how such a prayer helps, and others, in turn, will be able to strengthen their faith and receive spiritual help.

Prayer to the icon “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

Troparion, tone 1

At Christmas you preserved your virginity, / in the Dormition you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God, / you reposed to the belly, / Mother of the Being of the Belly, / and through your prayers you delivered our souls from death.

Kontakion, tone 2

In prayers, the never-sleeping Mother of God / and in intercessions, the immutable hope / the grave and mortification cannot be restrained: / as if the Mother of the Life / was placed in the life / in the womb of the ever-virgin one.

Greatness

We magnify Thee, / Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, / and glorify the all-glorious / Thy Dormition.

The first thing that is important to know when talking about the icon is that it is quite late, and its canonical composition dates back to approximately the 9th century - the era when the Church overcame the main heresies and finally fixed the most important theological positions. It was in the times after iconoclasm that the feast of the Assumption itself and its reflection in Christian painting were finally formed.

Early images were, as a rule, laconic and small-figured. In the center of the composition there is a bed covered with purple cloth, on which rests the most pure body. The apostles stand in front of the bed, their poses and gestures are sad and convey the general sorrow of the captured moment. Behind the bed is the figure of Christ, who bends over the body of the Mother and holds Her holy soul in his hands (she is always depicted as a newborn baby wrapped in swaddling clothes). Angels fly over the Savior and the Mother of God - heavenly witnesses of this glorious and sad moment.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Constantinople. Mosaic of Chora Monastery

This is how it was unpretentiously and simply depicted in ancient times. An example of the first icons are flat relief images on thin plastics made of stone or ivory, as well as book miniatures - the sheer size of these products did not allow many elements to be applied to them. But temple paintings and portable icons almost immediately became a kind of space in which ancient masters could significantly enrich the previously formed composition.

Approximately to XIII century The final plot solution for the icon was formed. Since then it has remained virtually unchanged. Perhaps, but they did not take root in canonical icon painting, and to this day, both Orthodox and many Catholic churches are decorated with icons dating back to ancient prototypes of the 9th century. Let's look at the canonical image in more detail.

Event of the Assumption

The moment of the Virgin Mary's transition into Eternity is not described in the Gospel. The details of this event are known to us from Tradition and various apocryphal sources. Here's how it happened:

The Mother of God was warned by the Archangel Gabriel that in three days the Son would take Her to Himself. The Blessed Virgin was waiting for this news. She was ready to move into eternity, and used the allotted three days to say goodbye to all the people dear to Her heart. It immediately became clear that She would not be able to see some - for example, the apostles who dispersed throughout the Roman Empire to preach. Three days were not enough to gather them all, and the Mother of God prayed to her Son for help. On mother's prayers The Lord responded miraculously - angels were sent to all the regions where the apostles were, who brought them on clouds to Jerusalem to the house of the Most Pure One.

13th century, mosaic, Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome

The day of death has arrived. Mary lay peacefully on her bed, beaming with quiet joy. Her closest people gathered around her. Suddenly, the indescribable light of Divine glory shone in the upper room. Those to whom this vision was revealed were horrified. They saw that the roof of the upper room was open, and Christ himself, surrounded by heavenly forces, was approaching his Mother. Her soul separated from her body and was taken into the arms of the Savior, who took Her with Him. And on the bed there remained a body that shone with grace, and it seemed as if the Mother of God had not died, but was lying in a peaceful midday slumber. A happy smile froze on Her face - finally, after many years of waiting, She went to her Son.

They buried the Mother of God in the tomb where Her parents had previously rested, as well as Her husband. The body of the Virgin Mary was carried in a solemn procession through Jerusalem. The Jewish high priests found out about this and decided to disperse the procession. But a miracle happened - the Christians who were seeing off the Mother of God on her last journey were surrounded by a cloud, and the soldiers sent by the high priests could not cause them any harm. Then the Jewish priest Athos tried to overturn the bed, but his hands were cut off by an invisible force. Repenting of his insolence, he received a miraculous healing and confessed himself to be a Christian. After the burial, the apostles closed the entrance to the cave with a stone and left.

He did not participate in the procession - the Lord specifically allowed him to be late. He arrived in Jerusalem on the third day after the funeral. Saddened that he would never see the Virgin Mary again, he began to ask the apostles to give him the opportunity to say goodbye to his body. They agreed, but when they opened the coffin, they were horrified: there was no body in the cave - only burial shrouds lay in the niche, from which a heavenly fragrance emanated. The apostles were in confusion. They returned home, perplexed and praying to God to show them where to look for the missing body. That same day, in the evening, the Mother of God appeared to the apostles at a meal, surrounded by angels, and greeted them with the words: “Rejoice! For I am with you always.”

How is the Assumption depicted in the icon?

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Beginning of the 13th century, Novgorod. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

On the icon, the masters were able to depict almost all the moments that are given in the story of the Assumption. The task was not easy, but the icon painters coped with it brilliantly.

In the middle of the icon is a bed on which rests the body of the Blessed Virgin. As a rule, it is covered with a scarlet-colored fabric, and this is no coincidence: scarlet has always been an attribute of imperial power, and the use of this shade in the case of the Virgin Mary indicates Her royal dignity as the Lady and Queen of Heaven. The same role is played by the purple sandals on the Virgin’s feet - only Byzantine emperors could wear such shoes. In Europe, where they were accustomed to other attributes of royal power, Mary was sometimes depicted wearing a crown and with a scepter, but regardless of where the icon was painted, it always emphasized the idea that the Mother of God has an honor incomparably higher than that of the most powerful kings.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ivory plaque. End of the 10th century Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The apostles sat around the bier. If we have a fresco or a large icon in front of us, then the number of upcoming figures is large, but if the field of the icon is small, then there are few upcoming figures. But in any case, Peter and John are present in all images. Peter holds a censer in his hands and fumigates the bed of the Virgin Mary with incense. John simply mourns the Most Pure One, bending over the bed. Together with the apostles, you can sometimes see those people who in one way or another came into contact with the Mother of God. For example, who glorified the Blessed Virgin in his works.

Most often there is a candle in front of the bed, but the following composition also occurs: two severed wrists hang on the edge of the bed, and a man with crippled hands stands near the bed itself. It is not difficult to guess that this is Athos, who tried to overturn the bed, but was stopped by an angelic sword. By the way, most often the angel himself stands near Athonia, raising his sword against the wicked blasphemer.

Nazariy Istomin. Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Russia. XVII century Moscow. Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve

The Savior stands behind the bed. It is surrounded by a mandorla - a huge halo, symbolizing divine glory. In His hands is a swaddled baby. This is the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A very touching moment - once Mary held little Jesus in her arms, now He presses Her most pure soul to His chest. Once She became the Mother of Her Creator, and now He lifts Her up to the heavenly palaces. Also, next to Christ there are many angels who form a sort of procession stretching from Earth to Heaven and greeting the King and Queen of the universe with rejoicing.

Some icons depict another interesting detail - the entire free field of the icon in its upper part is covered with clouds, on which you can see figures of people and angels. In this unusual way, icon painters depict the apostles who were unable to arrive in Jerusalem on time, and were eventually miraculously delivered on clouds by angels.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Stavronikita Monastery. Athos (

All the events depicted on the icon take place in the room - this is evidenced by the schematic silhouettes of columns, windows, arches, cornices and other architectural elements. Sometimes, instead of a rich interior background, you can see just two pillars and a cloth hanging on them, stretched like a sail over the audience. In any case, both the fabric and other elements may be symbols of both the enclosed space and the urban buildings of Jerusalem, through which the funeral procession passed.

Manuel Panselin. Fresco of the Cathedral of Protata in Karei. Athos. XIII century

In general, the icon represents a very important truth - that there is no dead end or meaningless ending for a person, that a person does not cease to be, but moves from the world below to the world above. The lower part of the icon (filled with a sad atmosphere) echoes its upper part (full of heavenly glory and rejoicing), showing us all that the path to Heaven lies through sorrow, but at the end of this path Eternity awaits us - the same one where the first of people moved Most Pure Virgin Mary.

Other materials on “Foma”.

Double-sided tablets from St. Sofia in Novgorod

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Serbia. Decani, XIV century

Dormition of the Virgin Mary. Fresco. XIV century. Chora Museum, Istanbul

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, selected saints in stamps. Byzantium. XV century

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. XV century Iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Balkans. Macedonia. XVI century France. Paris. City Museum of Fine Arts

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Belarus. XV century Moscow. Tretyakov Gallery

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Byzantium, XV century.

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Byzantium. XII century

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Byzantium. XIV century

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Byzantium. XV century Greece. Patmos, Monastery of St. John the Theologian

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Byzantium. XV century

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Greece. Athos, Hilandar monastery. XVII century

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Greece. Cappadocia. XVIII century

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Greece. XVII century USA. NY. Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. XVII century Armouries. Ascension Monastery of the Moscow Kremlin

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary_ Balkans. Serbia. Sopocany_ XIII century_ location Serbia. Novi Pazar. Sopočani Monastery

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Novgorod. XIII century Moscow, State Tretyakov Gallery

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Festive row of the iconostasis. 1425-1427 Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, Trinity Cathedral

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Russia. Rostov region XV century

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Russia. North. XVI century SPb, State Russian Museum

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Russia. XVI century Petrozavodsk. National Museum of the Republic of Karelia

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rostov. XVI century Kirillov. Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Tver, XV century. Moscow. Tretyakov Gallery

Dormition. Around 1392. Workshop of Theophanes the Greek. Back of the Don Icon of the Mother of God. Tretyakov Gallery

Dormition. XVII century

Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. OK. 1479

On the screensaver is a fragment of the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 15th century. Novgorod. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

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Description of the icon of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
The icon is dedicated to the twelfth (one of twelve) feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After the Ascension of Christ, the Mother of God remained in the care of the Apostle John. She often came to pray at the Holy Sepulcher. On one of these visits to Golgotha, during prayer, Archangel Gabriel appeared before Her and announced Her imminent transmigration from earthly life to eternal life.

The Mother of God joyfully received the news of the imminent meeting with Her Son and asked the Lord to gather for Her death the apostles who were preaching the Gospel at that time in different parts of the world. And Christ truly miraculously gathered the apostles to the bed on which the Mother of God, preparing to depart into another world, reclined.

And then everyone saw how Christ descended in the radiance of divine light, surrounded by many Heavenly Powers, and the Most Holy Theotokos gave up her soul into His hands. The Blessed Virgin was buried in Gethsemane. Tradition tells of many miracles that accompanied the burial of the Most Holy Theotokos. Crowds of people followed Her body, which did not please the Jewish leaders and priests.

One of the Jewish priests named Athonia grabbed the coffin with his hands in order to overturn it, but an angel invisibly following the coffin cut off his hands. Athos in repentance fell to his knees in front of the tomb, asking for mercy, and the Apostle Peter healed him. This scene is depicted on some icon lists. The Savior is depicted in the middle of the bed, having received the soul of the Virgin Mary.

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Akathist to the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Kontakion 1

To the Mother of God chosen from all generations and to the Queen, who ascends from earth to Heaven, we offer reverent singing of Your most honorable Assumption, Your servants, Theotokos. But You, who have victory over death, free us from all deadly troubles, let us call You: Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Ikos 1

A representative angel was sent to quickly announce to the Most Holy Theotokos Her ascension and come to present Her Son and God to Her, shining brightly about Her and standing, calling like this: Rejoice, overjoyed Mother of the Tsar; Rejoice, Heavenly Queen, Mother of God and Lord of Heaven and earth. Rejoice, preferred by the majesty of the coming to You of Your Son and God; Rejoice, exalted by the announcement of Your departure to the Son. Rejoice, chosen by God from all generations; Rejoice, holy receptacle of the Word of God. Rejoice, fulfillment of the prophetic prophecy; Rejoice, most honorable crowned Apostle. Rejoice, ornament of the saint and goodness of the priest; Rejoice, ruler of fertilizer and power. Rejoice, raising the God-wise monks to the Heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, opening the doors of heaven to the Christian race, ever blessed by You. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 2

Seeing the face of the Apostles, with an omnipotent wave from the ends of the earth to the clouds, they presented themselves to Thy Most Honorable One, Most Immaculate. Dormition, high priests: Dionysius - the heavenly secret one, the wondrous Hierotheus and Timothy with the divine honor of the priesthood to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

All rational creation, the oldest of the angelic ranks, came with their King, Who in His most life-giving hand accepted the soul of His Mother; warm with faith, Peter, with many tears, spoke to Her, calling: Rejoice, to the worldly, Mother of the Creator of the world, ascending; Rejoice, to the most heavenly, most expansive of heaven, who soars. Rejoice, thou who sanctified the fourfold elements by Thy ascension; Rejoice, who made the heavenly ones gladdened by Your passing. Rejoice, you have been received into the beautiful Jerusalem above; Rejoice, thou who joyfully entered into temples not made by hands. Rejoice, Queen of Cherubim and Seraphim; Rejoice, Lady of the Archangels. Rejoice, refuge of the faithful and deliverance; Rejoice, Your inheritance is a help and protection. Rejoice, O Christian Intercessor for the whole world; Rejoice, all blessings to the All-Blessed Giver. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 3

The power of the Most High to snatch up Thomas from India, for some will of God I will not be accepted into the most honorable Dormition of the Mother of God, and present her to the life-receiving tomb, who came to see the Reposed One, ascended into Heaven with her body in her mind and, having believed, cried out about this: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having in himself the thought that through God's vision he would not be able to accompany the Mother of God with the others, he was rejoiced at Her immortal Dormition, and cried out to Her: Rejoice, thou who was received from the earth by the hand of Thy Son; Rejoice, you who ascended to the highest to enjoy His glory. Rejoice, escorted from all the angelic ranks to the Mountain; Rejoice, lifted up by the Cherubim into the heavenly and under heavenly places. Rejoice, at the gates of Heaven from Elder Forces magnificently lifted up in song; Rejoice, surrounded and blessed by all Heavenly citizens. Rejoice, earthly heaven, exalted to the mountain village; Rejoice, Throne of the Lord, lifted up from the earth into the Kingdom of Heaven. Rejoice, our intercession and strong intercession; Rejoice, sinner Helper for salvation. Rejoice, Christian Queen and according to God the Hope of the Heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, Mother of the Belly, and through the Lord we have the hope of eternal life. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 4

Having a storm within, having Affonia of unfaithful thoughts and in vain, the God-bearing Apostles of the Mother of God, the Most Honorable Body carried to the grave, rushing towards refutation; suddenly, when with the blinding of his eyes his hand was taken away from his hanging bed, he confessed by faith the Mother of God, crying out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Having heard the mysteries and self-witnesses of the Word of the Angels, singing in sublime hymns at the burial of the God-pleasant body of God to the Mother, and the honor of giving a tax pleasing to God, we strived according to the song, saying: Rejoice, thou who received the good news of Thy passage into the Heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, you who received joyful paradise from Gabriel who preached the gospel. Rejoice, you who enlightened the most venerable multitude of cherubs; Rejoice, you who have rejoiced the glorious seraphim nature. Rejoice, foreshadowed from the patriarchs; Rejoice, foretold by the prophets. Rejoice, you who soon noted the evil insolence of Affoniev; Rejoice, you who gave healing to that one. Rejoice, thou who converted the unbelief of Athonius to faith; Rejoice, you who received the true confession. Rejoice, you who raise to Heaven the love and faith of those who have You; Rejoice, who through faith saves those who call on Your name. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 5

The God-rich stars, the holy Apostles, in the heavenly scattering for the sake of the Gospel, were caught up in the clouds, in the breadth of the air, for the burial of the Mother of the Lord, who saw off with stumps and songs, with the Immaterial cry: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Having seen the God-seers of their Lord, having received His soul in the hand of the Mother, and understanding the Lord, trying to sing the sacred songs of the blessed Yu: Rejoice, Queen, who bore the Reign over all; Rejoice, even carried by the hand of His Son. Rejoice, royal sceptre in the right hand of Christ; Rejoice, in Noah’s hand there is a branch of a dove. Rejoice, rod of Aaron, who has grown incorruptible; Rejoice, unfading one, prosperous immortality. Rejoice, God-inspired Godfather of David; Rejoice, thou who has risen up the word of his prophecies, psalms and beautiful harp. Rejoice, animated holy shrine of the Lord; Rejoice, our resurrected belly into the rest of the Lord. Rejoice, tabernacle, overshadowed by the Cherubim; Rejoice, Holy of Holies, spoken by the Seraphim. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 6

The Preachers of the God-Bearing Apostles, after departing to the super-worldly Mother of God in the common village, having had the usual meal and offering part of the bread in the Name of the Lord, lifting up, suddenly from above the Mother of God Queen, who came with the luminous Angels, in vain and, having heard peace from the Son and God, cried out about this : Alleluia.

Ikos 6

The Sun of Truth has risen to us, Christ God from Your most pure falsehood, by the will and prudence of preaching through the Apostles, enlighten the world and glorify You, Mother of God, from generation to generation. In the same way, we all please Thee, crying out to Thee: Rejoice, Ever-blessed One from all generations forever; Rejoice, thou who art most gracious and merciful to men. Rejoice, you who fulfilled your promise to the disciple’s face; Rejoice, having given peace to this through Your presence from Your Son and God. Rejoice, all-desiring sweet vision of the saints; Rejoice, O venerable mothers and virgin saints, all-enjoying joy. Rejoice, transitory paradise of the righteous; Rejoice, you who visit all beings in heavenly glory. Rejoice, beginning of human salvation; Rejoice, fulfillment of all good wishes. Rejoice, according to God, King of kings, Mother of God Queen; Rejoice, according to the Lord of lords, our Master, Lady and Mistress. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 7

You always save those who want to enter Your holy temple with faith, O Mother of God, and free those who glorify You from all misfortunes and troubles; In the same way, grant to the faithful people, who ever bless You, victories against resistance and give us all petitions for salvation, for this they pray to You and sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

A new creation has shown itself to us, the Creator of all, the Lord, through You, the Mother of God. You have a kindred providence for us to Him, who honestly honor Your most honorable Dormition, accept those who cry out to You: Rejoice, Mother of God, chosen from the earthly; Rejoice, you who are above earthly and heavenly things. Rejoice, thou who hast surpassed the grief of the Cherubim and Seraphim; Rejoice, the face of the disciples like a cloud for the burial of Ti dole. Rejoice, Thou who, after Thy burial, gave Thomas more by the power of God; Rejoice, through him you assured your transmigration into Heaven with the flesh. Rejoice, adorned with the beauty of all virtues; Rejoice, more red than the sons of men, you are numbered among your Sons. Rejoice, like a phoenix, blossoming through the risen flesh; Rejoice, like a cedar in heavenly Lebanon, multiplied. Rejoice, tree of life, planted in the midst of the highest paradise; Rejoice, thou art exalted in the ark of thought in the Highest from the mortal flood. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 8

It is strange in the highest leading You, Chosen, like the sun, the Lady, into the heavenly inconceivable beauties and indescribable kindnesses, touchingly towards the Son and God, I hold His hand, ascended and joyfully bowing to His life-giving right hand, about this we cry incessantly: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

All the former grief was taken to the Heavenly Ones and, not leaving the earthly, the Mother of God, the hand of the Son is carried, into the never-ending, all-illuminating and beautiful city, Jerusalem on High, the Cherubim stand with all the Heavenly powers, where this one hears those singing: Rejoice, O Most Holy Soul dwells in the highest, all-bright Zion; Rejoice, even as the incorruptible body and soul are together glorified. Rejoice, thou who has entered into the throne city of Samago the Pantocrator; Rejoice, thou who art ascended into the beautiful paradise of the Most High Planter. Rejoice, brought into the city founded from the all-luminous stones; Rejoice, brought into the enclosure guarded by the forces of the highest. Rejoice, taken above Heaven into the splendor of God; Rejoice, venerable one above all immaterial minds. Rejoice, bringing the prayer of the faithful to Your Son and God; Rejoice, and You Yourself unceasingly praying for everyone at the Throne of Your Son and God. Rejoice, Representative to God, saving the world; Rejoice, Intercessor, given to the Christian race by God. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 9

Every angelic nature extols Thee, O Mother of God, but to humanity we all give birth to Thee, Mother of God, we glorify and honor Thy most venerable Dormition, Queen: For thee for the sake of earthly things the heavenly ones copulate, according to the singing of God: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

Now we see the prophetic utterances of God come true, O Mother of God, as you truly gave birth to God in the flesh. Believing in the sacrament of the word of God, we cry: Rejoice, thou who art chiefly perfect in the law and the prophets; Rejoice, star of Jacob, prophesied by Balaam. Rejoice, O bed of the Great King, prophesied by Solomon; Rejoice, fleece watered by Jesus, formed by Gideon. Rejoice, Burning Kupino, foreseen by the lawgiver; Rejoice, holy city, provided for by the husband of desire. Rejoice, heavenly ladder, foreseen by Jacob; Rejoice, impenetrable door, foreseen by Ezekiel. Rejoice, sun of the village of Christ, presented by the psalmist; Rejoice, sacrament, spoken of by the prophets in many ways. Rejoice, you who brought the end to all the prophetic words prophesied about You; Rejoice, thou who hast accomplished all the divine vision for the salvation of the world. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 10

To save the world, even though the Lord chose You from the earthly race to be His Mother and, for our sake, having become a man, ascended from nowhere, to Heaven from the earth, and brought You with Himself to abide in eternal glory and co-reign with Himself, the end to those who do not have, Even so, like God, He hears from everyone: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

Thou art the wall of the faithful, O Virgin Mother of God, and the intercession of all who come running to Thee, for the Creator of Heaven and earth, having passed from Thee in flesh, the Most Pure One, hast come to the Heavenly One in spirit and body, to the nearest intercession for all, and teach them to invite: Rejoice, city of the King Great at the top of the Heavenly Mountain; Rejoice, wall and cover, not hidden from our influx. Rejoice, thou who helpest the enemies of the faithful; Rejoice, conqueror of the Hagarian invasions. Rejoice, immovable preservation of pious faith; Rejoice, destruction of the heretical regiments. Rejoice, you who bring joy and peace to the world; Rejoice, thou who hast corrected the all-destroying hell. Rejoice, for those who wage war on the flesh through chastity have been crowned with a fair amount; Rejoice, all-honorable glorification of martyrdom. Rejoice, venerable intercessor of blessed repose through labor; Rejoice, monk who grieves the Giver of eternal joy. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 11

Singing all kinds of God-inspired songs does not suffice from us to praise the all-honorable Dormition of Thy, All-praiseworthy Lady, Queen Theotokos, but we diligently offer to Thee, as the Mother of the King of all, our humble prayer, with the Heavenly rites singing to the only God worthily glorifying Thee: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

The light-receiving light of the true Light has appeared to us on earth, enlightening the souls and instructing those who honor Your all-honorable repose to the Divine mind, so that we sing from Tisitsa: Rejoice, unquenchable light of the immaterial fire; Rejoice, never-setting dawn of the never-evening Light. Rejoice, moon, illuminated by the Sun of Truth; Rejoice, brightness, holy in darkness. Rejoice, lampstand, set on the candlestick above; Rejoice, source of life, brought forth from the grave into the light. Rejoice, Mother of the intelligent Light, enlightening the pious souls; Rejoice, Mother of all God, who comforts embittered souls. Rejoice, you who give a shameless end to those who trust in You; Rejoice, thou who establishest the heritage of God and His servant at the Judgment of Thy Son at His right hand. Rejoice, Most Blessed One, for through You we are also blessed, like Your Helper, the imams; Rejoice, Most Blessed One to all generations, for the Lord is with You, and with You with us.

Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 12

The grace of the high-throned glory, bestowed in heaven upon the Mother of God, venerable, sitting at the right hand of Her Son and God, seeing the minds above, raising up the Thrones and Powers, surrounding the Beginning and Power, falling in fear with the Cherubim, Seraphim and Dominion, with the Archangels and Angels crying out: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing Your all-honorable Dormition, we all praise Your ascension to the heights of heaven, O Queen Mother of God. Thou sanctify, glorify and save all who sing to Thee with love: Rejoice, thou who hast cleansed the earth with Thy most pure feet; Rejoice, having sanctified the air with Your ascension to Heaven. Rejoice, you who have ascended to the Heavenly circle; Rejoice, beholder of all unspeakable kindness. Rejoice, thou who sittest in glory before the throne of Thy Son and God; Rejoice, forever reigning with the Son and God. Rejoice, beauty in the right hand of the Lord, adorning all the Heavenly Ones who bless You; Rejoice, overjoyed by the hope of all earthly people in You. Rejoice, clothed in the sun, shining with grace and glory throughout the entire universe; Rejoice, who promised to preserve and save those who call upon You in all the heavens. Rejoice, revered Mother of God and called the Mother of God from Christian generations; Rejoice, gloriously and orthodoxly glorified by all the pious from the east of the sun to the west. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.

Kontakion 13

O All-Sung Mother of the Immortal King of Heaven and earth, Christ our God, living and after death, having received this offering from us for Your all-honorable Dormition, in this life and in our mortal Dormition, deliver us from all misfortunes, troubles and torment and the Heavenly Kingdom, Queen , grant those who cry for You: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times,atem ikos 1 and kontakion 1)

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