The feast commemorates her glorification and salvation in Jesus Christ. Fr. Thomas Hopko says that "the feast of the Dormition is the sign, the guarantee, and the celebration that Mary's fate is, the destiny of all those of "low estate" whose souls magnify the Lord, whose spirits rejoice in God the Saviour, whose lives are totally dedicated to hearing and keeping the Word of God which is given to men in Mary's child, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world". According to tradition, while in prayer, an angel appeared to the Theotokos telling her that she would leave this world. As a token and promise that her Son awaited, the angel gave her a branch with flowers from Eden. So on this day in honor of the greatest flower of womanhood, and the first to receive the promise of the awaiting kingdom, flowers are brought for blessing. We will celebrate this feast with Vespers and Lytia next Saturday evening (August 14th at 5:00 p.m.) and Divine Liturgy on Sunday (August 15th at 9:00 a.m.) as usual followed by the blessing of flowers and seed.
|  |
| ||||||||||||
This Week's Schedule
Monday, March 3rd
Great Compline with the
Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
at 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 4th
Great Compline with the
Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
at 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 5th
Ninth Hour
at 8:45 a.m.
Presanctified Liturgy
at 9:00 a.m.
†††
Great Compline with the
Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 6th
Great Compline with the
Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
at 6:00 p.m.
Friday, March 7th
Ninth Hour
at 5:45 p.m.
Presanctified Liturgy & Lenten Potluck
at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 8th
St. Theodore
Hours
at 8:40 a.m.
Divine Liturgy
at 9:00 a.m.
†††
Great Vespers
at 5:00 p.m.
followed by
Confessions
Sunday, March 9th
Sunday of Orthodoxy
Matins
at 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy with Icon Procession
at 9:00 a.m.
followed by
Fellowship
†††
Mission Talk
at 3:00 p.m.
Important Dates
Tuesday, March 25th
Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos
