The Assumption of the Virgin Mary

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary 

Every year on August 15th Christians all around the world celebrate one of the greatest events of the Orthodox calendar. It is a day dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is celebrated with splendor. 

When the Virgin Mary received the knowledge of her imminent death from God, she climbed the Mount of Olives, which was located near the old city of Jerusalem, in order to pray and prepare. She notified then, the Apostles, so that they would be ready for the event. Despite many Apostles being far from Jerusalem on the day of the Assumption, it is said that a Nefeli brought them to her. The Virgin Mary was buried in the tomb of Gethsemane and three days after her death her body was taken up to heaven after her tomb was found empty. 

Such a glorious event is celebrated by all Christians around the world and gave birth to many churches in various parts of Orthodoxy which are dedicated to it. 

In Samokov, Bulgaria, a traveler will encounter the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. This Holy Church was built more than three centuries ago and continues to attract travelers due to its unique architecture. The iconostasis of the church was carved from a walnut tree, while its middle section owes its construction to the skillful monks of Mount Athos. It was made during the eighteenth century. 

For the last three and a half centuries, the Church has served as the spiritual center of Samokov. It was built in 1757 when Bulgaria was still under Ottoman occupation and the construction of Orthodox churches was prohibited in the region. Therefore, the church operated underground for the first hundred years of its existence. 

In Poland, the Church of the Virgin Mary adorns the Main Market Square in Kraków. Built in the fourteenth century, its foundations date back to the early thirteenth century. Four times a day, a bugle call is played from the top of the taller of the two towers, and is suddenly interrupted before it ends. This commemorates the occasion in the 13th century when the bugler sounded the alarm before a Mongol attack on the city. He was shot in the neck before he could finish. The midday bugle call is broadcast throughout Poland and abroad by the Polish national station Radio 1. The Church of the Virgin Mary was destroyed during the invasion and rebuilt in the fourteenth century. 

Architecturally, the church has many unique features. The church houses one of the largest Gothic statues in the world: the icon of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The icon was restored in the early 21st century and is now available for viewing again. There is a replica of this shrine in scale in the Church of St. John of Canterbury in Chicago, Illinois. 

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary very important in Christianity and inspired the creation of many churches around the world.  

If you want to read more articles about Orthodoxy, be sure to check out our blog at ieraskevi.com!