The Dormition of the Mother of God
On 15 August, the Orthodox Church solemnly celebrates the Dormition of the Mother of God, one of its great feasts in honour of the Virgin Mary. This day joins the prayer of the faithful with the hope of life in God's presence.
According to Church tradition, when the Mother of God learned that her earthly life was drawing to its close, she went to the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem to pray and prepare. She informed the Apostles and, as the tradition relates, those far away were brought to her on a cloud. She was buried in Gethsemane; when her tomb was opened on the third day, it was found empty. This account is connected with the Church's belief in her translation into heavenly life.
Devotion to the Virgin Mary has inspired churches and works of art in many countries. Two notable examples are found in Bulgaria and Poland.
The Dormition church in Samokov
The metropolitan church of the Dormition in Samokov, Bulgaria, is an important spiritual and artistic monument. The local tourist information centre and historical museum date its first construction to 1712. The building was enlarged and remodelled in later periods.
Its carved wooden iconostasis is particularly noteworthy. The older central section is associated with Athonite craftsmanship, while subsequent additions and icons reflect the contribution of woodcarvers and painters of the Samokov school. The church's history during Ottoman rule illustrates the continuity of worship and ecclesiastical art in the region.
St Mary's Basilica in Kraków
The Roman Catholic Basilica of St Mary overlooks Kraków's Main Market Square. The present Gothic building largely dates from the fourteenth century and stands on the site of an earlier thirteenth-century church.
The familiar trumpet call sounds every hour from the taller tower, towards all four directions. Its melody ends abruptly. A local legend connects this interruption with a trumpeter struck in the throat while warning the city of an attack. The midday call is also a well-known tradition of Polish radio.
Inside stands the monumental Gothic wooden altarpiece by Veit Stoss, made between 1477 and 1489. This is a multi-panel altarpiece centred on the Dormition of the Mother of God, rather than a single statue. It has undergone conservation and remains a significant work of European religious art. A smaller reproduction can be found at St John Cantius Church in Chicago.
These churches show how devotion to the Mother of God finds expression in different ecclesiastical and artistic traditions. Our blog offers further stories about Orthodoxy, churches and sacred art.