My beloved spoke and said to me,
“Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
come with me.
See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.”
Song of Solomon 2, 10-11

My explications of the Patristic texts

Epiphanius of Salamis (A.D. 377)
Panarion 78.23

“If the Holy Virgin had died and was buried, her falling asleep would have been surrounded with honor, death would have found her pure, and her crown would have been a virginal one…Had she been martyred according to what is written: ‘Thine own soul a sword shall pierce,’ she would shine gloriously among the martyrs, and her holy body would have been declared blessed, for by her did the light come to the world.”

In this text, Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis, discusses the belief in the “falling asleep” (Dormition) of the Holy Virgin, which refers to the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, did not die a natural death but was taken up into heaven after passing away. Epiphanius argues that if Mary had died and been buried, it would have been a moment of great honor, as she was known for her purity, virtue, and devotion to God. However, if she had been martyred, her death would have been even more significant, and she would have been considered a martyr, with her holy body declared blessed. Nonetheless, Epiphanius emphasizes that Mary’s true significance lies in her role as the mother of Jesus, who brought light to the world.

Gregory of Tours (575-593 A.D.)
Eight Books of Miracles

“The course of this life having been completed by Blessed Mary, when now she would be called from the world, all the Apostles came together from their various regions to her house. And when they had heard that she was about to be taken from the world, they kept watch together with her. And behold, the Lord Jesus came with His angels, and taking her soul, He gave it to angel Michael and withdrew.”

At daybreak, however, the Apostles took up her body on a bier and placed it in a tomb, and they guarded it, expecting the Lord to come. And behold, again the Lord stood by them. Having received The holy body, he commanded that it be taken in a cloud into paradise: where now, rejoined to the soul, [Mary] rejoices with the Lord’s chosen ones, and is the enjoyment of the good of an eternity that will never end.”

St. Gregory recounts the events following the completion of Blessed Mary’s life on earth. Upon hearing that she was about to depart, the Apostles gathered together from their various regions at her house. They kept watch together with her, knowing that her passing was imminent. At that moment, the Lord Jesus arrived with His angels and took Mary’s soul, giving it to angel Michael before departing. It was a profound moment that affirmed Mary’s exceptional status as the Mother of God.

The following day, the Apostles placed Mary’s body on a bier and laid it in a tomb. They guarded it with great care, expecting the Lord to come. The scene is one of deep reverence and devotion, as the Apostles recognized the importance of Mary’s body and its connection to her life and spirit. And behold, once again, the Lord stood by them. He commanded that the holy body be taken in a cloud into paradise, where it was rejoined to her soul. This momentous event confirmed Mary’s unique place in salvation history and affirmed the belief in the afterlife and the idea of eternal life in paradise. Mary is now in paradise, enjoying eternity with the Lord’s chosen ones, but in body and soul.

Modestus of Jerusalem (ante A.D. 634)
Encomium in dormitionnem Sanctissimae
Dominae nostrae Deiparae semperque Virginis Mariae

“As the most glorious Mother of Christ, our Savior and God and the giver of life and immortality, has been endowed with life by him, she has received an eternal incorruptibility of the body together with him who has raised her up from the tomb and has taken her up to himself in a way known only to him.”

Mary, the Mother of Christ, holds a special place in the hearts of Christians worldwide. As the divine Mother of our Savior and God, she gave life and immortality. God granted her eternal life and endowed her with an incorruptible body after her death. Christ, who rose from the dead, raised Mary from the tomb and took her up to Himself in a way known only to Him. Only Jesus and his most blessed Mother exist, body and soul, in heaven until the resurrection of the dead. The Assumption of Mary into heaven is a testimony to her unwavering faith and profound devotion to God. It symbolizes hope and inspiration for those who follow her example of unwavering faith and dedication to God. The mystery and magnificence of Mary’s assumption into heaven remain a source of wonder and contemplation for believers worldwide.

Theoteknos of Livias (ante A.D. 650)
Homily on the Assumption

“It was fitting …that Mary’s most holy body, God-bearing body, the receptacle of God, divinized, incorruptible, illuminated by divine grace and full glory …should be entrusted to the earth for a little
while and raised up to heaven in glory, with her soul pleasing to God.”

Theoteknos, Bishop of Livias, affirms that the mother of Jesus was taken up bodily into heaven at the end of her earthly life. He uses a range of adjectives to describe the nature of Mary’s body, including “holy,” “divinized,” “incorruptible,” “illuminated by divine grace,” and “full of glory.” These adjectives emphasize the extraordinary nature of Mary’s physical being and suggest she was a person of great spiritual significance. The author also notes that Mary’s soul was pleasing to God, underscoring her spiritual purity and moral righteousness. The text implies that Mary’s assumption was a fitting end to her life on earth, given her exceptional character and central role in the story of salvation.

Germanus of Constantinople (ante A.D. 733)
Sermon 1

“You are she who, as it is written, appears in beauty, and your virginal body is all holy, all chaste, entirely the dwelling place of God so that it is henceforth completely exempt from dissolution into dust. Though still human, it has been changed into a heavenly life of incorruptibility, truly living and glorious, undamaged and sharing in perfect life.”

The Bishop of Constantinople describes a female figure in great detail. According to the passage, she is known for her beauty and purity, emphasized by the phrase “she who appears in beauty.” The passage describes her body as holy and chaste, which suggests that she is virtuous and pure in mind and body. Furthermore, he suggests that this woman’s body has been transformed into a dwelling place of God. This implies that she is spiritually connected to a higher power and has been blessed with divine grace.

As a result of this transformation, her body has become exempt from decay and will not dissolve into dust. In other words, her body has been elevated to a higher spiritual plane, where it is no longer subject to the limitations of human mortality. Despite being human, Germanus suggests that this woman’s body has been transformed into a heavenly state of incorruptibility. This implies that her body has been purified, perfected, and has become truly living and glorious. Germanus further emphasizes that her body is undamaged and shares in perfect life, suggesting that it has been elevated to eternal bliss and joy.

John of Damascus (ante A.D. 749)
Dormition of Mary

“It was fitting that the she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had carried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse, whom the Father had taken to himself, should live in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son upon the cross and who had thereby received into her heart the sword of sorrow which she had escaped when giving birth to him, should look upon him as he sits with the Father. It was fitting that God’s Mother should possess what belongs to her Son and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and handmaid of God.”

The passage reflects on the life, death, and ultimate destiny of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. St. John of Damascus begins by highlighting Mary’s unique and significant role in the history of Christianity. He notes that Mary remained a virgin even after giving birth to Jesus, which was seen as a miraculous and fitting sign of her purity and devotion. The author then emphasizes that Mary’s life was marked by her faithfulness, devotion, and suffering. He emphasizes that Mary nourished Jesus, the Creator of the universe, as a child; therefore, it was fitting that she reside in the divine dwelling places. Mary’s motherhood was also seen as an essential part of her role in the life of Jesus, and the text suggests that it was fitting for her to be honored by every creature as the mother and servant of God.

Furthermore, the text highlights the depth of Mary’s suffering as she witnessed her son’s crucifixion and shared in his sorrows. The author notes that Mary’s suffering was also seen as a sign of her faithfulness and devotion to God. He suggests it was fitting for Mary to look upon her son as he sits with the Father, having escaped the sword of sorrow when giving birth to him. The text concludes by emphasizing that God’s mother should have possessed what rightfully belongs to her son, Jesus. It celebrates Mary’s unique relationship with Jesus; all Christians should aspire to emulate her purity, devotion, and faithfulness as exemplary qualities. Overall, this passage from The Dormition of Mary is a powerful tribute to Mary’s life and legacy, and its message is one of hope, faith, and devotion to God.

And Mary said:
My soul does magnify the Lord.
And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
For he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid;
behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty has done great things to me;
and holy is his name.
Luke 1, 46-49