Dear Friends,

The Armenian Church throughout the world celebrates the great feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God on the Sunday closest to August 15. According to tradition Mary lived for fifteen years after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. At the time of her death all of the apostles except for Bartholomew (who was preaching in India) were present to honor her burial in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is said that the song of angels could be heard for three days after her burial.

When Bartholomew returned to Jerusalem, he asked that Mary’s tomb be opened so that he could offer homage to the holy Mother. However, when they did so, her body was gone and the apostles understood that the song of the angels signified the Lord Jesus taking His mother up to heaven.

Today’s feast is the most important of a number during the year celebrated in honor of Mary, who was granted the auspicious title of “Mother of God” at the holy ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431. Thus from early times she has been honored throughout Christendom for her most significant role in giving birth to the Lord Jesus.

Sadly, the fifteenth century reformers in Europe preferred to down play the exalted position, which Mary enjoyed from ancient times and refused to employ her title, “Mother of God.” Honoring Mary does not take honor away from God. Rather honoring the Mother in fact contributes to our honoring of the Son.

In any case from the beginning of the Armenian Church, Mary has received the proper praise due her. Our Mother Church in Holy Etchmiadzin, having been consecrated on this feast, is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. On the occasion of the feast elaborate pilgrimages are made to churches and shrines in her name.

Finally, she is praised in the genre of sharagan-hymns known as the “Medzatsoostseh Sharagank” or “Magnificat Hymns” based on Luke 1:46 – “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

The following is an example of one of these sharagans:
O Mother of God, tabernacle of the light of the unbounded sun of life, you became the dayspring of the sun of righteousness and shed forth light on them that sit in darkness; because of this we all praise you always.

O undefiled temple and unconsumed burning-bush, you bore within you the fire of the Godhead that is not burned. This fire burned and consumed the flame of the passions of our nature; because of this we all praise you always.

O living ark of the testament of the new covenant, through you was shown forth the way to the promised land, that is the Word, that was fashioned in you by the Spirit; because of this we all praise you always.

On the occasion of today’s feast we bless the grapes, which are symbolic of the first fruits of the harvest and we pray that the Lord our creator bless all of the produce of this year for the nourishment and enjoyment of all people. Grapes also remind us of the wine of the holy Badarak offered in solemn memory of the blood of our Savior shed on the cross for the forgiveness and expiation of sin.

+ + + + +

With prayers.
Hayr Simeon
August 17, 2008