The Assumption of St. Mary the mother of God (shunoyo d-yoldath Aloho Mariam )

The Assumption of St. Mary the mother of God (shunoyo d-yoldath Aloho Mariam )

August 15th is the Commemoration of the Assumption of St. Mary the mother of God (shunoyo d-yoldath Aloho Mariam) according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church. In his article about the Holy Virgin Mary, the thrice blessed late HH Mor Ignatius Zakka I of blessed memory states, "Her Assumption in the flesh & soul was not instituted by the Syriac Church as doctrine. The Virgin’s Assumption is a confessional patristic tradition based on the Syriac narrative of Apostle St.Thomas." In this narrative we read about the gathering of the Apostles in spirit in Jerusalem for the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, & about the late arrival of Thomas, his encounter with the Virgin up in the sky on the way up to heaven, & his acquisition of her girdle, which he brought to the Apostles & his request to reopen her grave. Upon reopening, Apostles did not find her holy body. Thomas declared to them the truth of her ascension to heaven in her glorified flesh & that he witnessed her procession & received the girdle from her in testimony whereof. The Apostles believed him. St. Jacob of Serugh (+521) said in his Memre in Syriac on the death of the Virgin Mary, “When the virgin was on her death bed, Angels, the righteous, prophets & fathers descended on her from high upon the order of God. The twelve Apostles and Evangelists came…they buried her in a rocky cave. Glory prevailed in heaven & on earth when the angels beheld her soul ascending and flying towards abodes of lights”.In addition, the book ascribed to Dionysius the Areopagyte, the bishop of Athens (+95AD) relates that ”upon the dormition of St. Mary, all the Apostles gathered together so quickly coming from the Four Corners of Earth, where they were preaching the word. They arrived in Jerusalem, the Residence City of blessed Mary, & then Jesus came with His angels. Jesus received her soul and handed it to Michael the Archangel. Later Jesus appeared once more & transferred her holy body to heaven on a cloud. Up there, her body was united to her soul to enjoy her everlasting joy.”During the Assumption, Mor Touma was given the Girdle (soonoro/belt) of the Virgin as testimony to the other Holy Apostles that she was translated to heaven. "Syriac tradition reports that St. Thomas took the girdle of the Virgin Mary with him to India where he was martyred at the hands of pagan priests. When Thomas’ relics were taken to Edessa in the fourth century, the Holy girdle was brought with them. Finally the girdle reached the Church of the Virgin in Homs, which has been called the Church of the Virgin’s Girdle (Um al-Zennar Church) ever since." The girdle was discovered in 1852 during the time of Archbishop Mor Julius Peter (The thrice blessed late HH Mor Ignatius Peter IV of blessed memory). The girdle was placed in the Altar. The thrice blessed late Patriarch HH Mor Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum of blessed memory, rediscovered the girdle in 1953. It has been carbon tested by archeologists to determine its age; the authenticity is confirmed. Photographs of these events are also kept near to the Holy Girdle's place. The two stone plates, one with a hole inside where the Holy Girdle was kept, & the other one which was covering the first stone plate with an inscription about it, is also kept in a nearby place of the Madbaho.The shrine of the girdle in the church in Homs has become a source of blessing for the faithful. May the intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary, the mother of God (Bthultho Yoldath Aloho Mariam) bless all the faithful who earnestly seek her prayers.For more info on Shunoyo: https://goo.gl/Ygey3RThe Holy Bible readings from the Church Lectionary:Evening:St. Luke 11:27-32Mark 3:28-35Matthew 12:43-45Morning:St. Luke 2:42-51St. Matthew 12:46-50Before Holy Qurbono:Exodus 19:16-23Joshua 4:4-10Isaiah 45:14-19Holy Qurbono:Acts 7:44-53Hebrews 9:3-12, St. Luke 10:38-42St. John 19:25-27Tone of the Day: 7Syriac prayers for Shunoyo: https://tinyurl.com/3mw4x4df Prayer book for the intercession of St. Mary in Malayalam/Manglish: https://tinyurl.com/mr36hvnb Prayer book for the intercession of St. Mary in English: https://tinyurl.com/22adj4ur Malankara World Shunoyo special supplement with sermons & other articles: https://goo.gl/RF6PTjMalayalam Sermon by late Dr. Babu Paul IAS: https://tinyurl.com/bdfyz8u5Huthomo sung by HG Mor Osthatheos Isaac: https://youtu.be/14MNlTFvgjIHoly Girdle (Soonoro) http://www.syriacchristianity.info/doc/HolyVirginMary.htmFixed Feast