Fast of Assumption (sawmo d-yoldath aloho)

Fast of Assumption (sawmo d-yoldath aloho)

August 10th is the commencement of the Fast of the Mother of God (sawmo d-Yoldath Aloho) in preparation for the commemoration of her Assumption (Shunoyo) according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church. In his article about the Holy Virgin Mary, the thrice blessed late Patriarch HH Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas of blessed memory states, "Her Assumption in the flesh and 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." During the Assumption, St. Thomas was given the Girdle (Soonoro or 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." 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. 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.” It should be noted that unlike the Roman Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church firmly believes St. Mary had a natural death & the translation of her body occurred only afterwards. Due to the sacredness of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Church instituted that the faithful should go on a fast in preparation for the celebration of this Feast. The faithful would only have one meal a day to break the fast, consisting of only simple vegan foods. This fast traditionally began on the 1st of August every year & ended on the 15th with Holy Qurbono for the Feast of the Assumption (Hido d'shunoyo). Pursuant to the decision taken by the Council of Homs in 1946 it became five days starting on August 10. May the intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary, the mother of God (Bthultho Yoldath Aloho) bless all the faithful who wholeheartedly keep the fast & earnestly seek her prayers. Amen. Article about Shunoyo Fast by Very Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Moolayil Cor-Episcopo: https://goo.gl/y7LTeK Article about Shunoyo Fast by HG Mor Themotheos Thomas Metropolitan: https://goo.gl/2SuKB8 Prayer book for the intercession of St. Mary in Malayalam/Manglish: https://goo.gl/zCjrrQ Prayer book for the intercession of St. Mary in English: https://goo.gl/E2XqRm Intercessory prayers to St. Mary by HG Mor Polycarpus Zachariah: https://youtu.be/ZbMd6QNOO1A