The Summer Pascha

  The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary   Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos, this is what the Church has received from ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers. When the time drew nigh that our Savior was well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He declared unto […]

Dormition of the Theotokos: The Great Vespers

AUGUST,15 The Dormition of the Theotokos Great Vespers Priest. Blessed is our God always, now and forever and to the ages of ages. People: Amen. Reader: Come, let us worship and bow down before our King and God. Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ our King and God. Come, let us worship […]

The Holy Days of the Dormition Fast

  By the grace of God, Who is worshipped and glorified in Trinity, we have been found worthy of these holy days of the Dormition Fast. The Mother Church has dedicated this period to the honour and memory of the Most-holy Mother of God and Ever-virgin Mary, whose Dormition we celebrate every year on 15th […]

Preparation for the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos

The commemoration of the Dormition of the Theotokos and the preparation for the Feast begin on August 1 with a period of fasting (August 1-14). A strict fast is followed on most of the days (no meat, dairy, oil, or wine), with the exceptions of fish on the Feast of the Transfiguration (August 6) and […]

The History of the Great Paraklesis (Supplication) Canon to the Theotokos

The Authorship and Origins of the Great Paraklesis Canon Regarding the Great Supplication Service, we have sufficient testimony to its authorship. The poet was Theodore II Doukas Laskaris, Emperor of Nicaea. He was an emperor in exile who reigned from 1254 to 1258 AD following the fall of Constantinople to the Frankish Crusaders in 1204. […]

The History of the Small Paraclesis (Supplication) Canon to the Theotokos

There are two forms of the Paraklesis Canon to the Theotokos: the Small Paraklesis which was composed by Theosteriktos the Monk in the 9th century (or some say Theophanes), and the Great Paraklesis. During the majority of the year, only the Small Paraklesis to the Theotokos is chanted. However, during the Dormition Fast (August 1—14), […]

ON THE FEAST OF THE DORMITION OF THE ALL-HOLY THEOTOKOS

The Feast of the Dormition (Koimesis): The Feast of the Dormition (Falling asleep) of the All-holy Theotokos, celebrated on the 15th of August every year is the greatest among several others which commemorate her Blessed person and life. As such, this Feast marks the completion of her earthly life as her full participation in the […]