Death of the Virgin Mary


Lumen Gentium VIII, 59 - 2nd Vatican Council, (11.10.62 - 08.12.65), John XIII (28.10.58 - 03.06.63)

But since it has pleased God not to manifest solemnly the mystery of the salvation of the human race before He would pour forth the Spirit promised by Christ, we see the apostles before the day of Pentecost "persevering with one mind in prayer with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren", and Mary by her prayers imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation. Finally, the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all guilt of original sin, on the completion of her earthly sojourn, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen of the universe, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and the conqueror of sin and death.


Rainer Maria Rilke, the life of the Virgin Mary

The same tall Angel who once brought the news
Of the birth to her,
Stood there, waiting for her to notice him,
And spoke: Now is the time for you to appear.
And she was frightened as then and proved herself
Again as the maid servant, deeply affirming his command.
But he was radiant and coming infinitely closer,
vanished, yet shone from her face, and called
The widely dispersed proselytizers
To gather at the house on the hill,
The house of the last supper. They arrived more heavily
And entered with fear: There she lay, stretched out
In the narrow bedstead, mysteriously bathed in
Ruin and in being chosen,
Wholly unharmed, like one who had not been used,
And listened to angelic song.
Then, when she saw them all waiting behind their candles,
she tore herself away from the surfeit of
Of the voices and with an overflowing heart yet gave away
the two dresses that she possessed,
And lifted her face to this one and that one...
(Oh origin of nameless brooks of tears).

But she settled into her weakness
And pulled the heavens down to Jerusalem
So closely, that her soul,
As it left her, only had to stretch a little:
Already he, who knew everything about her,
Lifted her into her divine nature.





20 photos
Tomb of the Virgin Mary, interior staircase hung       
with chandeliers. The present structure is late        
Byzantine, located at the foot of the Mount of         
Olives. There are burial niches hewn into the rock.
#08040167

Tomb of the Virgin Mary, interior staircase hung with chandeliers. The pr...

Burial chamber of the tomb of the Virgin Mary.         
Late Byzantine. Burial niches hewn into the rock,      
located at the foot of the Mount of Olives.
#08040168

Burial chamber of the tomb of the Virgin Mary. Late Byzantine. Burial n...

Tomb of the Virgin Mary at the foot of Mount Olives.   
The present structure is Late Byzantine. There are     
burial niches hewn into the rock.
#08040169

Tomb of the Virgin Mary at the foot of Mount Olives. The present structure is...

Death of the Virgin Mary.
Fresco by Mihail and Eutychios (1295)
#15030351

Death of the Virgin Mary. Fresco by Mihail and Eutychios (1295)

Death of the Virgin (dormition), from the apse of
Gracanica Church. While Saint Mary lies on her
deathbed, Christ lifts up her soul in the form of a
newborn child.
#15030717

Death of the Virgin (dormition), from the apse of Gracanica Church. While Saint...

Sveti Trojica (Holy Trinity) Church,Sopocani,Kosovo,
founded by King Uros I around 1250.
#15030718

Sveti Trojica (Holy Trinity) Church,Sopocani,Kosovo, founded by King Uros I arou...

Death of the Virgin (dormition),from the Holy Trinity  
Church (Sveti Trojica Church) at Sopocani.             
While the Virgin lies on her deathbed, Christ holds    
her swaddled soul in his arms.                         
1263-1268
#15030719

Death of the Virgin (dormition),from the Holy Trinity Church (Sveti Trojica Ch...

Death of the Virgin Mary, detail: Grieving apostles.
From Sveti Trojica (Holy Trinity) Church, Sopocani,
Kosovo. Detail of 15-03-07/22
1263-1268
#15030720

Death of the Virgin Mary, detail: Grieving apostles. From Sveti Trojica (Holy Tr...

A prophet, from the Sveti Trojica (Holy Trinity)       
Church in Sopocani,Kosovo
#15030721

A prophet, from the Sveti Trojica (Holy Trinity) Church in Sopocani,Kosov...

An apostle. From the nave of Sveti Trojica             
(Holy Trinity) Church in Sopocani,Kosovo.
#15030722

An apostle. From the nave of Sveti Trojica (Holy Trinity) Church in...

An apostle. From the nave of Sveti Trojica             
(Holy Trinity) Church in Sopocani, Serbia.
#15030723

An apostle. From the nave of Sveti Trojica (Holy Trinity) Church in...

Death of the Virgin Mary. As she lies on her deathbed, 
Christ gathers her soul in the form of a newborn child.
From the naos.
#15030863

Death of the Virgin Mary. As she lies on her deathbed, Christ gathers her soul...