What is meant by “dormition” in relation to Mary?

Dear Father Angelo,

What is meant by “dormitio” in relation to Mary?

If I’m not mistaken, it is the condition of the Holy Mother of Jesus who, conceived without sin, was not dead, but rather asleep. Don’t you think that the Church, at times, resorts to real intellectual acrobatics in order to provide an answer at all costs?

Kind regards

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Reply from the priest

Dear Father,

1. In the 6th and 7th centuries, the feast of the Dormition of Mary became widespread. Its theme was Mary’s death, understood as an exceptional and glorious event. In Constantinople, as early as around 600 AD, this feast was celebrated on August 15th.

However, in Rome, as early as the 7th century, with Pope Sergius I, the feast of the Dormition was celebrated together with those of the Nativity, Purification, and Annunciation.

From Rome, in the following century it passed to France and England, already taking the title Assumptio S. Mariae.

The term dormition refers to Mary’s death.

The term Assumption refers to her resurrection.

2. Why do we speak of dormition in reference to Mary’s death?

Because Mary certainly died, as many authors, including John Paul II, believe.

But her death did not coincide with the beginning of the process of putrefaction, as happened with Lazarus’ body.

For this reason, her death resembles a sleep rather than death understood as disintegration.

She who had not been corrupted by sin remained uncorrupted by the natural consequences of death.

3. John Paul II spoke specifically of the Dormition of the Mother of God on June 26, 1997.

He said: “Whatever the organic and biological event that caused, from a physical perspective, the cessation of bodily life, it can be said that the passage from this life to the next was for Mary a maturation of grace in glory, so that never before could death be conceived as a Dormition. (…) At the end of her earthly existence, she will have experienced, like Paul and even more than him, the desire to be freed from the body to be with Christ forever (cf. Phil 1:23).”

And he concludes: “Passing through the common destiny of all men, she is able to exercise her spiritual motherhood more effectively toward those who reach the supreme hour of life.”

As you can see, everything in this exposition is linear.

I return the greeting, accompanying it with a prayer and a blessing.

Father Angelo

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