KOTTAR

 History of the Diocese

The diocese of Kottar comprises the four revenue divisions (taluks) of Thovalai, Agasteeswaram (except the parish of Azhagappapuram of Thoothukudi diocese) Kalkulam and Vilavancode (except the eight coastal parishes of Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese) in the civil district of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
  
Kanyakumari district has a unique position in the ecclesiastical map of India. Five Dioceses (Kottar, Thoothukudi and Thiruvananthapuram of the Latin rite, Thuckalay of Syro-Malabar rite and Marthandam of Syro-Malanakara rite) have their jurisdictions in this small district of 1685 square kilometres area. Besides the diocese of Kottar, Thuckalay and Marthandam dioceses, both established in 1996, have their headquarters in this district.
  
The area under the present diocese of Kottar had known the Christian faith several centuries before the arrival of the Portuguese on the West Coast. Monuments recently discovered in Chinna Muttom near Kanyakumari support it. The presence of St. Thomas Christians in Thiruvithancode, Kottar and other places in the district had also been attested by several missionaries under the Portuguese Padroado.
  
However with the arrival of the Portuguese missionaries, a small section of the local people known as Paravas became Christians in 1536-1537. Seven years after their conversion more than ten thousand fishermen known as 'Mukkuvas" in the coastal villages from Poovar( now in the archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram) to Pallam were baptized in 1544 by the greatest post-apostolic missionary of the Church, St. Francis Xavier. He was one among the first seven to take vows in the Society of Jesus founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534. The present Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier encompasses the church of St. Mary built by Francis Xavier.
 
With renewed efforts of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (founded in 1622) Christian missionaries began to concentrate on and evangelize the interior parts of the area. Initially, attention was given to the conversion of the people of Vellala and Nair communities. Many from these communities embraced the Christian faith and prominent among them was the martyr of the diocese, Devasahayam Pillai (Lazar) aka Nilakanda Pillai.
  
He was born in the village of Nattalam in 1712 and was an official in the palace of King Marthanda Varma of Thiruvithancore. He was converted to Christian faith by the gentle efforts of a captured captain of the Dutch Navy, Eustachius De Lannoy who later became the Chief Admiral of the King's army (In Malayalam he was known as Valia Capitatan). Nilakanda Pillai was baptized as Lazar (Devasahayam) at the hands of Rev. Fr. John Baptist Buttari, S. J., Parish priest of Vadakkankulam in 1745. The king tried in vain to entice him back to Hinduism. Then, the enraged king ordered him to be arrested and shot to death. After enduring torture for three years, Devasahayam Pillai was taken to Kattadimalai, Alravaimozhi, and shot to death on January 14, 1752. His mortal remains were interred in the church of St. Francis Xavier, which in turn became the Cathedral of the Diocese of Kottar in 1930.
 
The 18th century witnessed the rapid growth of Christianity in the interior parts of the area, following large scale conversion of the people of Nadar community. Vencode and Karenkadu were the centres of evangelization and conversion. With the creation of Verapoly- Varapuzha- Vicariate, the Portuguese Padroado system came to an end in this area except in the then seven parishes from Eraymanthura to Neerodi. In 1853, Kollam vicariate was established and was placed under the care of the Belgian Carmelite missionaries. With the establishment of the Hierarchy in India in 1886, Kollam became a diocese that extended from Mavelikara in the north to Kottar( Nagercoil) in the south, and Kottar became the centre of the southern part of Kollam diocese.
 
The Swiss-born, Carmelite Bishop Aloysius Maria Benziger was the architect of present diocese of Kottar. His saintly life, missionary zeal and great pastoral leadership helped the formation of many Catholic communities especially in the southern part of Kollam diocese. Knowing education was important for the development of the people, Archbishop Benziger established schools in many of the coastal villages and founded St. Francis Teacher Institute at Assisi, Nagercoil, to train teachers for the schools. In all, he founded 112 schools in a short span of 25 years. Carmel High School and St. Joseph's School, Nagercoil, remain living monuments to the foresight of this great visionary and missionary.
 
Archbishop Benziger was among the first to request the Vatican to beatify the Carmelite nun, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus aka Little Flower and following her beatification he constructed the first church in the world at Kandanvilai( now in Kottar diocese)  and blessed it on April 7,1924, and  the second church was blessed on May 12, 1924 at Thoonkampara now in Neyyatinkara diocese. Accepting Pope Pius XI's invitation, Archbishop Benziger assisted at her canonization ceremony on May 17, 1925.

Thanks to his recommendation the southern part of Kollam diocese was formed as a new diocese on May 26, 1930, with Fr. Lawrence Pereira as its first bishop, the third Indian to become a bishop in the Latin rite. Bishop Lawrence Pereira was no stranger to the new diocese since he had ministered in Vencode and Enayam areas. He had to toil hard to build the infrastructure of the new diocese from scratch. He was called to the eternal reward on January 5, 1938.

Though Tamil was the predominant language of the new diocese, it was part of Thiruvithancore and Cochin State with Malayalam as the state language. Keeping in mind the linguistic aspirations of the people of the diocese, the Vatican appointed the Tiruchirapalli native and Superior of Palayamkottai Jesuit Mission, Rev. Thomas Roch Agniswamy as succesor to Bishop Lawrence Pereira in 1939. In the reorganization of States in 1956, Kanyakumari district became part of Madras State now known as Tamil Nadu. In 1963, the diocese of Kottar was detached from the Metropolitan See of Verapoly and attached to the archdiocese of Madurai.
   
Evangelization activites received much impetus during the tenure of Bishop Agniswamy. A great number of parishes, mission stations and schools were established. His special interest in the promotion of local vocation resulted in the founding of St.Aloysius Minor Seminary for the diocese and Tamil Nadu Xavier Mission Home for the missions.
  
Bishop Marianus Arckiasamy from Kumbakonam who succeeded Bishop Agniswamy in 1971, was committed to the implementation of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, especially in the field of Bible, Liturgy, Catechetics and other pastoral activities. The setting up of sixteen diocesan commissions, Animation Centre, Pastoral and Youth Centers and formation of parish councils in more than fifty per cent of the parishes bear witness to his interests.
  
The communal riots that rocked Kanyakumari district in 1982, posed a great challenge to the diocese and to Bishop Arockiasamy. Premeditated and organized attacks on Christians and church properties shattered the calm of the otherwise peaceful district. In all, ten Catholics lost their lives to police and communal firings. Churches, convents and other religious places were vandalized and desecrated. People of Pallam parish had to flee for their lives. Coastal parishes were cut off from the main land and essential food supplies had to be carried through the sea. Bishop Arockiasamy and the Head of the Kundrakudi Hindu Mutt (Hermitage) and other religious leaders toured the affected areas to instill confidence in the people and peace returned to the riot-torn district. They founded" Thiruvarul Peravai"(Graceful Assembly) to foster communal and religious harmony. The Catholic Church in India and other parts of the world came to the help of the affected people. Bishop Arockiasamy continued to serve the diocese until his promotion as Archbishop of Madurai in 1987.
  
Fr. Leon A. Tharmaraj, who became the fourth bishop in 1989, was the first" son of the soil" to shepherd the diocese of Kottar. Bishop Leon faithfully carried forward the policies of his predecessor and went on further in making the diocese, truly the Church of the laity concentrating on the formation of Basic Christian (Ecclesial) Communities, pastoral and parish councils and encouraging lay leadership in the mission of the diocese.
     
The killer Tsunami waves that swept the coastal villages the day after Christmas in 2004 brought humongous miseries to the lives and properties of thousands of Christians. More than 800 people lost their lives and thousands of houses, fishing boats and many churches were damaged. Bishop Leon together with the entire diocese faced the challenge posed by the unprecedented loss and undertook to rebuild the lives and properties of the people. People from all walks of life irrespective of caste and creed joined in the valiant efforts of the diocese in rehabilitating the victims of the killer Tsunami. It is true the tragedies often bring the best in the human person and the Tsunami devastation witnessed the unprecedented outpouring of love and support from people of all walks of life in India and other parts of the world." One touch of nature makes the whole world kin".
   
The diocese lost a true shepherd in the sudden death of Bishop Leon on January 16, 2007. Bishop Peter Remigius, who hails from the diocese, was transferred from the diocese of Kumbakonam to the See of Kottar and installed on August 24, 2007. Consolidating the all round growth initiated by his predecessor, Bishop Remigius is outlining plans and programs to make the parishes and the diocese self sufficient and self supporting. To accelerate the mission work he is raising many mission centres into full-fledged parishes. People's participation in the mission of the church of Kottar needs special mention. They are enthusiastically joining and strengthening the parish and Diocesan councils, Finance Committees, Pastoral Council, Diocesan Commissions etc. All the parishes except a handful, have duly elected parish councils.
  
The diocesan process for the beatification of the Servant of God, Devasahayam Pillai, that commenced in 1993, concluded on September 7, 2008, and the documents were forwarded to Rome on 24th September 2008. The Roman process has already started and on 18th March 2010 the Congregation certified the validity of the documents. On 9th, July 2010 the Cause was assigned by the Congregation to the Most. Rev. Fr. Zdzislaw Kijas, OFM Conv., 'Relator".
  
From 95000 people in 25 parishes ministered by 32 priests, at the time of its formation in 1930, the Kottar Church, today after 80 years, marches on with 543789 Catholics in 161 parishes served by 278 priests.

St. Xavier's Church, Kottar

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St. Xavier Church
Basic information
Location	Kottar, Nagercoil
Affiliation	Roman Catholic Church
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Kanyakumari

St. Xavier Church is a Roman Catholic shrine located at Kottar, Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu state, India. While Saint Xavier was doing missionary work at Kottar and its neighbourhood, he averted an invasion of Padagas with the help of his cross alone and thus protected the people of Venad kingdom from that attack which was appreciated by the king, Unni Kerala Varma, who became closer to the Priest and befriended him then on. In recognition of Xavier’s services, the king allotted him a piece of land to construct a catholic church, as a gesture of goodwill, as per the church records. There was already a small church, in the same place where St. Xavier’s church stands at present, dedicated to Mother Mary since AD 1544 .^[1] Church records show that St. Xavier Church was built in 1600CE. In AD 1865, the Shrine of Mother Mary was renovated and enlarged. In 1930CE, the church was raised to the status of a Cathedral. The annual festival is celebrated during November – December lasting for 10 days.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Name & fame 2 References 3 see also 4 External links

History

St.Francis Xavier, a Spanish Jesuit missionary, landed in Goa in May 1542 and he sailed from Goa to Cape Comorin in October 1542 on missionary tour to Travancore ^[2] Once a great band of dacoits attacked Travancore. Raja`s forces could`t combat the enemy successfully, but Xavier chased away the marauders at Vadasery by raising his Crucifix aloft and shouting at them. Very pleased with Xavier, the Raja showed special regards and gratitudes to him.^[3][4] At Kottar, Xavier had a dwelling house and a small church. Tradition says that the heathens set fire to Xavier`s house and reduced it to ashes, but they were struck with awe when they saw the holy man on his knees devoutly praying, not in the least touched by the flames. To mark the place a cross was put up, to which miraculous powers were attributed. From the time the church was built on the spot, a lamp is kept perpetually burning. Even Hindus go there and make vows and pour oil. Miracles are recorded to have taken place there; and hence multitudes of devout Catholic pilgrims from British India, Ceylon and Malacca <sup>[5]</sup> resort to the annual festival at St. Xavier`s church, Kottar, about December of every year.

Name & fame

The primitive or original church which still subsists was built by St. Francis Xavier himself between the years AD 1542 and AD 1550.^[6] Afterwards the Bishops of Cochin constructed a new and more spacious church that was richly endowed with precious ornaments and utensils gifted by the Kings of Portugal.^[7] The mortal remains of Christian martyr Devasahayam Pillai were given a Christian burial in front of the high altar of St.Xavier`s church at Kottar in January AD 1752.<sup>[8]</sup> While being one of the oldest churches in the whole of erstwhile Southern Travancore, it is definitely the oldest Cathedral church of Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar in the present-day`s Kanyakumari district (of Tamil Nadu) since there are three more dioceses got established here later on.

• St. Francis Xavier`s Cathedral Church, Kottar - Official site.

District of Kanyakumari History Travancore Battle of Colachel Travancore-Cochin Taluks Agastheeswaram Kallkkulam Thovalai Vilavancode Blocks Agastheeswaram Killiyoor Kurunthancode Melpuram Munchirai Rajakkamangalam Thiruvattar Thovalai Thuckalay Municipalities Colachel Kuzhithurai Nagercoil Padmanabhapuram Town panchayats Agastheeswaram Alur Anjugramam Aralvaimozhi Arumanai Asaripallam Attoor Azhagappapuram Azhagiapandiapuram Boothapandi Edaikodu Eraniel Ezhudesam Ganapathipuram Kadayal Kaliyakkavilai Kallukuttam Kanyakumari Kappiyarai Karungal Keezhkulam Killiyur Kodimunai Kollancode Kothanalloor Kottaram Kulasekaram Kumarapuram Manavalakurichi Mandaikadu Marthandam Marungoor Mulagumudu Myladi Nallur Neiyyur Pacode Palapallam Pazhugal Ponmanai Puthalam Pudukadai Reethapuram South Thamaraikulam Suchindram Thalakudi Thengampudur Theroor Thingalnagar Thiruparappu Thiruvattar Thiruvithamcode Unnamalaikadai Valvaithankoshtam Vavathurai Vellimalai Verkilambi Vilavoor Villukuri Religious sites Devi Kanya Kumari Temple Thanumalayan Temple Kumara coil Marunthuvazh Malai Mondaicaud Bhagavathi Temple Nagaraja Temple Our Lady of Ransom Church, Kanyakumari St. Arockiya Nathar Church, Vavathurai Pancha pathi Peer Mohammed Dargah Sivalayams Sri Adikesavaperumal Temple St. Xavier's Church Swamithope pathi Thirunadhikkara Thiruppathisaram Thirucharanathumalai Chitharal Jain Monuments Tourism Kanyakumari Kalikesam Mathur Aqueduct Mukkadal Dam Muttom Olakaruvi Padmanabhapuram Palace Pechiparai Reservoir Sothavilai Beach Thiruparrapu Udayagiri Vattakottai Fort Vattakottai Vattaparai Falls Vavathurai Major festivals Pongal Deepavali Christmas Ayya Vaikunda Avataram Ganesh Chaturdhi New Year Onam Ramzan Saraswati pooja Education Bishop Agniswamy College of Education Malankara Catholic College Nesamony Memorial Christian College Noorul Islam College of Engineering Ponjesly College of Engineering Scott Christian College South Travancore Hindu College St. Xavier's College of Engineering Sun College of Engineering Railway atations Nagercoil Nagercoil Junction Kanyakumari Nagercoil Town Kulitthurai Eraniel Palliyadi Kuzhitthurai West Thovalai Veerani Aloor

Assumption of Mary

The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
"La Asuncion de la Virgen". Rubens circa. 1626
Honored in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church
Feast	August 15 (Universal)
Attributes	Mary assumed or elevated into Heaven with surrounding cherubs or saints
Patronage	Asuncion, Paraguay Republic of Malta

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, informally known as The Assumption, according to the Christian beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of Anglicanism, was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life.
The Roman Catholic Church teaches as dogma that the Virgin Mary "having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory."^[1] This doctrine was dogmatically and infallibly defined by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950, in his Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus.^[2] While Catholic dogma leaves open the question of Mary's death before rising to Heaven, the Eastern Orthodox tradition of the Dormition of the Theotokos teaches that Mary died and then rose to Heaven. In the churches which observe it, the Assumption is a major feast day, commonly celebrated on August 15. In many countries it is a Catholic Holy Day of Obligation.
In his August 15, 2004, homily given at Lourdes, Pope John Paul II quoted John 14:3 as one of the scriptural bases for understanding the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. In this verse, Jesus tells his disciples at the Last Supper, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also." According to Catholic theology, Mary is the pledge of the fulfillment of Christ's promise.^[3]
The feast of the Assumption on August 15 is a public holiday in many countries, including Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany (Bavaria only), Greece, Lebanon, Lithuania, Italy, Malta, Mauritius,^[4] Poland, Portugal, Senegal, and Spain .^[5] In Eastern Orthodox churches following the Julian Calendar, the feast day of Assumption of Mary falls on August 28.

History of the belief

Although the Assumption (Latin: assūmptiō, "taken up") was only relatively recently defined as infallible dogma by the Catholic Church, and in spite of a statement by Saint Epiphanius of Salamis in AD 377 that no one knew whether Mary had died or not,^[6] apocryphal accounts of the assumption of Mary into heaven have circulated since at least the 4th century. The Catholic Church itself interprets chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation as referring to it.^[7] The earliest known narrative is the so-called Liber Requiei Mariae (The Book of Mary's Repose), which survives intact only in an Ethiopic translation.^[8] Probably composed by the 4th century, this Christian apocryphal narrative may be as early as the 3rd century. Also quite early are the very different traditions of the "Six Books" Dormition narratives. The earliest versions of this apocryphon are preserved by several Syriac manuscripts of the 5th and 6th centuries, although the text itself probably belongs to the 4th century.^[9]

Assumption statue, 1808 by Mariano Gerada, Ghaxaq, Malta

Later apocrypha based on these earlier texts include the De Obitu S. Dominae, attributed to St. John, a work probably from around the turn of the 6th century that is a summary of the "Six Books" narrative. The story also appears in De Transitu Virginis, a late 5th century work ascribed to St. Melito of Sardis that presents a theologically redacted summary of the traditions in the Liber Requiei Mariae. The Transitus Mariae tells the story of the apostles being transported by white clouds to the deathbed of Mary, each from the town where he was preaching at the hour. The Decretum Gelasianum in the 490s declared some transitus Mariae literature apocryphal.
An Armenian letter attributed to Dionysus the Areopagite also mentions the event, although this is a much later work, written sometime after the 6th century. John of Damascus, from this period, is the first church authority to advocate the doctrine under his own name. His contemporaries, Gregory of Tours and Modestus of Jerusalem, helped promote the concept to the wider church.
In some versions of the story the event is said to have taken place in Ephesus, in the House of the Virgin Mary, although this is a much more recent and localized tradition. The earliest traditions all locate the end of Mary's life in Jerusalem (see "Mary's Tomb"). By the 7th century a variation emerged, according to which one of the apostles, often identified as St Thomas, was not present at the death of Mary, but his late arrival precipitates a reopening of Mary's tomb, which is found to be empty except for her grave clothes. In a later tradition, Mary drops her girdle down to the apostle from heaven as testament to the event.^[10] This incident is depicted in many later paintings of the Assumption.
Teaching of the Assumption of Mary became widespread across the Christian world, having been celebrated as early as the 5th century and having been established in the East by Emperor Maurice around AD 600.^[11] It was celebrated in the West under Pope Sergius I in the 8th century and Pope Leo IV then confirmed the feast as official.^[11] Theological debate about the Assumption continued, following the Reformation, climaxing in 1950 when Pope Pius XII defined it as dogma for the Catholic Church.^[12] Catholic theologian Ludwig Ott stated, "The idea of the bodily assumption of Mary is first expressed in certain transitus-narratives of the fifth and sixth centuries.... The first Church author to speak of the bodily assumption of Mary, in association with an apocryphal transitus B.M.V., is St. Gregory of Tours."^[13] The Catholic writer Eamon Duffy states that "there is, clearly, no historical evidence whatever for it."^[14] However, the Catholic Church has never asserted nor denied that its teaching is based on the apocryphal accounts. The Church documents are silent on this matter and instead rely upon other sources and arguments as the basis for the doctrine.

Catholic teaching

A series of articles on Roman Catholic Mariology
General articles Mariology • Veneration of the Blessed Virgin • History of Mariology • Mariology of the saints • Mariology of the popes • Encyclicals • Marian societies
Devotions Rosary • Scapular • Immaculate Heart • Seven Joys • Seven Sorrows • First Saturdays • Acts of Reparation • Hearts of Jesus & Mary • Consecration to Mary
Dogmas and Doctrines Mother of God • Perpetual virginity • Immaculate Conception • Assumption • Mother of the Church • Queen of Heaven • Mediatrix • Co-Redemptrix
Expressions of devotion Art • Hymns • Music • Architecture
Key Marian apparitions (approved or worthy of belief) Guadalupe • Miraculous Medal • La Salette • Lourdes • Pontmain • Laus • Banneux • Beauraing • Fátima

In this dogmatic statement, the phrase "having completed the course of her earthly life," leaves open the question of whether the Virgin Mary died before her assumption or whether she was assumed before death; both possibilities are allowed. Mary's assumption is said to have been a divine gift to her as the 'Mother of God'. Ludwig Ott's view is that, as Mary completed her life as a shining example to the human race, the perspective of the gift of assumption is offered to the whole human race.^[15]
In Ludwig Ott's Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma he states that "the fact of her death is almost generally accepted by the Fathers and Theologians, and is expressly affirmed in the Liturgy of the Church", to which he adduces a number of helpful citations, and concludes that "for Mary, death, in consequence of her freedom from original sin and from personal sin, was not a consequence of punishment of sin. However, it seems fitting that Mary's body, which was by nature mortal, should be, in conformity with that of her Divine Son, subject to the general law of death".^[16] The point of her bodily death has not been infallibly defined, and many believe that she did not die at all, but was assumed directly into Heaven. The dogmatic definition within the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus which, according to Roman Catholic dogma, infallibly proclaims the doctrine of the Assumption leaves open the question whether, in connection with her departure, Mary underwent bodily death; that is, it does not dogmatically define the point one way or the other, as shown by the words "having completed the course of her earthly life".^[12]
On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII solemnly declared:

By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory^[17]

Roman Catholic theologians consider this declaration by Pius XII to be an ex cathedra use of Papal Infallibility.^[18][19] Although Pope Pius XII deliberately left open the question of whether Mary died before her Assumption, the more common teaching of the early Fathers is that she did die.^[20][21]

Assumption and Dormition (Eastern Christianity) compared

The Dormition: ivory plaque, late 10th-early 11th century (Musée de Cluny).

The Catholic Feast of the Assumption is celebrated on August 15, and the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos (the falling asleep of the Mother of God) on the same date, preceded by a 14-day fast period. Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that Mary died a natural death, that her soul was received by Christ upon death, and that her body was resurrected on the third day after her death and that she was taken up into heaven bodily in anticipation of the general resurrection. Her tomb was found empty on the third day. "...Orthodox tradition is clear and unwavering in regard to the central point [of the Dormition]: the Holy Virgin underwent, as did her Son, a physical death, but her body – like His – was afterwards raised from the dead and she was taken up into heaven, in her body as well as in her soul. She has passed beyond death and judgement, and lives wholly in the Age to Come. The Resurrection of the Body ... has in her case been anticipated and is already an accomplished fact. That does not mean, however, that she is dissociated from the rest of humanity and placed in a wholly different category: for we all hope to share one day in that same glory of the Resurrection of the Body which she enjoys even now."^[22]
Many Catholics also believe that Mary first died before being assumed, but they add that she was miraculously resurrected before being assumed, while others believe she was assumed bodily into Heaven without first passing through death.^[23][24] As mentioned earlier, this aspect of the Assumption is not authoritatively defined in Catholic theology, and either understanding may be legitimately held by Catholics. Eastern Catholics observe the Feast as the Dormition. Many theologians note by way of comparison that in the Catholic Church, the Assumption is dogmatically defined, while in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the Dormition is less dogmatically than liturgically and mystically defined. Such differences spring from a larger pattern in the two traditions, wherein Catholic teachings are often dogmatically and authoritatively defined – in part because of the more centralized structure of the Catholic Church– while in Eastern Orthodoxy, many doctrines are less authoritative.^[25]

The Virgin Mary's heavenly birthday

Possibly the most famous rendition of the subject in Western art, Titian's Assunta (1516–18).

The Assumption is important to many Catholic and Orthodox Christians as the Virgin Mary's heavenly birthday (the day that Mary was received into Heaven). Her acceptance into the glory of Heaven is seen by them as the symbol of the promise made by Jesus to all enduring Christians that they too will be received into paradise. The Assumption of Mary is symbolised in the Fleur-de-lys Madonna.
The present Italian name of the holiday, "Ferragosto", may derive from the Latin name, Feriae Augusti ("Holidays of the Emperor Augustus"),^[26] since the month of August took its name from the emperor. The Solemnity of the Assumption on August 15 was celebrated in the eastern Church from the 6th Century. The Catholic Church adopted this date as a Holy Day of Obligation to commemorate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the real physical elevation of her sinless soul and incorrupt body into Heaven.
The Solemnity of the Assumption on August 15 is a public holiday in many countries, including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Colombia, Cyprus, East Timor, France, Gabon, Greece, Republic of Guinea, Haiti, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malta, Mauritius, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tahiti, Togo, and Vanuatu.^[5] It is also a holiday in some predominantly Catholic states of Germany, including Bavaria and Saarland. In Guatemala it is observed in Guatemala City and in the town of Santa Maria Nebaj, both of which claim her as their patron saint. Also, this day is combined with Mother's Day in Costa Rica. In many places, religious parades and popular festivals are held to celebrate this day. Prominent Catholic and Orthodox countries in which Assumption day is an important festival but is not recognized by the state as a public holiday include Argentina, Brazil, Czech Republic, Ireland, Mexico, the Philippines and Russia. In Canada, Assumption Day is the Fête Nationale of the Acadians, of whom she is the patron saint. Businesses close on that day in heavily francophone parts of New Brunswick, Canada. The Virgin Assumed in Heaven is also patroness of the Maltese Islands and her feast, celebrated on 15 August, apart from being a public holiday in Malta is also celebrated with great solemnity in all the local churches especially in the seven localities known as the Seba' Santa Marijiet. In Anglicanism and Lutheranism, the feast is kept, but without official use of the word "Assumption".

Anglican views

Although the Assumption of Mary is not an Anglican doctrine, 15 August is observed by some within Anglicanism as a feast day in honour of Mary. The Common Prayer Books of the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada mark the date as the Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, the day is observed as the Holy Day of Saint Mary the Virgin. In the Church of England the day is a Festival of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In some churches of the Anglican Communion and the Continuing Anglican churches, many Anglo-Catholics often observe the feast day as the "Assumption of Mary".
The Anglican-Roman Catholic agreed statement on the Virgin Mary assigns a place for both the Dormition and the Assumption in Anglican devotion.^[27]

Protestant views

The Protestant Reformer Heinrich Bullinger believed in the assumption of Mary. His 1539 polemical treatise against idolatry ^[28] expressed his belief that Mary's sacrosanctum corpus ("sacrosanct body") had been assumed into heaven by angels:

Hac causa credimus ut Deiparae virginis Mariae purissimum thalamum et spiritus sancti templum, hoc est, sacrosanctum corpus ejus deportatum esse ab angelis in coelum.^[29]
For this reason we believe that the Virgin Mary, Begetter of God, the most pure bed and temple of the Holy Spirit, that is, her most holy body, was carried to heaven by angels.^[30]

Most modern Protestants neither teach nor believe in the Assumption of Mary, as they see no Biblical basis for it. Although most churches within Lutheranism do not teach the Assumption of Mary, August 15th is a Lesser Feast in celebration of "Mary, Mother of Our Lord", according to the Calendar of Saints.^[31][32][33]

Scriptural sources

A statue of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

As mentioned, recent papal scholarship has cited John 14:3 as evidence of the Assumption in principle if not formally. Near the end of a review of the doctrine's history – a review which serves as the bulk of Munificentissimus Deus – Pope Pius XII tells us: "All these proofs and considerations of the holy Fathers and the theologians are based upon the Sacred Writings as their ultimate foundation." Precedent to this, he cites many passages that have been offered in support of this teaching:

29. ...the holy writers...employed statements and various images and analogies of Sacred Scripture to Illustrate and to confirm the doctrine of the Assumption, which was piously believed... On the feast day of the Assumption, while explaining the prophet's words: "I will glorify the place of my feet," [Isaiah 60:13] he [i.e. St. Anthony of Padua] stated it as certain that the divine Redeemer had bedecked with supreme glory his most beloved Mother from whom he had received human flesh. He asserts that "you have here a clear statement that the Blessed Virgin has been assumed in her body, where was the place of the Lord's feet..." 30. ...St. Albert the Great... in a sermon which he delivered on the sacred day of the Blessed Virgin Mary's annunciation, explained the words "Hail, full of grace" [Luke 1:28]-words used by the angel who addressed her-the Universal Doctor, comparing the Blessed Virgin with Eve, stated clearly and incisively that she was exempted from the fourfold curse that had been laid upon Eve [cf. Genesis 3:16]... 32. Along with many others, the Seraphic Doctor held the same views. He considered it as entirely certain that...God...would never have permitted her body to have been resolved into dust and ashes. Explaining these words of Sacred Scripture: "Who is this that comes up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved?" [Song of Songs 8:5] and applying them in a kind of accommodated sense to the Blessed Virgin, he reasons thus: "From this we can see that she is there bodily...her blessedness would not have been complete unless she were there as a person. The soul is not a person, but the soul, joined to the body, is a person. It is manifest that she is there in soul and in body. Otherwise she would not possess her complete beatitude. ...

The Pope also cites, significantly in paragraph 39, 1st Corinthians 15, where we read (vv. 21–26):

For by a man came death, and by a man the resurrection of the dead. And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But every one in his own order: the firstfruits Christ, then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming. Afterwards the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father, when he shall have brought to nought all principality, and power, and virtue. For he must reign, until he hath put all his enemies under his feet. And the enemy death shall be destroyed last: For he hath put all things under his feet.

In this passage Paul alludes to Genesis 3:15 (in addition to the primary reference of Psalms 8:6), where it is prophesied that the seed of the woman will crush Satan with his feet. Since, then, Jesus arose to Heaven to fulfill this prophecy, it follows that the woman would have a similar end, since she shared this enmity with Satan. The pope comments thus in paragraph 39:

...although subject to [Jesus, who is] the new Adam, [Mary, the new Eve] is most intimately associated with him in that struggle against the infernal foe which, as foretold in the protoevangelium [i.e. Genesis 3:15], would finally result in that most complete victory over the sin and death which are always mentioned together in the writings of the Apostle of the Gentiles. Consequently, just as the glorious resurrection of Jesus was an essential part and the final sign of this victory, so that struggle which was common to the Blessed Virgin and her divine Son should be brought to a close by the glorification of her virginal body, for the same Apostle says: "When this mortal thing hath put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory."

The pope also mentions (in paragraph 26) Psalms 132, a liturgical psalm commemorating the return of the Ark of God to Jerusalem^[34] and lamenting its subsequent loss. The second half of the psalm says that the loss will be recompensed in the New Covenant, and so it is hopefully prayed, "Arise, O Lord, into thy resting place: thou and the ark, which thou hast sanctified" (v. 8). Since the Church sees this New Covenant ark in Mary, it understands that she was taken into Heaven in the same manner as the Lord – that is, body and soul.
In the same paragraph, the pope mentions also Psalms 45:9–17 for support of a heavenly Queen present bodily with the heavenly King Jesus, and Song of Songs 3:6, 4:8, and 6:9, which speaks of David's lover "that goeth up by the desert, as a pillar of smoke of aromatical spices, of myrrh, and frankincense, and of all the powders of the perfumer". Regarding the Marian interpretations of those passages from Psalms 132 to Song of Songs 6:9 and those in between, the pope did, however, consider them "rather free in their use of events and expressions taken from Sacred Scripture" (paragraph 26).
Finally, he mentions in the next paragraph "that woman clothed with the sun [Revelation 12:1–2] whom John the Apostle contemplated on the Island of Patmos" as support for the doctrine. The text seems to parallel this woman with the woman of the Genesis 3 prophecy (and hence Mary): for in verse 9 the passage recalls "that old serpent" of Genesis 3, and reflects the prophecy that God would place "enmities between thee [i.e. Satan] and the woman, and thy seed and her seed" when it says that Satan "was angry against the woman: and went to make war with the rest of her seed" (Rev. 12:17).
All these passages – viz., John 14:3, Isaiah 60:13, Luke 1:28, Song of Songs 8:5, 1st Corinthians 15:21–26, Psalms 132:8, Psalms 45:9–17, Song of Songs 3:6, 4:8, 6:9, Genesis 3:15, and Revelation 12:1–2 – are drawn upon as Scriptural support of the Assumption both in that original document, and today by Catholic apologists.