Raphael, The Crowning of the VirginLast night I attended services at an Eastern Orthodox Church. They commemorate the Assumption (Dormition) of Mary in a beautiful way. If you have ever attended All Souls' Day Mass in the Extraordinary Form, you might have seen a catafalque. This coffin symbolizes the souls of all the dead commemorated at that requiem. Likewise, the Orthodox decorate an image of her dormition with flowers to commemorate Mary's empty tomb and her entrance into heaven.
Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos,Who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions.
For being the Mother of Life,
She was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb!
Went to DL at a Ruthynian Catholic Church today, it was the second day in the octave of the dormition, it is something else. Easterns do Marian devotions like no one else. Very neat stuff. Unfortunatly this parish was much to small for any think like the cataflaque you mentioned...
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