AUG 15: DIVINE LITURGY & BLESSING OF FLOWERS, HERBS OR SEEDS – 6:30 PM (LIVE-STREAMED). Please bring flowers (and herbs) for placement around the tomb of the Theotokos to be blessed. Even if you are not attending the Divine Liturgy, feel free to bring flowers to place around the tomb. Please bring your own vase as the church has a limited supply. The church will be available for those wishing to spend time in prayer before the tomb of the Theotokos. Please maintain distance between families and remember to sanitize when you leave.
DORMITION HOMILY: Homily for Dormiton August 15 2022
Streaming via Facebook Live. https://www.facebook.com/saintscyrilandmethodius/
Parishes live-streaming in the Diocese can be found here: https://www.eparchyofpassaic.com/livestream
PROPERS: 08-15_Dormition_DL
Akathist: https://mci.archpitt.org/sheetmusic/general/Akathist_Dormition.pdf
The Gospel reading today is Luke 10:38-42 & 11:27-28, in which Jesus is At the Home of Martha and Mary. It reads as the following:
“38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
“27 While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!’ 28But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
THE DORMITION OF THE MOST HOLY MOTHER OF GOD ACCORDING TO THE BYZANTINE RITE (from Eparchy of Pittsburgh): https://archpitt.org/the-dormition-of-the-most-holy-mother-of-god-uspen-ije-assumption-according-to-the-byzantine-rite/
Why do we bless flowers?
https://www.stgabrielashland.org/blessing-of-flowers-and-fragrant-herbs-on-dormition/
Information on the Icon:
https://thebyzantinelife.com/byzcatholic/dormition-theotokos/
What to do with the blessed flowers:
https://thebyzantinelife.com/byzcatholic/dormition/
The Feast commemorates the repose or “falling-asleep” of the Mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord. The Feast also commemorates the translation or assumption into heaven of the body of the Theotokos. Tradition relates that the Mother of God died in Jerusalem, after a visit with all of Christ’s apostles. They carried her coffin to the Garden of Gethsemane where it was placed into a tomb. The apostle Thomas came late, and asked that the tomb might be opened so that he could reverence her body. When opened, the tomb was found empty except for the winding sheet.
Today flowers are blessed in church, and people keep them in their homes. During times of family strife or illness, the flower petals are placed in the censer with the incense, and the whole house is incensed. Also, the Rite of the “Burial of the Theotokos” is celebrated, during the All-Night Vigil. An Epitaphios of the Theotokos, a richly embroidered cloth icon portraying her lying in state, together with specially composed hymns of lamentation are sung as it is carried in procession.
Tuesday, August 23rd, is the Leave-taking of the Feast of the Dormition. On this day, another solemn procession is made & the holy burial shroud is carried by the clergy.
