Assumption Of The Mary Dictogloss

The Assumption of Mary 

Questions

When was the Assumption defined as dogma, and by whom?

In the year 1950, Pope Pius XII defined Mary's Assumption into

Heaven as a dogma of Roman Catholicism: "the Immaculate

Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the

course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heaven."

What was the title of the document that was the earliest 

reference to the belief? 

       

The Assumption of Mary was first written about in two books from

the third and fourth centuries, the Liber Requiei Mariae ("Book

of Mary's Repose"), and the "Six Books Dormition Apocryphon".

What do some Christians believe Mary’s assumption 

signifies for them? 

Assumption Day marks the belief that when Mary, the mother

of Jesus Christ, died, her body was "assumed" into heaven, instead

of going through the natural process of physical decay upon death

on earth. The belief about Mary’s acceptance into the glory of

Heaven is seen by some Christians as the symbol of the

promise made by Jesus to all enduring Christians that

they too will be received into paradise. 

Name the four Christian denominations that have strong

beliefs about the Assumption of Mary

The Catholic Church.

The Eastern Orthodox Churches

The Oriental Orthodoxy, Church of the East, and 

Some Lutheran and Anglo-Catholic Churches

What does a Holy Day of Obligation mean?

In the Catholic Church, holy days of obligation are days on which

the faithful are expected to attend Mass, and take rest

from work and recreation, according to the Third Commandment. 

Why do you think there would be no obligation to

feast on a Saturday or Monday? (You may like to research this one!)

Christmas and Easter (which always falls on Sunday) are the

highest-ranking holy days.

The Immaculate Conception is the feast for the

United States and is also considered as a very holy day. 

However, if any of the other holy days falls on a Saturday

or Monday, they are not considered holy days of obligation,

because they're back-to-back with Sunday.

Why do you think the belief is more commonly celebrated

in European countries? 

Assumption Day is public holiday in many European countries

such as Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy,

Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.

Christianity is the largest religion in Europe. As of 2010,

Roman Catholics were the largest Christian group in Europe,

accounting for more than 48% of European Christians.

The second-largest Christian group in Europe were the

Orthodox, who made up 32% of European Christians.

Name the four symbols of the Assumption of Mary. 

Blue is the color most often associated with the Virgin

Mary. It symbolizes truth and clarity, and it is the color

of the sky, which symbolizes heaven. The lily, which is a

symbol of purity and simplicity, is also associated

with the Virgin Mary. Sometimes a Gold crown is

used as a symbol and the letters “B”, “V” and “M”

which means Blessed Virgin Mary are also used.