The Virgin Mary: A Celebration of Our Faith: Session 4: The Dormition of the Virgin Mary—Intermediate Group

Theme Of Lesson: The Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Virgin Mary
Sub-Theme: Our Salvation and Christ's Perfect Love

Objectives:

• Retell briefly the story of the Dormition, and how eager the Apostles were to be there.
• Give examples of how “the limits of nature are overcome” in the Virgin Mary’s Dormition.
• Define the terms “Dormition,” “translated” and “intercession” as they are used in the Troparion and Kontakon of the Feast.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the icon of the feast and how it promises salvation for us all.
  

Resources:

• Bible
• Bible aids
• 1 John 4: 18 – “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear….”

Liturgy, Feasts, Hymns

Troparion of the Dormition (Tone 1)
In giving birth you preserved your virginity!
In falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos!
You were translated to life, O Mother of Life, and by prayers you deliver our souls from death!

Kontakion of the Dormition (Tone 2)
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!

Hymn to the Theotokos
The limits of nature are overcome in you, O Pure Virgin:
for birthgiving remains virginal and life is united to death.
A virgin after childbearing and alive after death!
You ever save your inheritance, O Theotokos!

Activities

• Since it is tradition to bless flowers on this Feast Day, discuss the association between flowers and the Dormition. Why are flowers associated with this day?

Icons

• A copy of the icons will be included, as well as the section from The Icon Book.

Teacher’s Notes & Discussion-Starter Questions:

• “Rejoice ‘bright dawn of the mystical day’ for there is no sadness, only light and joy on this day.”
• “Neither the tomb nor death could hold the Mother of God who is ever watchful in prayer, in whose intercession lies unfailing hope. For as the Mother of Life, she has been transported to life….”
• Mary the Mother of God, was the most devoted and obedient of all His disciples.
• “In August, the Church celebrates the end of Mary’s earthly life, her death, known as her Falling Asleep or Dormition, a word in which dream, blessedness, peace, calm and joy are all united…. The Church looks… at the essence and meaning of her death, commemorating the death of the one whose Son, according to our faith, conquered death, was raised from the dead, and promised us final resurrection and the victory of undying life.”