A Celebration of Women
celebrates the Assumption with this Tribute to our Holy Mother.
We suggest you play Video enclosed while reading this page…..
Ave Maria!
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Assumption Day
(Observed Around the World)
August 15, 2011
Assumption Day is a Christian religious observance in many countries Worldwide.
It is assumed that on the Assumption Day, the Virgin Mary raised into Heaven after her death. This is a famous Christian belief.
This day is also called the Feast Day of the Assumption of Mary.
History of Assumption Day
Mary’s Assumption is said to have been a divine endowment to Mary as “Mother of God.” Pope Pius XII defined this doctrine dogmatically and infallibly on November 1, 1950 in his Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus. The feast day is known as “The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christian.”
The Assumption was recently defined as infallible dogma by the Catholic Church.
The Assumption Day is a day of obligation (which this year falls on a Saturday). Some Italian plazas are very much crowded on this day. Citizens would ride through ‘lakes’ and it was very common for people to carry bowls of rose water, which they sprinkled on themselves.
This holiday has been observed since fourth century. It is a Christianization of an earlier cultivation festival. This is a Holy Day of Obligation in many Roman Catholic Jurisdictions. Many catholic and orthodox Christians seem that the Assumption is very important as the Virgin Mary’s heavenly birthday. Remnants of the ancient celebration include public illumination and nighttime beacons, both probably symbolic of the sun.
In some countries, the people throw coins from windows down to the streets. This is the symbolic evident of prosperity.
Blue is the colour, which is generally associated with the Virgin Mary.
Truth and Clarity are symbolized by that colour.
It also symbolizes the colour of the sky, which is compared to heaven. It is found that lily is also related with the Virgin Mary. This lily colour is the symbol of purity, simplicity and chastity.
The Assumption is a great source of hope for us. In Rome, the day was marked by a huge procession headed by the pope who went on barefoot. The pope carries a painting of Christ from the church of the Lateran to the church of St. Mary Major. By that process, it is seemed to commemorate the coming of Christ for his mother on Mary’s death.
In the fifth and sixth centuries, the idea of the assumption of Mary into the Heaven after her demise was first expressed. Till now, we have no genuine knowledge of day, year and the manner of Our Lady’s death. The probable assigned death of her varies between three and fifteen years after Christ’s Ascension. It is found that Mary lived at Ephesus after the death of Jesus. However, Mary’s grave was found in Jerusalem. Both Jerusalem and Ephesus claim to be the death place of Mary.
It is believed that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles. However, after the burial when the tomb was opened the tomb was found empty. Thus, after that incidence, it was concluded that Mary’s body was taken up into the heaven. There are a lot of pictures of Mary painted by different well known artists where it is seen that the Mother of God stands on the moon, embellished with sun and twelve stars on her head for her crown. Again, they also say that the Lady was bestowed celestial elegance. We pray to be with the Blessed Mother. It is believed that Mother Mary always offers her blessings to the abused or orphan children, who have no one in this world. There is a special belief of the coastal area that they have a blessing of the water, the sea or the ocean. The Assumption Day is treated as public holiday in some countries like Austria, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, some parts of Germany and Switzerland, Guatemala etc.
Assumption Day Traditions, Customs and Activities
It is celebrated in many countries irrespective of nations on August 15 or around that day. Mostly in Europe and South America, this is celebrated in a grand manner. Some countries celebrate this day at other times of the year. This day is also known as the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, or the Feast of Assumption or the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
On this auspicious day, a colourful procession moves through the streets and the fireworks exhibit the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption in Italy. In Sicily and the rural areas outside the city of Rome, the main event is a big procession. A statue of Mary decorated with flowers is carried through the town where a statue of Christ is carried by a group of people. They wait for the coming of the Mary’s Statue.
After that, both the statues are inclined toward each other three times.
The feast is called “Our Lady of the Navigators” in Sao Paulo and other parts of Southern Brazil.
Parades are held on magnificent canoes, three musicians, two rowers and a purser. The musicians are dressed as “Three Wise Men” in Bible. The phrase “having completed the course of her early life” raises two questions. The first one is “was Virgin Mary died before her Assumption?” and the next one is “was she assumed before her death?”
The Assumption Day is an admired day in France. This has a major priority in the list of the holidays. France celebrates this day with a great occasion. In Spain, there are many holidays for each region, city and town throughout the whole country besides the National Holidays. New Years’ Day is very much celebrated in Spain. The whole country is converted into festive mood on January 1. Day of Three Kings is celebrated on January 6, which is 12 days after the Christ Day. It is known as Christmas Day for children. On that day, three men dressed as the king move around the town and scatter sweets to the children in a magnificent procession. Labour Day is known here as Dia del Trabajo which is celebrated on March 1 throughout Spain. On July 24, San Juan is celebrated. On that day, the people around the coastal region rush into the sea and wash the sins.
It represents the baptism of the Saint John Baptist.
In France during the Assumption Day, the feast of the Assumption of Mary celebrates the catholic faith that the Virgin Mary’s spirit and body ascended to the heaven. It is a very important occasion for rural and church festivals. It is celebrated as a public holiday. It is very important holiday in France, where the virgin Mary has been patron saint since 1638. Many Catholics in France go to the church premises on August 15, Assumption Day. The festival consists of parades, sports, markets or communal meals. The public life in the France remains quite normally. Banks, post offices, stores, and other businesses are closed. Except the tourists’ area, the restaurant and cafes are closed. However, some stores in Paris, airports, railways and main highways remain opened. Assumption Day is a very popular summer festival at the villages, the islands and the towns of Greece.
The feast of Assumption is known in the Eastern Church as the “Falling Asleep of the All Holy Mother of God” in Poland. This day marks one of the dogmas of the church. Everywhere the day has its charming cultural customs. All women bearing the name of Mary keep the house open in our Lady’s honour and welcome all the guests who come to their home. In Poland, this day is also known as the feast of Our Lady of Herbs. The city is decorated with sweet smelling bouquet and green herbs. At the churches, the children sing hymns both in Polish and English and they dance of their regional culture.
On August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption can be said a holy day of obligation in the church. For Lady, this is one of the oldest and highest feasts. This day possesses a blessing of herbs, flowers and foods of the garden. In Portugal, the Assumption Day is called the Romeria. This Romeria is marked with the playing of a brass band and of drums and bagpipes and at churches, the statues of Mary and Queen of Angels are crowned.
Assumption Day is celebrated in some states in Germany. In Saarland and Bavaria, it is noted as a public holiday. Many people attend to the church and collect herbs. This is a tradition of these countries. The church started this celebration by ringing the bell. There are some unique traditions about trees and plants on that day. The first ripped walnuts, which are called the Mary’s nuts, are offered to the children. People may go to the field to collect the herbs like agrimony, clover, mullein, mugwort, verbena, yarrow etc.
In some parts of Germany, the banks, businesses are closed, but some parts remain unaffected. In Costa Rica, this day is celebrated as a ling procession of people wearing coloured dress through the street. This day is also combined with Mother’s Day in that country. In the country of Andorra, the Assumption Day is observed magnificently. The people enjoy a lot. They pray for the Mother Mary. It becomes a public holiday in Andorra. This day becomes a public holiday in Guatemala. This is also a time for family get together and luxurious feasts. You can see the parades in some major city. The people celebrate splendidly and use the day as a time for reflection.
Holy Mother’s Gift to the World:The Rosary
VATICAN: www.vatican.va
HOW to Pray the ROSARY: www.stjosephgreenville.org/how_to_pray_the_ro…
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‘Ave Maria’
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The Day of Assumption – Celebrate August 15, 2010
August 15, 2011 by
