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In the Catholic Church, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a long history, dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries. Initially known as the Dormition or Koimesis, it became an official dogma in 1950, declaring that Mary was taken body and soul into heavenly glory. Pope Pius XII emphasized its significance after the devastation of World War II.
While the dogma doesn’t address Mary’s death, Pope John Paul II later proposed that she experienced death and resurrection before being assumed into heaven. This concept reflects her role as a partner in salvation, transformed through grace.
Distinct Eastern and Western traditions enrich this belief. The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates Mary’s death, resurrection, and assumption, viewing death as a moment of transition. In the West, the Feast of the Assumption was established in the 7th century.
In folk tradition, August 15 celebrates the “Mother of the Harvest.” Some tie this to apocryphal accounts of St. Thomas finding only flowers and herbs in Mary’s tomb. Others symbolize the Virgin Mary as Earth’s most beautiful fruit.
In Poland, the day is marked by bringing bouquets of grains, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs to churches for blessings, expressing gratitude for bountiful harvests.
This feast intertwines theological doctrine, historical evolution, and cultural practices, reflecting the enduring tapestry of faith and devotion surrounding the Assumption of Mary.