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The Dormition of the Theotokos, the Ever-Virgin Mary and Mother of our God
...(cont'd) The Apostles, as instructed, took up her bed upon their shoulders and all present followed them in a procession to Gethsemane. Upon being laid there, a Jewish priest, Athonios, in a mad fury rushed to overturn the body of the Theotokos. At the moment that he touched the bier, his hands up to his elbows, were cut off by an invisible angel who was protecting the Virgin's body. Instantly he repented and became a believer and begged for forgiveness, at which all of the faithful onlookers rejoiced. The apostles and the faithful rolled the stone in front of her tomb and remained there for three days, singing and praising her along with the angels. Now Thomas, who was the only apostle not gathered to witness the Dormition with the rest, was preaching in India. On the third day after her falling asleep, Thomas was caught up in a cloud and taken into the air above the Virgin's tomb in Gethsemane. From there he witnessed her translation into the heavens as God had willed for him to do. He spoke to her and asked her where she was going and she removed her cincture and gave it to him and said, "Receive this, my friend" as she disappeared into the heights. Upon descending back to the earth, Thomas found the other apostles gathered around her tomb. He was distressed at learning that he was not allowed to have witnessed her death as were the others. He begged for the stone to be rolled away that he too may look upon her. Out of pity, the apostles rolled away the stone to find that her body had disappeared and all that had remained were her clothes which gave off a beautiful fragrance. The faithful to this day find much comfort in knowing that we have Our Lady, the Ever-Virgin Mary, the Theotokos who is above all the angels, standing at the right hand of our Savior -- always interceding for, protecting, aiding and comforting those faithful who call upon her holy name. Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
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