The Dormition (Falling Asleep) of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.
The Great Feast of the Dormition commemorates the falling asleep of the Most Holy Theotokos. According to tradition, the Apostles were gathered from the ends of the earth to her bedside in Jerusalem, where she gave her soul into the hands of her Son; her body was laid in a tomb in Gethsemane and was found to have been taken up, for the Mother of Life was translated to life.
Kept on August 15 at the close of the two-week Dormition Fast, this is the greatest of the feasts of the Theotokos — the Pascha of summer, as it is called in Greek tradition — and the name day of Maria, Panagiota, and Despina.
Feast day
On the New Calendar, Dormition of the Theotokos is commemorated on August 15. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on August 28 of the civil calendar.
Who celebrates a name day
People with these names keep their name day on this feast:
Panagiotis, Panayiotis, Panos, Marios, Mario, Maria, Mary, Maro, Marika, Marianna, Mariam, Marie, Panagiota, Giota, Despina, Despoina, Panayiota, Yiota, Maroula, Marietta, Mairi, Despo
Also commemorated on August 15
Tarcisius of Rome
Martyr, Ταρσίζιος
Holy Martyr Tarcisius, the young acolyte who died protecting the Holy Gifts.
Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.
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