Weekly Devotional

Where was the Theotokos Buried

by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand

Saturday 28 August 2010 (22 Mesori; 22 Mesra)
Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady the Virgin Mary.
Holy Prophet Micah.

Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
(Psa.126:5)

CONSIDER THIS:

Pride and adornment, and glory and hymns, befit the
Mother of God the Son, the Pure Tabernacle.
(Psalti Batos for St. Mary)

Woe to those who devise iniquity, and work out evil on their beds,
(Micah 2:1)

He hath showed thee O man, what is good; and what
doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with God?
(Micah 6:8)

Hail to you Mary, who gave birth to, God the Word.
(The Theotokia)

Bless is he who recognizes his weakness, for when he
acknowledges this, it becomes the corner stone.
(Isaac the Syrian)

Thus a dead body overcame the live serpent.
(St. Macarius)

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds,
with great power and glory.
(Mark13:26)

Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as pray.
(Psa.124:6)

REFLECTION:

Mary sowed much in tears while on earth. Now she waits for Her Son
to call her home at the Last Trump and attain heavenly glory.
The same will be true for us. The more spiritual victories we attain
while on earth, the more we will receive in Heaven.

Heavenly Father, grant us Your grace to obtain daily spiritual
victories over ourselves, the world, and the devil. Let us be
faithful as Mary was.
(St. Bernard)

HOMILY:

Where was the Theotokos Buried

The possibility of Mary having been brought to Britain by Joseph of Arimathea, and her spending her remaining years on earth here, would not be inconsistent with the last New Testament account we have of Mary. We know that Mary, after the Ascension, dwelt among the disciples. We also know that the disciples had to flee Jerusalem for their very lives. It is not unreasonable to assume, that Joseph, being both Mary's uncle by marriage (and thus her legal guardian) and a wealthy, influential, provincial Roman Senator, would have been the logical choice to take and protect the Blessed Mary.

The Scriptural record tells us that as Jesus hung on the Cross He tenderly committed His mother into John's safekeeping, who led Mary away from the tragic scene before her Son expired. Speaking of John, the Scriptures read: "From that hour that disciple took her unto his own" (John 19:27) - 'eis ta idia,' 'idia' is possessive pronoun. The word 'home' (KJ) is not in the original text; the translators added it.

Jesus definitely entrusted His mother to the care of John but the request did not necessarily mean that John would see her safely provided for. In any case, it seems quite reasonable to expect John to turn to Joseph of Arimathea for the necessary protection. One early document (Magna Glastioniensis Tabula, at Naworth Castle) bears this out. It reads:
"St. John, while evangelizing Ephesus, made Joseph Paranymphos." (meaning Guardian).

According to one Tradition of Glastonbury, after Mary's death, a building of wattle construction, sixty feet in length and twenty-six feet wide (following the pattern of the Wilderness Tabernacle) was built over her home. This building became known as the 'Lignea Basilica' or the 'Vetusta Ecclesia' and the 'Ealdechurche' or 'Old Church.' (Later is was called the "Culdee Church" or "Church of the Refugees.") The existence of a mud and wattle church at Glastonbury is historically proven by two royal Charters which are still extant. Both were actually signed in the "Lignea Basilica" -one by King Ina, in AD 704. and the other by King Cnut (Canute) in AD 1032.

There is no actual record in Scripture of when and where Mary died. There is no factual account supporting the supposed sighting of Thomas seeing the Assumption of Mary's Body into heaven.

To Thee be glory and praise, now and ever, unto Ages of Ages.

AMEN!

Today's Readings:

Evening: Psalm 105:14-15; Luke 11:37-51.
Morning: Psalm 105:26-27 & 45; Matt.17:1-9.
Liturgy: Heb.11:17-27; 2 Peter 1:19-2:8; Acts 15:21-19;
Psalm 99:6-7; Gospel Matt.23:13-36.

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