{"id":4774,"date":"2020-08-06T11:05:54","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T11:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/?p=4774"},"modified":"2025-08-04T10:03:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T10:03:07","slug":"the-fast-of-the-assumption-of-saint-mary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/the-fast-of-the-assumption-of-saint-mary\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fast of the Assumption of Saint Mary"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Fast of the Assumption of Saint Mary<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the seven canonized fasts of the Ethiopian church, The Fast of the Assumption of Saint Mary is observed as a remembrance of the fast the apostles held in passion of witnessing the falling asleep and assumption of Saint Mary. It takes place from Nehassie 1-15. Filseta literally meaning the movement in the Ge\u2019ez language refers to Saint Mary\u2019s assumption.<\/p>\n

Consequent to the exodus of Saint Mary, the apostles tended her body and carried it to Gethsemane for burial. But, some of the Jews blocked their way to prevent them from burying the body, and decided to snatch and burn it to ashes in avoiding of it may thereafter bring news of another \u2018resurrection\u2019 and \u2018ascension\u2019.<\/p>\n

GOD sent HIS angel acknowledging the evil intent of the Jews, and took the body of HIS Mother in glory to the Heaven. The Angels then took the body to Paradise, accompanied by Saint John the Apostle where he laid it under the Tree of Life. When Saint John returned to the apostles, he was asked about the Virgin Mary situate. He informed them about her body, placed under the Tree of Life by the Angel. The Apostles then said to each other, \u201cJohn saw and we did not; let us pray and fast that we can also see.\u201d<\/p>\n

They prayed and fasted for fifteen days, after which the Angels of GOD brought the body of the Virgin to the Apostles. They buried the body of the Virgin Mary on Sunday. Three days later, the Virgin Mary rose from the dead, just as CHRIST had resurrected.<\/p>\n

Saint Thomas was not present during Saint Mary\u2019s exodus. He was serving in the diocese of India. As he went back to Jerusalem carried on a cloud, he met Saint Mary while ascending. Thomas then said to her, \u201cI was not chosen to see your SON\u2019s ascension in Glory, nor was I to witness yours. How sinful I am!\u201d But she told him that he was the first to see Her ascending, and gave him the garment (also known as Megnez or Seben in Ge\u2019ez) with which her rested body was covered as a token; He was then filled with grace and ecstasy.<\/p>\n

After Saint Thomas arrival at the disciples, they informed him about Saint Mary\u2019s exodus. But he said, \u201cYou know how I conducted myself at the resurrection of the LORD CHRIST, and I will not believe unless I see her body\u201d as if he knew nothing. They all went to the tomb and uncovered the place of the body; to only find empty it. They were all perplexed and surprised; confirming her death and seeing the empty tomb, Saint Thomas affirmed about his vision of her assumption showing them the garment he received as a proof. Priests of the Ethiopian church usually cover their hand-held crosses with a piece of garment to remember the Seben Saint Thomas received from Saint Mary.<\/p>\n

Despite Saint Thomas\u2019 account of Saint Mary\u2019s resurrection, the Apostles were eager to witness it first hand, and so one year later they started fasting and praying starting from Nehassie 1. On the 15th\u00a0 of Nehassie (i.e., after 15 days of fasting) Saint Mary came with her beloved SON, JESUS. Our LORD JESUS performed the Divine Liturgy designating Saint Peter as Curate and Deacon Stephen (who descended from heaven) as an arch deacon; he also held the Holy Communion. Following, HE ordered the apostles to preach and witness the resurrection and assumption of His Mother throughout the world.<\/p>\n

The Fast of the Assumption of Saint Mary is the most dutifully observed among Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. All laities including children abstain for 15 days taking Holy Communion. Church Services including the Divine Liturgy are carried out for an uninterrupted 15 days. Churches across the nation are therefore usually filled with the faithful during this period as many of the believers go on a Sabbath (Subae).<\/p>\n

May Her intercession and blessings be with us now and forever. Amen!<\/p>\n

Source: Ethiopic Synaxarium<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the seven canonized fasts of the Ethiopian church, The Fast of the Assumption of Saint Mary is observed as a remembrance of the fast the apostles held in passion of witnessing the falling asleep and assumption of Saint Mary. It takes place from Nehassie 1-15. Filseta literally meaning the movement in the Ge\u2019ez language refers to Saint Mary\u2019s assumption.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fasts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4774"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4774"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8975,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4774\/revisions\/8975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}