Dormition of the most Holy Mary in the Byzantine liturgical tradition: historical context

Abstract

The historical context of becoming of holiday of Dormition of most Holy our Lady and feature of forming of liturgical celebration in honour of memory of Dormition of Virgin Mary is analysed in the article. By the semiothic finding out of features of the use of theotokion lexemes there is meaningfulness of celebration of this holyday in the number of twelve most liturgical holidays.

It is found out, that first liturgical remembrance of Mary is related to celebration of Christmas dominical, that got distribution in East tradition in the end ІІІ of century Approximately from ІV of century liturgical remembrance of Holy Mary is known also in connection with celebration of Candlemas, that marked meeting of Christ with Symon, in that Mary accepted direct participation.

Reasonably, that in Byzantium tradition celebration of Dormition of the special ponderability acquire two days a week: Wednesday and Friday. An environment was associated from Betlehem, by a mestome where apostles gathered near Virgin, and Friday with the day of position in rowed, that is why exactly in this day and a procession came true.

It is well-proven that divine Services on Dormition in east christian tradition showed a soba an original narrative complex. Thus them complex character appears not so much in that they, as well as any other divine services have the theology filling, and foremost by a that method that was arrive at the aim of unity of faithful with Creator through harmonious combination three constituents: word, character and sound.

By authors these the stichir there were Constantinople patriarchs of Anatoliy and Herman. These stichirs are written in V- ІХ to the century. and differ in the special fervor of maintenance, for what they were adopted by «others stichirs». A lot of stichirs are characterized plugging in major divine services and implementation an original tune not similar on none other. Special fervor these a stichir can be explained also and that they have for an object
preparation of faithful to next part of large Evening Liturgy. It should be noted that Liturgy called to add the special festivity in celebration and for this reason, divine services of Dormition up to a point are equated with Easter divine services. Namely saint name other - by Theotokion, or by second Easter. Implementation these a stichir was produced on prayers by the special impression, in fact them by the personal touch first calmed down, that confirmed a hypothesis about Easter character of assumption hymns: «Rosen My God in dwelling Your».