a priest's musings on the journey

Kontakion (Tone 2)

Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos,
Who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions.
For being the Mother of Life,
She was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb!

Today the Church remembers the death, resurrection and glorification of the Mother of God. Holy Tradition tells us that the Theotokos remained in the city of Jerusalem after the Descent of the Spirit on Pentecost, living in the home of St John the Beloved. In her early fifties, tradition believes, Blessed Mary died. The Apostles were scattered abroad preaching the Gospel; however, each of them, except for Thomas were miraculously brought to the Virgin aloft on clouds moments before her death.

As they stood around her bedside, she commended her spirit to the Lord and Jesus descended from Heaven, taking up her soul in His arms. The Apostles sang the funeral hymns in her honor and carried her body to a tomb in Cedron near Gethsemane. Thomas arrived on the third day and wished to see the Virgin for the last time. However, when they went to visit her tomb, they discovered it was empty. Church tradition teaches that the Theotokos was resurrected bodily and taken to heaven, in the same way that we all will be on the Last Day.

You can read a sermon of St Gregory Palamas here

Sermons on the Dormition by St John Damascene here

Another great source of information on this holy day may be found here