Every year, on 15 August, Catholics celebrate one of the greatest feasts dedicated to the Virgin Mary: the Assumption.
In the height of summer, this solemnity brings the faithful together in churches, shrines and places of pilgrimage. Masses, Marian processions and prayers traditionally mark this special day.
But what are we actually celebrating on the Feast of the Assumption? Why does this feast hold such an important place in the Catholic faith? And above all, what message can it still convey to Christians today?
What do we celebrate on 15 August?
The Assumption celebrates the Virgin Mary’s entry into the glory of Heaven, body and soul, at the end of her earthly life.
Mary, chosen to become the Mother of Jesus Christ, lived her entire life in trust and fidelity to God. From the Annunciation to the Cross, she accompanied her Son and remained faithful to her mission.
The mystery of the Assumption shows us Mary having reached the end of her earthly journey and being welcomed fully into God’s presence.
For believers, this feast is therefore deeply linked to Christian hope: death is not the end of all things. It opens the way to the promise of eternal life with God.
Why do we speak of the ‘Assumption’?
The word ‘Assumption’ comes from the Latin assumere, which can be translated as ‘to take up’ or ‘to raise up’.
This meaning helps us to understand an important distinction between the Ascension of Jesus and the Assumption of Mary.
The Ascension celebrates the risen Christ ascending into Heaven.
The Assumption, on the other hand, refers to Mary being taken up by God into heavenly glory.
The two feasts are therefore different, even though their names can sometimes be confusing.
Is the Assumption recounted in the Bible?
The Bible does not contain an account directly describing the Assumption of Mary in the same way that it recounts, for example, the Ascension of Christ.
The Church’s faith in the Assumption has developed over the centuries through Christian Tradition, theological reflection and devotion to the Mother of God.
From the earliest centuries of Christianity, Christian communities have reflected on Mary’s special destiny.
In the East, in particular, the celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God developed, whilst Western tradition gradually came to speak of the Assumption.
These ancient traditions bear witness to the exceptional place accorded to Mary in the Christian faith.
The dogma of the Assumption proclaimed in 1950
Whilst belief in the Assumption is very ancient, its solemn definition as a dogma of the Catholic Church is much more recent.
On 1 November 1950, Pope Pius XII officially proclaimed the dogma of the Assumption in the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus.
The Church thus affirmed that the Virgin Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory.
This proclamation therefore did not establish a new feast day in 1950. Rather, it solemnly confirmed a belief and devotion that had been present in the Christian tradition for many centuries.
Mary, a sign of hope for Christians
The Assumption is not merely a feast day dedicated to Mary’s exceptional destiny.
It also speaks of our own hope.
The Christian faith teaches that human beings are called to eternal life with God. By contemplating Mary raised to the glory of Heaven, believers thus contemplate the fulfilment of this promise.
15 August invites us to look beyond our daily concerns, our sufferings and our fears.
Mary reminds us that our earthly existence has a purpose and that God’s love is stronger than death.
This is why the Assumption is, above all, a feast of joy and hope.
What is the connection between the Assumption and the Resurrection of Christ?
To fully understand the Assumption, we must view it in the light of Jesus’ Resurrection.
Christ’s victory over death lies at the heart of Christian hope.
Mary is intimately united with the life of her Son. She receives him at the Annunciation, gives birth to him in Bethlehem, accompanies him throughout his life and remains present at the foot of the Cross.
Her Assumption manifests in a special way this victory of Christ over death.
Mary is thus, for Christians, a sign of what God promises to those who place their trust in Him.
Why is the Virgin Mary particularly honoured in August?
The month of August holds an important place in Marian devotion, chiefly because of the great solemnity of 15 August.
In many parishes and shrines, the days leading up to the Assumption are an opportunity to prepare for this feast through prayer.
Some of the faithful recite a novena to the Virgin Mary, say the Rosary or entrust a particular intention to Our Lady.
On 22 August, a few days after the Assumption, the Church also celebrates the feast of Mary, Queen.
These two celebrations are closely linked: having contemplated Mary raised to the glory of Heaven on the Feast of the Assumption, the faithful honour her as Queen of Heaven.
How can we experience the Feast of the Assumption spiritually?
15 August can become a true time of renewal in our relationship with the Virgin Mary.
Attending Mass is, of course, at the heart of this day for Catholics.
But it is also possible to take a moment for personal silence and prayer.
For example, you could pray the Rosary, light a candle before an image of the Virgin Mary, or simply entrust your family and those going through a difficult time to her care.
This day can also be an opportunity to thank Mary for her motherly presence and to entrust a particular intention to her.
An illness, a family difficulty, concern for a child, bereavement, a project or simply the need to find peace again can all be entrusted to prayer.
The processions of 15 August: a tradition that lives on
In many regions, the Feast of the Assumption gives rise to processions in honour of the Virgin Mary.
A statue of Our Lady is sometimes carried through the streets whilst the faithful walk, praying and singing.
These traditions are a public expression of devotion to Mary and enable Christian communities to come together.
At major Marian shrines, 15 August is naturally one of the highlights of the year.
Thousands of pilgrims gather to take part in the celebrations, recite the Rosary and entrust their intentions to the Virgin Mary.
A prayer to the Virgin Mary for 15 August
O Mary, raised to the glory of Heaven,
on this feast of the Assumption,
we turn to you with confidence.
Watch over our families,
comfort those who suffer
and accompany those who are going through trials.
Help us to keep the faith
when the path becomes difficult
and teach us to place our trust in God.
Always lead us to your Son Jesus
and fill our hearts
with peace, love and hope.
Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us.
Amen.
On 15 August, an invitation to turn our gaze towards Heaven
In our daily lives, often filled with worries, the Feast of the Assumption invites us to pause for a few moments.
Mary reminds us that the Christian life is a path of hope.
She who replied to the angel Gabriel “Behold the handmaid of the Lord” lived her entire life trusting in God. Her Assumption appears as the fulfilment of this faithfulness.
15 August is therefore much more than a tradition or a feast day marked on the calendar.
It is an invitation to turn our gaze towards Heaven, to renew our trust in God and to ask the Virgin Mary to accompany us on our own journey.
On this feast of the Assumption, let us entrust to her our families, our joys, our concerns and our intentions.
Our Lady of the Assumption, watch over us and lead us to your Son, Jesus.
