On Friday, the 28th of August, (being the 15th of August in the Church calendar, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God.Dormition is a special time in the life of our diocese as it is the patronal festival of our cathedral in London and has become something of a diocesan celebration over the years, with people from the different parishes coming together to worship God and to join in fellowship over the sumptuous feast that is laid on by the cathedral's hard-working and dedicated Sisterhood.
On the day will be the Lesser Blessing of the Waters, followed by the Hours and Divine Liturgy. If the weather permits, there will be a Cross-Procession, followed by trapeza. Services are due to begin at approximately 9.30 a.m. and all are welcome to attend
The Dormition is a time great rejoicing for Christians as we take part in the mystery of the salvation wrought for us by Christ. We call to mind the Mother of God, who received the glory in which we are all called to share. In her, we see our ultimate destiny as the people of God, and if we, like her, allow our own heart, mind, body, and will to be conformed to and infused with the energies of God, then we too can have "a Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, and good defence before the dread judgment seat of Christ", and carry in our hearts the joyful hope of eternity in the presence of God, through the intercessions of the Mother of God and of all the Saints of God.
In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity, /
in falling asleep thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. /
Thou wast translated unto life, /
since thou art the Mother of Life, //
and by thine intercessions dost thou deliver our souls from death.
- Troparion, tone 1
