NEBAB #42: The Fast of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary

                NEBAB #42

The Orthodox Tewahedo Magazine

THE FAST OF THE ASCENSION OF THE VIRGIN MARY (ጾመ ፍልሰታ)

The Spiritual Education Unit

Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Archdiocese of the Caribbean and Latin America

FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF CONFUSION:

Assumption: (meaning- the taking up of something/someone)

Ascension: (meaning- someone or something going up)

Excerpt from a sermon given by His Grace Abune Thaddaeus in August, 2024

“When she [the Mother of God] died on 29th January [Tir 21]... the angels took her to Paradise and put her under the tree of life from January to August… Assumption is first… and then she ascended. Assumption- they took her body from under the tree of life, they [brought] her and they buried her again, she ascended finally.”

So that means our Lady Mary:

1. Died (fell asleep)

2. Was assumed (taken up) by the angels to Paradise

3. Was brought back and buried

4. Was resurrected from the dead by her Beloved Son

5. Finally ascended into Heaven

 

In this issue:

    1. The Fast of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary

    2. The Falling Asleep of the Theotokos

    3. Faith and works

    4. “Ask Abba/Kes”

    5. A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Maryam

    6. Children’s corner

    7.ይበል ግዕዝ 

    8. Orthodox Q&A

 

The Fast of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary

In the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen

Daughters of kings are among your honored women;

    at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir."

Psalm 45:9

The Fast of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary, known in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church as Filseta (ፍልሰታ) is a Ge’ez word meaning “movement”. It is one of the most sacred periods in the Church's liturgical year. Though not recorded in the bible, this fast is part of the Church's holy tradition which was faithfully handed down by the Apostles and the early church. It commemorates the falling asleep (Dormition) and the Ascension into heaven of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Ever-Virgin Mary, body and soul, into heaven. In the Ethiopian Orthodox calendar, it is observed from August 7 to August 22, culminating in the joyous feast of her Ascension.

According to our holy tradition, after the Theotokos reposed in peace, God, perceiving the evil intent of certain Jews, sent His holy angels to take the body of His Mother in glory. The angels, accompanied by St. John the Apostle, carried her most pure body and laid it under the Tree of Life in Paradise. When St. John returned, the other Apostles questioned him concerning the whereabouts of the Virgin. Upon learning what he had seen, they exclaimed: “John saw and we did not; let us pray and fast that we can also see.” Moved by love and holy zeal, the Apostles fasted for fifteen days. At the end of this period, God granted their petition, the body of the Virgin was brought to them by the angels, and they buried her with reverence on a Sunday. On the third day, just as Christ had risen from the dead, the Mother of Life also rose. 

As in the case of the Lord’s Resurrection, St. Thomas was again absent, having been in India preaching the Gospel. Carried on a cloud back to Jerusalem, he met the Theotokos ascending into heaven. With sorrow, he said: ““I was not chosen to see your Son's ascension in Glory, nor was I to witness yours. How sinful I am!” 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’ez) with which her rested body was covered as a token; He was then filled with grace and ecstasy. After Saint Thomas arrival at the disciples, they informed him about Saint Mary’s exodus. But he said, “You know how I conducted myself at the resurrection of the Lord Christ, and I will not believe unless I see her body” 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. Despite Saint Thomas’ account of Saint Mary’s resurrection, the Apostles were eager to witness it first hand. A year after the Dormition, the Apostles again began to fast and pray from Nehasse 1-15 August 7 to August 21, seeking to see the Mother of God once more. At the end of the fast (Nehasse 16/August 22), the Theotokos appeared, accompanied by her beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Himself celebrated the Divine Liturgy. He appointed St. Peter as chief celebrant, St. Stephen, the first martyr, appeared from heaven to serve as Archdeacon and He also held the Holy Communion. 

Christ then commanded the Apostles to go and preach throughout the world, proclaiming not only His Resurrection, but also the glorious Ascension into heaven of His Mother.  

The Fast of the Ascension 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. Ethiopian/Eritrean Orthodox Churches across the world are therefore usually filled with the faithful during this period as many of the believers go on a Retreat (ሱባዔ Subae). 

The Fast of Filseta is a time when heaven and earth draw near. May all who fast with sincerity and love behold, with the eyes of faith, the mystery that the Apostles fasted to see.

 As it is written, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God"

May the intercessions of St Mary guide us to stand where she now stands, at the right hand of the King, full of glory and clothed in heavenly light.

O Holy Virgin Mary, Pray For Us! 

The Falling Asleep of the Theotokos

In the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen 

“Whoever does not accept Holy Mary as the Mother of God has no relation with the Godhead.” 

St. Gregory of Nazianzus 

The falling asleep or dormition of the Mother of God is not like the death of others. For St. Mary who bore Life Himself, could not be held by corruption. Saint Mary died a natural death at the age of 64, was buried by the Apostles in Gethsemane, and on the third day, her tomb was found empty. Her body “assumed” into heaven, not by her own power, but by the command of her Son. The one who had carried the Uncontainable God in her womb, could not be held in the grave. The Ark of God, goes to its restful place. 

As Orthodox Christians we know that the Theotokos stands at the right hand of her Son as her ancestor King David says in Psalm 45:9. That being said, St Mary is not only a figure of honor but a strong intercessor and the Mother of the Church. 

“It is meet for Thee, O Thou who art full of grace, more than for all the Saints to pray on our behalf. Thou art more honorable than the prophets. In Thee there is majesty of appearance, which is greater than the majesty of the Seraphim and Cherubim. Verily Thou art the glory of our race, and Thou art she who must beg for life for our souls. Pray Thou then on our behalf to our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ that He may confirm us in the Right Faith, that is to say, faith in Him, and that He may graciously bestow upon us His mercy and compassion, and in His abundant mercy forgive us our sins. Pray to Him for us, O Holy One!” 

Wudassie Maryam for Sunday

Every soul seeking union with God must see St Mary as a model. Her earthly life was marked by humility, purity, obedience, and silent strength. In her, the Church is perfected. Becoming “the ladder for the ascent into heaven” and “the glory of virgins” 

Wudassie Maryam for Friday.

Her bodily ascension into heaven is a sign of what awaits the faithful which is transformation into glory, resurrection, and eternal communion with Christ. The Dormition is not merely the end of St. Mary’s earthly life, it is her glorification. As she held Christ in her arms, now Christ holds her, in perfect and eternal reciprocity as see and meditate on the icon of her dormition. Her entire life was a “yes” to God and her death, a final seal on that obedience becoming what the Church is called to be, pure, obedient, full of grace and destined for eternity.

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38-39

Let this fast be a time to repent and purify our hearts, imitate the virtues of the St Mary (humility, obedience, silence, purity), receive Holy Communion and enter into the mystery of death not as despair, but as glorification. Let us fast this fast, not only from food but from pride, lust, envy, distraction, and every sin that stains the soul. 

For the one who has ascended into heaven now intercedes for us, that we too may follow her into eternal joy.

O Holy Virgin Mary Pray for Us!

Faith and Works:

Retreat

From August 7th-22nd we will be in a ሱባዔ subae or retreat. What does it mean to retreat and how can we make it fruitful for ourselves and our church community?

Retreat from screens-  We spend so much of our lives online, doing work, recreation AND communication through screens. We read books on a screen, watch sermons on screens, we can learn almost anything on a screen- screens have become a kind of universal tool for the 21st century. But for every other century in human history, we haven't lived like that. We who spent thousands of years holding books made of paper and singing hymns from memory now read entire libraries from our pockets and listen to recordings of hymns whenever and wherever we want. Surely we can recognise the value in taking a break from this lifestyle and diversifying our experience of the world. During this retreat, whenever you can replace a screen with something tangible (a physical book, a face-to-face conversation, singing with your own voice, or just silently observing God's creation), try to do it.

Retreat from noise- "When the mouth is silent, the heart speaks. When the heart is silent, God speaks." Use this retreat as an opportunity to practise silence. We are constantly stimulated by video, audio, and other sensory input. We often contribute to it ourselves. During this retreat, whenever you can replace noise (whether auditory or visual) with silence (both of the ears AND eyes), try to do it.

Retreat to church- When an army retreats, they must run from battle, but they must also run to safety. As much as we must be intentional about what we avoid, we must be intentional about what we choose. During this retreat, remind yourself that you are choosing what (and WHOM) you run toward, so that you replace DISTRACTION with DEVELOPMENT, and not with a different distraction.

Ask Abba/Kes

"Why does the Orthodox Church worship St. Mary?"

The Orthodox Church does not worship St. Mary but honors her with the highest veneration among the saints. As the Mother of God, she is the incomparable saints and therefore called Holy of Holies. Other ladies are honored for having given birth to prophrts, saints and martyrs. But Our Lady is honoured as the Mother of God. Hence, the honour accorded to the Virgin Mary is below the Creator but above His Creatures. She is therefore, revered as such (St. John Chrysostomos). The Faith of the Fathers Ch 28:36-39) Lk. In 1:30 says “…Mary, you have found favour with God”. Several prophecies have been written about the honour and high esteem of Our Lady. Prophets have told about the virgin giving birth to Christ. (Psa. 132:13; Isa. 7:14; Ezek. 44:3)

 Church fathers, have through the centuries glorified her guided by the Holy Spirit, about her ever sanctity and purity; and have also praised her in their writings and songs. As Noah’s Ark became the cause for sving the lives of his family as well as himself and thus saving the human race from extinction; Our Lady, the Vrigin St Mary , is also God’s trusted repository for being the cause for God’s act of redemption by giving birth to the Saviour Messiah. The Church Fathers continually point to her as the perfect example of humility, obedience, and purity.

 “The Virgin Mary, the God Bearer, hath become the object of the boast of all of us, because through Her was destroyed the curse of olden time, which rested upon our race, through the wickedness which the woman committed when she ate of the tree”  

Wudassie Maryam for Thursday

 The Orthodox Church also asks for her intercessions because she, being closest to Christ as His mother, has a boldness before the throne of her Son. This is in no way replacing Christ’s role as the one Mediator, but it is in keeping with the biblical and traditional understanding of the intercessory prayers of the saints.

MARIOLOGY QUIZ!

“Whoever does not accept Holy Mary as the Mother of God has no relation with the Godhead.” Who said this among the early Church Fathers??

 

A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Maryam

A miracle of Our Lady Mary. May her prayer be with our king, Zara Yaqob, for ever and ever, amen.

Christians lived in a certain region with a church [built] in the name of Our Lady Mary that was a one-hour journey away.

Right next door to the Christians was a Muslim place of worship. In that mosque, a Muslim prayed the evening, morning, and midnight prayers.

Whenever he [the Muslim] finished his prayers, he would [come out and] speak with the Christians. He would say to them, “Don't you know about Mary’s greatness? Because we know that she gave birth to the Word without the seed of man. Why aren’t you coming to the church when it is time to pray? What is this life of yours that you are saying, ‘We are Christians’?”

During the time when the Muslim was saying these things to them, those Christians went to the ruler of the region [for a certain matter]. However, their judge became angry with them.

So, one of those Christians left and became a Muslim. After a long time, he returned to that region.

He happened upon that Muslim [who had rebuked them], who said to him, “Come, so that I may teach you fasting, prayer, and ritual cleansing.”

But when that Christian [the convert] entered the [Muslim] place of worship to devote himself to prayer, he began to weep and wail. He asked Our Lady Mary to have mercy upon him, to forgive his sin, and to save him from this ordeal [of having converted].

So, Our Compassionate Lady Mary showed mercy to the convert who had asked her [for it].

But that night she revealed herself to that Muslim [who had rebuked them]. She said to him, “Why are you troubling the Christians? I am going to condemn and kill you with a terrible death.”

He was afraid and terrified, saying, “Who are you, my Lady?”

She replied, “I am Mary, the Mother of the Word, who took on flesh from me.” She added, “You are faithful to me with your words, but your heart is distant from me.”

Having heard this, he was terrified. He leapt [out of bed] and prostrated himself before her, saying, “I believe in you, my dear Lady Mary, with all my heart and all my mind, and [I believe] that you are the mother of the Lord, the Living Word of the Father. As for me, from now on I will live as a Christian and die under the Christian law.”

So, she blessed him with her holy hand and made the sign of the cross of Christ over his face.

She then said to him, “After you get up in the morning, publicly proclaim the Christian law. And if you die for the sake of Christ, you will be with me in the kingdom of heaven.” Then she gave him peace and bid him farewell.

When he got up in the morning, he shouted out, saying, “I believe that My Lady Mary is the Mother of God and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.”

When his fellow Muslims heard this, they seized him, condemned him, and killed him. [Throughout,] he was shouting, saying, “I believe in My Lady Mary.”

Thus, he finished.

Our Lady Mary welcomed him into the kingdom of heaven.

May her prayers and blessings be upon our king, Zara Yaqob, amen.

O Holy Virgin Maryam, pray for us!

LIJOCH! The Children's Corner

Memory verse: - Daughters of kings are among your honored women;

    at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir."

Psalm 45:9

-

What is the name of the man who's hand was cut off?

ይበል:ግዕዝ (yibel Ge’ez)

Let's reclaim our forefathers’ language

Today we learn the etymology of the word for our retreat:

ሱባዔ

suba'e - a retreat

ሱባዔ comes from the verb ሰብዐ seb'a - to make seven

Etymology (origin of words)

As we know, verbs are the root of everything in Ge'ez, including numbers. The number words in Ge'ez come from verbs meaning 'to make [something] a certain number' or 'to make a certain number [of something]'. This is found in the Ge'ez days of the week, which we will look at next time.

ሰብዐ seb'a gives us the noun for seven - ሰብዐቱ seb'atu (masculine) ሰብዕ seb'i (feminine). If the words are starting to sound familiar, it is because the word for man/mankind is ሰብአ seb'a with variants like ሰብእ seb'i (as when we sing ወሰላም በምድር ሥምረቱ ለሰብእ we selam be midre simretu le seb'i - and peace on earth, His good will to men), but it is important to make the distinction.

Phonology (pronunciation) and Orthography (spelling and writing)

While the words are pronounced the same, the spelling makes the difference. The word for mankind/the human race is spelled with the letter we call አሌፍ alef (because of its relation and visual similarity to the Hebrew letter aleph) while the word for seven is spelled with the letter we call ዓይን ayn (because the round shape of the 1st form ዐ looks like an eye, which in Ge'ez is ዓይን ayn).

The root ሰብዐ seb'a gives us another word pronounced the same but spelled differently, ሰብዓ seb'a - seventy. Finally, it gives us two words that can mean 'week' but also have other meanings: ሰቡዕ sebu'i - which can either mean 'seven days' or 'the seventh day', and ሱባዔ suba'e - which can mean a cycle of seven years (Exodus 23:10-11), or seven days (a week) but can also by implication mean a period of prayer (and fasting) for a specific purpose, which we call a retreat.

ORTHODOX Q&A

"Where is Our Lady Mary now?"

After her death (falling asleep), the assumption of her body into Paradise (the Garden of Eden), the return of her body to the apostles for her funeral, her resurrection from the dead, and finally her ascension into heaven, she was taken to the 4th heaven, called the Kingdom of Heaven or the Heavenly Jerusalem. The other saints wait in Paradise for their final resurrection, and the angels are in the 3 heavens below her, but among our race, she alone is in what we strictly think of as Heaven- which will be opened after the final judgement for the rest of the faithful to join her for eternity.

Send us your questions at: seu.eotccarla@gmail.com

Short message on behalf the Spiritual Education Unit:

His Grace Abune Thaddaeus, Head Administrator Archimandrite Abba Gebreyesus, and all clergy and faithful- thank you for the opportunity to share this labour of love with you. Thanks also to the team of the Spiritual Education Unit for their hard work.

-Liqe Teghuan Tekle Mariam Greene

References

Alemu, D. E. The Fast of Assumption of the Virgin Mary. retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJJ3UL8D8dc

Church, T. E. (2003). retrieved from https://www.ethiopianorthodox.org/english/calendar.html 

GreekOrthodoxChurch. (2017). The Entry of the Theotokos - Exploring the Feasts of the Orthodox Christian Church. from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npRrdkXXjLI abgerufen

Lemma, M. P. (2023). The Dormition Resurrection Ascension and Assumption of Holy Virgin Mary. from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZzvzj98k7c abgerufen

Miracle of the Holy Virgin Mary: pemm.princeton.edu/en-us/stories/34

Synaxarium, E. The Fast of the Assumption of Saint Mary. from https://eotcmk.org/e/the-fast-of-the-assumption-of-saint-mary/ abgerufen

CONTACT US:

Archdiocese headquarters: Medhane Alem (Saviour of the World), Old Golden Grove Rd. Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago.

Tel. 868-642-4230.

e-mail: eotc.arch.carla@gmail.com

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