The Bells of (Sleeping) Mary

Today was a great example of how an average morning in Jerusalem can quickly transform into a learning opportunity (and spiritual experience!)

I was up at 6 a.m. with the kids as usual, but even after two cups of coffee was lamenting that I had work to do in the church office today. (You know it's Friday when you think, at 8:30 a.m., "I need a nap!") Finally, about 9 a.m., Robert and I started to make our way into the Old City.

We made it through Damascus Gate, and were just about to Redeemer Church, when the church bells at the Holy Sepulcher started to ring. Still looking for a good reason to stay out of the office, I decided to follow the sound of the bells--and a few religious sisters--into the Sepulcher courtyard.

Things looked pretty quiet, but I noticed a policeman and a police barrier set up, along with a special rug laid out on the stone steps. Our church colleague, Yacoub, called us over to stand with him. "This is for Mary" he said. The Greek Orthodox Patriarch was arriving soon, to bring the special icon of Mary from her tomb at Gethsemane, to her house near the Holy Sepulcher. The icon has been housed at the tomb to honor her dormition, or "falling asleep."

Now, chances are that if I asked a Lutheran "What happened to Mary after Jesus was resurrected?", the response would be "I haven't really thought about it!" But if you are a Roman Catholic or an Orthodox Christian, then you have heard of many traditions about Mary's life in the post-resurrection years. Some say she stayed in Jerusalem with John. During that time, it is said she preached to the apostles, who hung around the town for about ten years. Some say she went to Turkey. There is even a community that believes she escaped (with Jesus!) to India and lived out her years there.

Whatever she was busy doing for those years after the resurrection of her son, both Catholic and Orthodox Christians believe that Mary did not just die, but was taken up into heaven.The Catholic teaching has been that this happened before death, when Mary was "assumed" into heaven, body and soul. For the Orthodox, the belief is that she died a natural death, and was held in heaven by Jesus at that time. After three days, when the apostles came miraculously from all around the world to visit her tomb, they found that it was empty. Therefore it is believed that her body was also taken up into heaven at that time.

(NOTE: I'm in no way an Orthodox theologian! I hope my Orthodox friends can chime in here and correct any way in which I may be misrepresenting or simplifying this teaching.)

In Jerusalem, there are many special traditions that take place around the time of the Dormition of Mary. This morning, as I followed the sound of the bells, I happened upon the end of this holy time. (Note: our Catholic sisters and brothers celebrated the Assumption of Mary on August 15. Our Orthodox neighbors here celebrate the Dormition of Mary on August 25.)

From http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2006/9engdormitionjer.html

From the website of the Russian Orthodox Church: 
"In honor of these events, an ancient tradition has taken hold in Jerusalem of repeating this procession of the cross with the shroud of the Theotokos, which bears a two-sided icon with a silver oklad [covering frame]. This Shroud is kept throughout the year in Gethsemane directly across from the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. And only during the Dormition period does this miracle-working Shroud pass into a special canopy at the Sepulcher of the Mother of God. Believers venerate it as they pass through the canopy on their knees. From August 25 through September 5, the staircase of the Church of the Dormition, which consists of 48 steps, is covered in candles. This is a remarkable scene. The Apodosis of the Dormition is also the time when worshipers bid farewell to the Shroud. Once again a multitude of nuns gather from all over Jerusalem, who lead the procession. Here one can see representatives of all the monasteries of the Holy Land: Greek, Romanian and Russian nuns. All are united in love for the Most-Holy Theotokos. The procession of the cross continues for over an hour. His Holiness Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and All Palestine and his clergymen bless the Christians as they pass through the street. The procession ends in the courtyard before the Church of the Resurrection of Christ under the Paschal peal of bells from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher."

The bells lasted for at least an hour. Because I stumbled into the courtyard at just the right time, I found myself at the front of the crowd, just behind the police barrier. I decided to stay and wait for the procession of the Patriarch and the icon of Mary. It's hard to describe the experience--so I'll let the pictures and video do the talking. Enjoy! 

Sisters going into the church to pray

People brought herbs to offer for the Virgin

Entrance to Mary's house

Another early arrival to the courtyard

A strange juxtaposition of the soldiers and their guns,
alongside the faithful with their herbs for the Virgin Mary

This security officer seems overwhelmed by the crowds

The crowds kept growing

Children were out of school to attend this holy day

This crowd was coming from Gethsemane to the Holy Sepulcher

The Orthodox really know how to do a procession! Everyone gets involved.

This boy was lost in prayer, and in the fragrance of the herbs

The sisters carved out a space in the crowd for this elderly sister to sit

Some found places to watch the procession from above

Many dignitaries led the procession

In the video below, you can just make out the Patriarch in the middle, cradling the icon of Mary in his arms, around which he has wrapped colorful ribbons. This was the highlight of the morning, the moment everyone was waiting for. I wish I could have gotten closer--but then, so did everyone else!

Today the universe dances with joy at your glorious memorial,

And cries out to you, O Mother of God:

"Rejoice, O Virgin, pride of Christians!"

(Kontakion, Tone 4)