The canonical Gospels do not describe the final days of the Virgin Mary. Instead, the narrative is preserved in a few apocryphal texts from the 4th to 6th centuries, such as The Account of the Dormition of the Mother of God by Pseudo-John the Theologian, On the Departure of the Virgin Mary by Pseudo-Melito of Sardis, and The Homily of John, Archbishop of Thessalonica by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. Due to discrepancies among these texts, the Church accepted them only partially. Based on these apocryphal accounts, the Ukrainian saint Dmytro Tuptalo (known as St. Demetrius of Rostov) compiled a narrative of the Dormition in the late 17th century.

According to the apocrypha, Mary spent her final days in Jerusalem, frequently praying at Golgotha and the Holy Sepulchre. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to her, announcing her imminent transition to Christ and presenting her with a branch from the Tree of Paradise, symbolizing her glory. In response to Mary’s prayer, angels brought the apostles, who were scattered across the world preaching, back to Jerusalem. Before her passing, Mary blessed the apostles and witnessed Christ’s arrival in glory, surrounded by angels and saints. Her body was ceremonially carried through Jerusalem, protected by divine intervention from hostile actions.

The Virgin’s body was buried in the tomb of her parents and Joseph the Betrothed in Gethsemane. On the third day, the Apostle Thomas, who had missed the burial, found the tomb empty save for the burial shroud. During a subsequent meal, Mary appeared to the apostles, assuring them of her eternal presence.

Iconography

The most common iconographic depiction illustrates the moment of Mary’s death: her body lies on a bier, surrounded by apostles and saints, while Christ above holds her soul as an infant. The upper part of the icon often includes scenes of the Assumption or Coronation of Mary. Certain icons highlight miracles, such as the severing of the hands of the high priest Athonios by Archangel Michael.

From the 18th century onward, influenced by Western art, compositions included additional symbolic elements like the crown, lily, or cross. Folk iconography of the 19th century, meanwhile, maintained simpler representations, focusing on the spiritual essence of the event.

Mykhailo Skop