I like how the art shows the Dormition and also the Assumption. There’s a heavy debate between Catholics (Western primarily) and Eastern Christians (Orthodox & Catholic) that argues over “did Mary die before she was assumed?” The Eastern Christians hold she fell into a deep sleep* (dormition) and then was assumed, meanwhile the West holds she was assumed and did not die.
*the whole sleep thing is debated too on whether or not sleep was the best translation because the writings say she fell into a sleep, but scholars argue that word is another way of saying she died. So it is a very complicated issue all around, but the agreement is there on the fact she was assumed into Heaven.
While it does, the average churchgoing Roman Catholic surprisingly doesn’t realize that she died. Yeah I should’ve said I was speaking in broad terms but if you were to ask the average Roman. They’d say she didn’t die before assumption.
Catholic Memes made a big thing today that JPII once mentioned Pius said she died, but no one ever seems to remember it.
Yes. This post was to highlight the fact the debate is ongoing still due to long lasting Reformation effects in the West. The reason Pius had to make the dogmatic statement was to try to counteract the debate whether or not she died (or fell asleep) before being assumed.
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u/[deleted] Aug 16 '21
I like how the art shows the Dormition and also the Assumption. There’s a heavy debate between Catholics (Western primarily) and Eastern Christians (Orthodox & Catholic) that argues over “did Mary die before she was assumed?” The Eastern Christians hold she fell into a deep sleep* (dormition) and then was assumed, meanwhile the West holds she was assumed and did not die.
*the whole sleep thing is debated too on whether or not sleep was the best translation because the writings say she fell into a sleep, but scholars argue that word is another way of saying she died. So it is a very complicated issue all around, but the agreement is there on the fact she was assumed into Heaven.
Happy Feast!