Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2025: date and essence of the church holiday in brief

Thursday, August 28, 2025, is one of the most important holidays in the Orthodox calendar — the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is popularly called the Theotokos Easter.

On this day, believers remember the day of the death of the Virgin Mary. Despite the fact that this event is sad, the day is considered a holiday, as it symbolizes the moment of Mother's reunion with her Son.

Assumption of Mary 2025 — what kind of church holiday is August 28?

"Assumption" in Old Slavonic means "sleep" or "peaceful death." The death of the Virgin is considered to be a short sleep, followed by resurrection and ascension.

The Gospel describes how three days after the burial, the apostle Thomas, who could not attend the funeral, wanted to say goodbye to the Virgin. But when he entered the cave, he found only a funeral cloth in the coffin. On the same day, Mary appeared before the apostles in heavenly splendor surrounded by angels and said: "Rejoice! For I am with you always."

The holiday is one of the twelve. This is the last of the twelve major holidays of the church year. It is non-rolling and has a permanent celebration date. It is preceded by the Dormition Fast, which lasts from August 14 to 27. The fast is short, but in its rigor it is not inferior to the Great One.

In Orthodox churches, the celebration of the Dormition begins the day before and lasts for ten days. On the evening of August 27, before the all-night vigil, a shroud with the image of the Virgin Mary is brought out for worship. In the morning, the festive liturgy is read. On this holiday, the clergy wear blue robes — the color of the Virgin, symbolizing purity and purity. Parishioners consecrate the ears of the new crop and bread.

On this holiday, it is customary to ask the Virgin Mary first of all for the birth of children, health and a happy fate for them.

Prayers and hymns that tell about this event are read for another eight days after the holiday. Giving falls on September 5th.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2025: what not to do, signs

The festive table for the Assumption was usually richly set, since the fast had already ended. However, if the holiday falls on a Wednesday or Friday, fasting people can only eat fish, and meat and dairy dishes should be avoided for another day. There must be bread baked from the grain of the new harvest on the table.

Traditions have not spared matters of the heart. In Russia, on this day, it was customary to send matchmakers to the girl whom the man wanted to marry.

Our ancestors believed that it was impossible to walk barefoot. Nowadays, this tradition has changed. Nowadays, it is customary to wear only very comfortable shoes on a holiday that do not restrict movement.

Working in the garden used to be considered one of the strict prohibitions on August 28. Our ancestors believed that in no case should sharp objects be stuck into the ground at the Dormition — the earth should have a good rest.

There were also several signs related to the weather:

• If it's warm, Indian summer will be cold and winter will be warm.;
• It's raining — autumn will be dry;
• a rainbow in the sky for a warm autumn.

The day after the Assumption, on August 29, in the national calendar, Orekhovy, or Bread, was saved. For more information about this holiday, as well as about the features of Honey and Apple Saviour, see the Izvestia article.