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| Source: uncutmountainsupply.com |
The death of the Theotokos was also life-bearing, translating her into a celestial and immortal life … Its commemoration not merely renews the memory of the wondrous deeds of the Mother of God, but also adds thereto the strange gathering at her all-sacred burial of all the sacred apostles conveyed from every nation … Thus she exalted those under her thought through herself, and, showing while on earth an obedience to things heavenly rather than things earthly, she partook of more excellent deserts and of superior power.
… She alone in her body, glorified by God, now enjoys the celestial realm together with her Son. For earth and grave and death did not hold forever her life-originating and God-receiving body—the dwelling more favored than Heaven and the Heaven of heavens … How indeed could that body suffer corruption and turn to earth?
… The “ark of holiness” (Ps. 131.8) is resurrected, after the prophetic ode, together with Christ … by her ascension … uniting those on high with those below … In this manner she was in the beginning “a little lower than angels” (Ps. 8.6), as it is said, referring to her mortality, yet this only served to magnify her pre-eminence as regards all creatures.
… Receptacle of great graces … she only is the frontier between created and uncreated nature, and there is no man that shall come to God except he be truly illumined through her … It was through the Theotokos alone that the Lord came to us.
—St. Gregory Palamas, Homily on the Dormition
