prayer book.
[edit] Eastern Orthodox view
In the Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic and Oriental Orthodox traditions, the Ever-Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, died, after having lived a holy life. Eastern Orthodox do not believe in the immaculate conception, with the exception of some
Old Believers, on the contrary believing that she was the best example of a human lifestyle. The surviving apostles were present at and conducted her funeral. However Thomas was delayed and arrived a few days later. He said that he would not believe this had happened unless he saw the body of Mary. Peter expressed dismay that Thomas continued to doubt what the other apostles told him. Upon opening the tomb, Thomas revealed that he had witnessed the absent body of the Theotokos being taken to heaven by angels. This holy mystery is commemorated in the Church's iconography and hymnogrpahy. The Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholics celebrate this event on August 15. The Oriental Orthodox celebrate it on August 22. The feast day of the
Dormition ("falling asleep") of the Theotokos is preceded by a two week fasting period.
[edit] Anglican view
Assumption statue, 1808 by
Mariano Gerada,
Ghaxaq,
Malta
Mary's special position within God's purpose of salvation as "God bearer" (theotokos) is recognised in a number of ways by some Anglican Christians. The Church affirms in the historic creeds that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, and celebrates the feast days of the
Presentation of Christ in the Temple. This feast is called in older
prayer books the
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 2 February. The
Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin on March 25 was from before the time of
Bede until the 18th century New Year's Day in England. The Annunciation is called the "Annunciation of our Lady" in the 1662
Book of Common Prayer. Anglicans also celebrate in the
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin on May 31, though in some provinces the traditional date of July 2 is kept. The feast of the St. Mary the Virgin is observed on the traditional day of the Assumption, August 15. The
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin is kept on September 8.
The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is kept in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, on December 8. In certain
Anglo-Catholic parishes this feast is called the
Immaculate Conception. Again, the
Assumption of Mary is believed in by most Anglo-Catholics, but is considered a
pious opinion by moderate Anglicans. Protestant minded Anglicans reject the celebration of these feasts.
Prayer with the Blessed Virgin Mary varies according to
churchmanship.
Low Church Anglicans rarely invoke the Blessed Virgin except in certain hymns, such as the second stanza of
Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones. Following the 19th century
Oxford Movement,
Anglo-Catholics frequently pray the
rosary, the
Angelus,
Regina Caeli, and other litanies and anthems of Our Lady. The Anglican
Society of Mary maintains chapters in many countries. The purpose of the society is to foster devotion to Mary among Anglicans.
[edit] Lutheran view
Main article:
Lutheran Marian theology
Despite
Martin Luther's harsh polemics against his Roman Catholic opponents over issues concerning Mary and the saints, theologians appear to agree that Luther adhered to the Marian decrees of the
ecumenical councils and dogmas of the church. He held fast to the belief that Mary was a perpetual virgin and the
Theotokos or
Mother of God.
[44] Special attention is given to the assertion, that Luther some three-hundred years before the dogmatization of the
Immaculate Conception by
Pope Pius IX in
1854, was a firm adherent of that view. Others maintain that Luther in later years changed his position on the Immaculate Conception, which, at that time was undefined in the Church, maintaining however the sinlessness of Mary throughout her life.
[45] Regarding the
Assumption of Mary, he stated, that the
Bible did not say anything about it. Important to him was the belief that Mary and the saints do live on after death.
[46] "Throughout his career as a priest-professor-reformer, Luther preached, taught, and argued about the veneration of Mary with a verbosity that ranged from childlike piety to sophisticated polemics. His views are intimately linked to his christocentric theology and its consequences for liturgy and piety."
[47] Luther, while revering Mary, came to criticize the "Papists" for blurring the line, between high admiration of the grace of God wherever it is seen in a human being, and religious service given to another creature. He considered the Roman Catholic practice of celebrating
saints' days and making intercessory requests addressed especially to Mary and other departed saints to be
idolatry.
[48]