Pope's 'Angelus' on Feast of Assumption

(August 15, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday observed the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven offering Catholics the Mother of God as the model of how to live their earthly life. The Pope shared his reflection with pilgrims and visitors who joined him at noon to pray the ‘Angelus’ at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, southeast of Rome, on August 15 that is a holiday in the Vatican and in Italy. The dogma of the Assumption of Mary is an essential tenet of Catholic faith that teaches that Mary was taken up body and soul into heaven after her death. This dogma was officially proclaimed in 1950 by Pope Pius XII, but Pope Benedict noted that this mystery of Mary, celebrated both by Eastern and Western Churches alike, had its roots in the faith and cult since the earliest years of the Church, which had a profound devotion to the Mother of God. The feast of the Mother of God, or Theotòkos, was established with the Council of Ephesus of 431, but this gave way to a change in the 6th century which led to the feast of Dormition, or passage, transit or the Assumption – the celebration of Mary making an exit from this world and being glorified in soul and body in heaven, in God.
The Pope explained that Mary’s Assumption can be understood only in the perspective of Easter, which marks the passage of Jesus to the glory of the Father through his passion, death and resurrection. Mary who gave flesh to the Son of God is the creature who is most immersed in this mystery. Redeemed right from the first moments of her life she was associated in a very special way to the passion and glory of her Son. Hence the Assumption is the mystery of Christ’s Easter that is fully realized in Mary. She in intimately united to her risen Son, the victor over sin and death. But Pope Benedict said that the mystery of Assumption is something that also touches us, because it clearly shows us our destiny, that of man, the Church and history. Commenting on Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth Pope Benedict explained that Elizabeth proclaimed Mary as ‘blessed among women’ because she believed in the fulfillment of God’s words to her. Mary’s ‘Magnificat’ reveals her deep faith in God. She counts herself among the poor and humble who trust in God to accomplish great things in their weakness. If the Assumption opens us to a bright future that awaits us, the Pope said, it is also a strong invitation to us to trust in God more, to follow his Word, to seek and fulfill his will daily. This, the Pope said is the path that will make us ‘blessed’ in our earthly journey and will open to us the gates of heaven. Pope Benedict thus urged Christians to call on Mary to guide their steps in their journey in the encounter with her Son in order to reach the glory of heaven.
Pope Benedict XVI also greeted those present at the ‘Angelus’ prayer in several languages, including in English.

Listen:
I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking visitors gathered for this Angelus prayer, including the groups from Nigeria, Ghana and Burkina Faso. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady. May the example and prayers of Mary, Queen of Heaven, inspire and sustain us on our pilgrimage of faith, that we may rejoice with her in the glory of the resurrection and the fulfilment of her Son’s promises. Upon you and your families I invoke the Lord’s abundant blessings!