Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Council of Chalcedon (451), made known to the Emperor Marcian and Pulcheria, who wished to possess the body of the Mother of God, that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles, but that her tomb, when opened upon the request of St. Thomas, was found empty; wherefrom the Apostles concluded that the body was taken up to heaven.
“Therefore the Virgin is immortal to this day, seeing that he who had dwelt in her transported her to the regions of her assumption”
(Timothy of JerusalemHomily on Simeon and Anna; 400 AD).
If therefore it might come to pass before the power of your grace, it has appeared right to us your servants that, as you, having overcome death does reign in glory, so you should raise up the body of your mother and take her with you, rejoicing into heaven. Then said the Savior [Jesus]: ‘Be it done according to your will”
(Pseudo-Melito The Passing of the Virgin 16:2-17; 300 AD).
“Therefore the Virgin is immortal to this day, seeing that he who had dwelt in her transported her to the regions of her assumption”
(Timothy of JerusalemHomily on Simeon and Anna; 400 AD).
“It was fitting…that the most holy body of Mary, God-bearing body, receptacle of God, divinized, incorruptible, illuminated by divine grace and full glory…should be entrusted to the earth for a little while and raised up to heaven in glory, with her soul pleasing to God.”
(Theotokos of Livias, Homily on the Assumption; before 650 A.D.)
“The Apostles took up her body on a bier and placed it in a tomb; and they guarded it, expecting the Lord to come. And behold, again the Lord stood by them; and the holy body having been received, He commanded that it be taken in a cloud into paradise: where now, rejoined to the soul, [Mary] rejoices with the Lord’s chosen
Early Christian Witness
That early Christian believed in Mary’s Assumption is proven in the lack of her relics, empty tombs, the existence of Transitus Mariae stories, and quotes from early Christians.
In Revelations 12:1, right after his vision of the ark of the covenant in heaven (11:19), St. John sees a great Woman: the New Eve, the Virgin Mary, Image and Model of the Church. This verse strongly insinuates the Assumption of Mary.
joy of nine9 
That first image is incredible! Christ reaches down from heaven and brings his mother to himself. Beautiful!
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my favorite too. Michael O’Brien has painted hundreds of pieces
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Lovely pictures of our Blessed Mother!
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Beautiful! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I am interested in this orthodoxy icon , which is in many versions, i know also ethiopian. However , Jesus is always carrying the soul of Mary and this soul looks like a newborn baby :))). Well, it is not the same Assumpption like in our Catholic Church, anyway it is a masterpiece.
I agree that the first image is great. I `ve never heard of M. O`Brien…
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He is a modern, living , Canadian Catholic Artist with hundreds of paintings and his own website
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Dear Miss Juneau.
Wondering if the Assumption of Mary in art icon can be used for an Assumption reflection on the Sisters of Charity of New York website, scny.org. If so, whom de we credit? Thank you.
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When I wrote this piece, I could not find the artist. A google serch turned up my blog, other Catholic sites I reposted, and pinterest pins – still poking around because this is my favourite icon
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