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Q&A Home > S > St. Mary > Assumption of St. Mary I have a question regarding the assumption of the body of St Mary. Is her body separately placed in heaven until the resurrection or has her spirit being united with her body and is now seated at the right of our Lord and God, as Elijah and Enoch are in heaven with their bodies? The Coptic Orthodox Church commemorates the dormition of the blessed Mother, St. Mary the Ever-Virgin, on Tobe 21, January 29th, at the age of 60. She reposed in the presence of most of the disciples as well as some of the devout women that dwelt in the Mount of Olives. Thus, these eyewitnesses reported that the Lord received her precious soul surrounded by angels. The mourners shrouded her pure body and laid it in a tomb in Gethsemane, where a church is named in her honor until today. Being a great distance away on his evangelical mission, St. Thomas saw her pure body carried into heaven. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, he reported to the other disciples what he had witnessed. Hence, they discovered that indeed her body was not in the tomb where they had laid it. On Mesore 16, August 22nd, the Lord allowed the apostles to see the assumption of St. Mary's pure body into Paradise and her brilliant and beautiful spirit sitting on the right of the Lord Jesus. The Lord did not will that her pure body would remain on earth. Her spirit is still separated from her body. Like all humanity, her body and her spirit have not reunited, which will happen after Christ's Second Coming. May her blessings and intercessions be with us all.
Please read:
Dormition: http://copticchurch.net/synaxarium/5_21.html
Assumption: http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/12_16.html
There is a special purpose that Elijah and Enoch were taken up but where and why is unknown to us. Perhaps, they are in the heavenly realm like the one that St. Paul visited, as he also was unsure whether he was in or out of his body (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). Just as he returned and completed his life on earth, their return is also anticipated. God is above time and will reveal to us what He wills to reveal.
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