The Virgin Mary, having given Herself up to God, even though She repulsed from Herself every impulse to sin, still felt the weakness of human nature more powerfully than others and ardently desired the coming of the Savior. In Her humility, She considered Herself unworthy to be even the servant-girl of the Virgin Who was to give Him birth. So that nothing might distract Her from prayer and heedfulness to Herself, Mary gave to God a vow not to become married, in order to please only Him Her whole life long.

"I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come" (Nicene Creed).

"Limitless and without consolation would have been our sorrow for close ones who are dying, if the Lord had not given us eternal life. Our life would be pointless if it ended with death. What benefit would there then be from virtue and good deeds?

From apostolic times and to our days all who truly love Christ give veneration to Her Who gave birth to Him, raised Him, and protected Him in the days of His youth. If God the Father chose Her, God the Holy Spirit descended upon Her, and God the Son dwelt in Her, submitted to Her, and God the Son dwelt in Her, submitted to Her in the days of His youth, was concerned for Her when hanging on the Cross--then should not everyone who confesses the Holy Trinity venerate Her?

Apolytikion (Dismissal) of the feast.

In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity; in thy dormition thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. Thou wast translated (metastasis) unto life, since thou art the Mother of Life, and by thine intercessions does thou redeem our souls from death.

We know people who can walk in the midst of noise and the crowds of Athens, who can walk through Omonoia Square (center of Athens, Greece) and the most central streets of the capital with their mind undistracted, free, surrendered to unceasing prayer. This means that the prayer has brought about in their souls the Divine attraction of Christ, the sacred magnetism of Heaven and Heavenly life.

As for the abominable pagan priests and the ineffective doctors, they clung to their disbelief. They went to the emperor and said, "We adjure you by the immortal gods, O emperor, do not let this fellow Pantaleon live another hour longer. Let him begone lest he should eradicate our religion; for the Christians will grow strong against us."