The Leavetaking of the Feast of the Dormition (Apodosis) falls today, on the 23rd of August- What does the “apodosis” of a feast mean?
Every major feast has its “apodosis” in Orthodoxy. Every feast is a living event, repeated by the Orthodox Church and the faithful.
But there is another reason why we re-celebrate the feast, that is the “apodosis”. We enjoy the beauty of the celebration of the feast once again.
When an event is beautiful, we long to see it again. When a dish is delicious, we want to taste it again. The celebration of an event regarding Jesus Christ or the Theotokos sweetens up the soul.
The soul wants to celebrate again the Feast of the Mother of our Lord and Mother of all people, who has a thousand names and thousands of virtues.
We commemorate the Dormition of the Theotokos, but at the same time, it is noteworthy that it is a delightful day and not a mourning day.
The feasts of the Church are a real gift. It is an opportunity for all to worship the Holy Trinity. The feasts of the Mother of God are an occasion to honour and show our gratitude to the Most Holy Theotokos.
We pray as a whole, make personal wishes by singing the sweetest hymns to worship the Lord, and remain united. Our unity ascends to the Heavens like the fragrant smell of incense.
The Church teaches us, instructs us, and show us the way. The Church urges us to imitate the person honoured.
In addition, the Church urges us to reflect the Theotokos in our soul, to take a critical look at ourselves, to let the holiness of the Mother of God enter, to struggle spiritually.
But as we follow the way of life she followed and as we embrace the virtues of the Theotokos, a problem arises; How can measure all those traits of her personality? What comes to mind?
Her personality will always be the path towards holiness for us, Christians, the shining star that will be leading us to the Saviour Christ. This is the most comprehensive way to reassess our lifestyle and our desires.
Source: Metropolis of Zambia