The Assumption of the Virgin is the second public holiday of August in Colombia and is celebrated on the first Monday counted from August 15. It is of religious origin, given the Catholic feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Origin and meaning
The date and manner in which Mary, the mother of Jesus, died is not known. At that time it was not customary to write down the day of someone's birth or death. It is believed that he died between 3 and 15 years after Christ and perhaps it was in Jerusalem or Ephesus. For centuries, the place of his grave was not given much importance.
Ancient texts from the 4th and 5th centuries, some apocryphal and others authentic, mention that Mary died in the presence of all the apostles. Later, Saint Thomas asked to open his tomb and they found it empty. Therefore, the apostles concluded that his body was taken up to heaven. This belief spread to the Catholic world as the Assumption of the Virgin.
In 1950 Pope Pius XII declared this act as a dogma of faith, that is to say, a truth that is known by Holy Scripture or by tradition and that the church proposes as revealed by God.
Celebration
The official date of the solemnity in about 40 countries is August 15. In Colombia, the churches remember this date and pay homage to the Virgin during the mass on the nearest Sunday. Some processions and small events are also held in different municipalities.
The end of this holiday Monday begins the second longest period of the year without holidays, since 8 weeks must be waited until Columbus Day is celebrated.
Assumption of the Virgin (Städel Museum) - Guido Reni
